The Lash of the Penitentes/Review

(Note: The full version of this film is considered to be "Lost," making it only possibly for a Comment of a Historical note for the Database. The 35 Minute cut, noted in the Fun Facts section, is released on VHS, though.) For those who have the "Legend"-ary Sleazemania videos, this film had one of the wildest trailers for a 1930's Roadshow picture, promising "CULT TORTURE SECRETS BARED!!!" (And they were!), "BEAUTIFUL GIRL TAKES PUNISHMENT for the sake of the man she loves!" (Yes, we see this, and we thank you!), and that it's "GLAMOROUS PRIMITIVE LOVE will AROSE YOU!" (Well, she's a sight in a 30's Kind of way, but still good to look at.). Still, for all of the interest the trailer can bring to this, the sad fact is that there just may be no way to actually get the whole film in one real solid presentation because through the time this film played the grindhouses and roadshows, it is a safe bet that this had to be cut many times over possibly making every print incomplete with only some of them surviving.

It was inspired from the murder of one Carl Taylor, who was killed by his houseboy in early 1936 while researching the Penitentes, and that's the the main story of the film surrounding one George Mack (Rubio) who was murdered by Chico (Marcos) after the cult found out about the writer witnessing a rite, which is based on Christ's walk to Cavalry, but the Exploitation side of the story features one non-believer of the sect, Raquel (DeForest), who falls in love with Manuel, an artist (Justi), much to the dismay of Chico whose accusations lead to the famed scene featured in the trailer, while the audience is warned, possibly in Reefer Madness style, by a minister (Bletcher) about the cult. For more on the interesting stories surrounding the film, go to the Fun Facts section.

Reviewed by Screen13