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Stuart Gordon's horny Inquisitor gets a torture device and a crush — Poe is screaming in his grave.
TMDB
57
IMDb
60
Rotten Tomatoes
50
Audience Score
40
Google
83
Watch(US)

The Pit and the Pendulum (1991)

gothic sleazetorture porn before it was coolperiod piece chaos

Overview

HorrorRomance

Set during the height of Spanish Inquisition. The beautiful and kind-hearted Maria is arrested as a witch when she inadvertently cries out in horror at the public whipping of a child. As Maria’s husband Antonio tries to save her, Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor, determines to punish Maria with torture for the desire she inflames in him. Loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe's classic short story.

Flag of USUS
Content warning
witchbased on short storytorture chamberspanish inquisitiontorquemada

Standout Aspects

Acting

Lance Henriksen plays Torquemada as repressed and rabid — magnificent

Practical Effects

Gordon's torture contraptions are gloriously disgusting practical effects

Direction

Stuart Gordon squeezes every drop of perverse tension from the material

Best for:Streaming: Late night with the lights off and your jaw dropped·Solo: When you want to feel weird about enjoying this·Friends: Bad movie night that accidentally becomes good
Heads up:Violence: Extended torture sequences including the titular pendulum blade·Sexual Content: Torquemada's repressed lust drives the plot — religious guilt meets horny
Stuart Gordon

Director

Stuart Gordon

ReleasedJun 27, 1991
Runtime1h 37m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensityhigh
Tonedark
Feelheavy
Budget$2M·Revenue$3.3K
Full Moon Entertainment

Top Cast

Lance Henriksen

Lance Henriksen

Torquemada

Stephen Lee

Stephen Lee

Gomez

Mark Margolis

Mark Margolis

Mendoza

Carolyn Purdy-Gordon

Carolyn Purdy-Gordon

Contessa D'Alba Molina

Benito Stefanelli

Benito Stefanelli

Executioner

Jeffrey Combs

Jeffrey Combs

Francisco

Tom Towles

Tom Towles

Don Carlos

Jonathan Fuller

Jonathan Fuller

Antonio

Oliver Reed

Oliver Reed

Cardinal

Larry Dolgin

Larry Dolgin

Sergeant of the Guards

Frances Bay

Frances Bay

Esmeralda

Fabio Carfora

Fabio Carfora

Beggar

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

Stuart Gordon and producer Charles Band made this for Full Moon Entertainment immediately after Robot Joker, keeping their insane 1991 output pace.

Cultural

The 1961 Vincent Price version is a masterpiece of dread; Gordon's is a masterpiece of excess — both valid.

YouTube

The Pit And The Pendulum ≣ 1991 ≣ Trailer

The Pit And The Pendulum ≣ 1991 ≣ Trailer

Gallery

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