It was never going to be easy following up a movie that got banned in multiple countries. Most people remember the first Mark of the Devil (1970) because of its legendary marketing gimmick: "The first film rated V for Violence," complete with vomit bags handed out at the theater. But Mark of the Devil 2 (originally titled Hexen geschändet und am Scheiterhaufen verbrannt) is a different beast entirely. It’s meaner. It’s bleaker. It’s also surprisingly more focused on the political machinery of the Inquisition than the cheap shocks of its predecessor.
Honestly, the 1973 sequel is a fascinating piece of Euro-cult history that often gets lumped in with "nasty" cinema, yet it carries a historical weight that’s hard to ignore.
The film doesn't just try to gross you out. It tries to make you angry. Released during a time when European horror was transitioning from gothic atmosphere to visceral realism, this movie landed like a lead weight. While the first film featured Udo Kier and a certain level of "prestige" within the exploitation genre, the second entry feels more like a raw, unfiltered look at human cruelty. You’ve got the return of the corrupt witch hunters, but the stakes feel more personal this time around.
📖 Related: Why The Panic in Needle Park Still Hurts to Watch Today
The Brutal Reality Behind Mark of the Devil 2
Let’s get one thing straight: this isn't a fun popcorn flick. If you’re looking for jump scares, look elsewhere. This is "torture porn" before that term was even invented, but with a weirdly academic interest in the legal loopholes of the 17th century. The plot follows a young noblewoman who falls victim to the whims of the Inquisition after her husband is murdered. It’s a classic "innocent person vs. corrupt system" trope, but dialed up to an eleven.
The director, Adrian Hoven, who actually produced the first film, took over the reins here. He wasn't interested in subtlety. He wanted to show the mechanisms of the rack, the thumbscrew, and the stake. But why?
Historians of the genre, like Kim Newman, have often pointed out that these films were a reaction to the stifling conservatism of the era. By showing the "Church" as a bastion of perversion and greed, the filmmakers were taking a massive swing at authority. It wasn't just about blood; it was about the subversion of power. You see this in the way the "trials" are conducted. They aren't seeking truth. They are seeking property and submission.
Casting and the European Cult Connection
The cast is a who’s who of 70s European exploitation. You have Anton Diffring, an actor who made a career out of playing cold, calculating villains (often Nazis in British war films). His presence gives the film an icy, professional cruelty that makes the violence feel less like a movie and more like a documentary of a nightmare.
Then there’s Erika Blanc.
She was a staple of Italian and German cult cinema. In Mark of the Devil 2, she brings a level of genuine pathos that the script probably didn't even deserve. When she's on screen, you're not just watching a victim; you're watching someone grapple with the absolute dissolution of their world. It’s her performance that keeps the movie from sliding into total trash territory.
Why the "V for Violence" Tag Followed It
Marketing is a hell of a drug. Hallmark Releasing, the US distributor, knew they couldn't just sell this as a historical drama about the Inquisition. They leaned hard into the "vomit bag" legacy. Even though Mark of the Devil 2 is technically a West German production, its life in the American grindhouse circuit defined its reputation.
Critics at the time hated it. Obviously.
Roger Ebert famously despised the first film, and the second didn't fare much better with the establishment. They saw it as an exercise in nihilism. But if you look at the work of contemporary directors like Ari Aster or Robert Eggers, you can see the DNA of these "uncomfortable" historical horrors. The Witch (2015) owes a massive debt to the atmosphere established by Hoven and his crew, even if Eggers trades the gore for psychological dread.
The Special Effects of the 1970s
We need to talk about the practical effects. In an era before CGI, everything had to be physical. The "tongue tearing" scenes and the various applications of the rack were achieved with basic prosthetics and a lot of stage blood.
- Realism over Style: Unlike the stylized blood of Hammer Horror (which looked like bright red paint), this film used darker, more viscous fluids to mimic reality.
- The Sound Design: This is where the movie really gets you. The sound of creaking wood and metal in the torture chamber is often more effective than the visuals.
- The Location: Filming in actual Austrian castles and historical sites provided a level of authenticity that a studio set could never replicate. The cold stone walls feel damp. You can almost smell the rot.
The Censorship Wars and the "Video Nasty" Era
You can't talk about this movie without talking about the censors. In the UK, the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) had a field day with it. During the 1980s "Video Nasty" panic, films like this were seized by police. It became a forbidden fruit.
👉 See also: Come Softly to Me: Why The Fleetwoods' Whispered Classic Still Feels So Strange
This censorship actually helped the film’s longevity. By making it hard to find, the authorities ensured that every horror fan with a VCR wanted a copy. It became a badge of honor to own an uncut version of Mark of the Devil 2. It’s funny, really. The more the government tried to suppress the film’s depiction of a corrupt state, the more they proved the film’s point about state overreach.
How it Differs from the Original
Most sequels just do the same thing bigger. Mark of the Devil 2 is actually a bit more claustrophobic. The first film had a bit of a "travelogue" feel as the witch hunters moved from town to town. This one feels trapped. It’s stuck in the dungeons.
Some fans argue it’s the inferior film because it lacks the "star power" of Udo Kier. I’d argue that the lack of a traditional "hero" makes it more impactful. In the first film, Kier’s character provides a moral compass, even if it’s a shaky one. Here, the compass is broken. Everyone is complicit or crushed. It’s a much more cynical view of humanity, which fits the 1973 vibe perfectly.
Is It Actually Based on Real History?
Sorta.
The "Witch Hammer" (Malleus Maleficarum) was a real book. The Inquisition was a real, horrific period of history. However, the film takes these elements and pushes them into the realm of Grand Guignol. It uses historical truth as a springboard for exploitation.
Specifically, the film draws on the history of the Austrian witch trials, which were notoriously brutal. The character of the "Witch Commissioner" is a composite of several real-life figures who made fortunes by seizing the assets of those they accused. So, while the specific dialogue is invented, the economic motivation behind the killings is historically accurate. People weren't just burned because of "the devil"; they were burned because the Church wanted their land.
Practical Insights for Horror Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to track this down today, you've got options, but you need to be careful. For years, the only way to see this was through grainy, multi-generation VHS bootlegs. Now, boutique labels have done the heavy lifting.
- Check the Cut: Always look for the "Uncut" or "Restored" versions from labels like Arrow Video or Blue Underground. Many TV edits remove the very scenes that give the film its context.
- Context is King: Watch it as a double feature with Witchfinder General (1968). It provides a great contrast between British cynical horror and German visceral horror.
- The Soundtrack: Pay attention to the score. It’s oddly beautiful at times, contrasting with the ugliness on screen. This was a common trope in Euro-horror—using melodic music to heighten the impact of a horrific scene.
The Cultural Legacy of the Mark
What are we left with? A movie that is hard to watch, harder to forget, and surprisingly relevant. In a world where we still struggle with "trial by social media" and systemic corruption, the themes of Mark of the Devil 2 haven't aged as much as the film stock has.
It’s a reminder that horror isn't always about ghosts or monsters. Sometimes, it’s just about a guy with a badge and a legal excuse to be a monster. The film doesn't offer a happy ending because history didn't offer one to the thousands of people who died in these trials.
If you're going to dive into this era of cinema, start with an open mind. Don't just look at the gore; look at the faces of the characters in the background. Look at the way the "judges" eat and drink while people are suffering ten feet away. That’s where the real horror of the movie lives.
👉 See also: LEGO Harry Potter Ministry of Magic: Why This Modular Set is a Weird Masterpiece
To truly understand this film, you should compare the German theatrical cut with the international versions. The tonal shifts are jarring. In some versions, the political subtext is buried under a faster edit, while the longer German cuts allow the dread to simmer. If you want the full experience, find the longest runtime available. It’s a grueling sit, but it’s the only way to appreciate the scale of the nihilism Hoven was going for. Check your local cult cinema listings or specialized streaming services like Shudder or MUBI, which occasionally cycle through these restored classics. Avoid the low-bitrate "public domain" uploads on YouTube; they wash out the cinematography and ruin the oppressive atmosphere that makes the film work.