| Redemption DVD states this movie is "hailed as a classic gothic masterpiece". I'm not sure that's accurate. I haven't read any reviews that hail this film as such--none that say it's bad either though. I would say it's a middling, primitive gothic horror film, mainly notable due to it being a very early Tony Tenser (Tigon Pictures) production, and at its best it achieves some effectively eerie moments and some decently atmospheric scenes. It's also fun to watch the overblown--to the point of camp--performance of John Turner as the falsely accused Sir Richard Fordyce. He is VERY angry in several scenes and will emphatically yell every single word of some of his longest blocks of dialogue. I found this somewhat distracting as I could feel my throat getting sore listening to him and I imagined the actors in range in front of him getting completely covered in his spittle after several takes of this.
Again, as this film is nowhere near as good as, to name a few: the early Hammer gothics, Corman's early Poe films, Bava's gothic masterpieces, or Antonio Margheriti's minor gothic masterpieces, I would have a hard time rating this film anywhere near masterpiece status.
Overall, it is a watchable and enjoyable film if you're a fan of the genre. If you are a major fan of this genre and era of horror, it is a must-see, as you will definitely find enjoyment in the small qualities it has. However, for those yet to familiarize themselves with the gothic horror genre, "The Black Torment" is no place to start and will probably come off as a bore.
Considering my taste for classic and gothic horror, it is very exciting to see this film finally given a proper DVD release. |
