Die Nackte und der Satan (1959)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Victor Trivas

Writer:

Victor Trivas (writer)

Release Date:

1962 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The Body is Gone...But The Head Lives On!

Plot:

A scientist invents a serum that keeps a dog's head alive after its body dies. When the scientist dies of a heart attack...

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Scientist | Heart Attack | Hunchback | Sculptor

Cast

Horst Frank	...	Dr. Brandt, alias Dr. Ood
Karin Kernke	...	Schwester Irene Sander
Helmut Schmid	...	Bert Jaeger
Paul Dahlke	...	Police Commissioner Sturm
Dieter Eppler	...	Paul Lerner
Kurt Müller-Graf	...	Dr. Walter Burke
Christiane Maybach	...	Stella, alias Lilly
Michel Simon	...	Professor Dr. Abel

Also Known As:

A Head for the Devil
Des Satans nackte Sklavin (West Germany) (new title)
The Head (USA)
The Screaming Head

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1960) | West Germany:18 (nf)

Filming Locations:

ARRI-Atelier, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Rapid Film

Trivia:

Michel Simon, a major star in France at the time, had used some tainted makeup on a previous film that had resulted in his body and face becoming temporarily partially paralyzed. Since that time he had been unable to find work and took a role in this low-budget German horror film because he needed the money and only his head would be shown, and he didn't think a film of this caliber, which could adversely affect his career, would be seen on the rest of the continent. Unfortunately he was wrong, and the film was in fact a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

Quotes:

Stella, alias Lilly: It's an ill wind that blows nobody no good.
Paul Lerner: Very good, Lilly, you're such a philosopher.

Hans quick, Der Shnitchengruben!!!

I've seen too many examples of prime Euro-Sleaze to not notice a notch or two above the rest and this creeper fits that description .This offbeat mad scientist film has a similar story to the far more famous and campier The Brain That Wouldn't Die. Both were made in the very same year,though The Head made it to American screens a year earlier while the producer of the other flick haggled with AIP for a better distribution deal.Both films would be great to play on a double bill as both are sexually charged but the tones are on opposite sides of the spectrum.Though the dubbing is as poor a usual foreign efforts it's apparent that The head is much more concerned with being a professional movie with a taste for the gutter as opposed to The Brain that wouldn't Die which is trash hoping to be accepted.The acting for the most part is much better and the effects of the transplant while just as unreasonable in theory are handled with superior care than in the drive-in romp from the states.Now don't get me wrong,it is a cheesy B movie but it's nicely adult and takes care to keep a consistent mood of artiness and Angst.Where as The Brain That Wouldn't Die became famous for it's early gore scenes,the Head is far more focused on arousal.It's obvious that a minute or two was snipped from the German version. At least once in the strip club and then again as Irina admires her new body.This film being longer than the other by a good eighteen minutes means it gives it time to be a bit more complicated plot wise than just man removes head,man gets head new body and during the last two minutes we get a whole new piece of information that allows for a less traditional ending.The Brain That Wouldn't Die is tons mores fun but this makes for a good rainy night entry for that trash-aholic film lover.