Devil's Possessed, Evil Baron and the Blood of Maidens

Why don't we have alchemists anymore? Those peppy mystics who conjured up magical potions and turned rats into gold. I miss them...as I know you do. Replaced by Scientologists and boring Episcopalians, alchemists have gone the way of elevator operators. Hence 1974's "Devil's Possessed," a neat Paul Naschy horror film from Spain. What happens when an alchemist prescribes the blood of nubile maidens for a potion of world domination? Okay, that's an easy one.

Baron Gilles de Lancre (Naschy) is sad...the king is ignoring him. The war hero of yesterday is turned down for a loan by the King of France. Enter Lancre's sultry wife, Georgelle (Norma Sebre). She has a brilliant idea...call in an alchemist to do a magical rite that will enable Lancre to be master of the world. We've all done it, but sometimes it takes a beautiful wife to prod us. Okay, the alchemist is on board and Lancre is eager to get the ball rolling. Step one: Abduct beautiful maidens, rape the snot out of them...and let Georgelle torture them to death. Georgelle is eagerly on board...imagine that.

As Lancre and Georgelle go through nubile maidens like crap through a goose, Gaston (Guillermo Bredeston) returns after four years in an English prison. The once right hand man of Lancre, Gaston is now his rival...and the only man who poses a threat to Lancre's rule. As Lancre raises taxes, rapes maidens, and tortures citizens thinking of rebellion, Gaston hooks up with the resistance. What luck, a high ranking rebel in the resistance is Graciela (Graciela Nilson). The Barbara Crampton look-a-like is also Gaston's lover. Together they plan to invade Lancre's castle and overthrow the tyrant. Uh oh, Lancre moves first and abducts Graciela. Now Gaston must not only overthrow Lancre, but rescue Graciela before...well...you know.

What does Lancre have planned for Graciela, or more importantly, what does Georgelle have planned for Graciela? If Lancre termed his tax increases as an "investment in France's future," would the peasants have revolted? Who is having more fun with the nubile maidens, Lancre or Georgelle? This is a gratuitous one with much torture and swordplay. For some neat medieval carnage and swashbuckling, see "Devil's Possessed."