The Wizard of Gore (1970)

Director:

Herschell Gordon Lewis

Writer:

Allen Kahn (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 October 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Is It Magic? Or Wholesale Slaughter?

Plot:

A TV talk-show hostess and her boyfriend investigate a shady magician whom has the ability to hypnotize and control the thoughts of people in order to stage gory on-stage illusions using his powers of mind bending.

Plot Keywords:

Magician | Illusion | Magic | Gore | Grave Robbing

Cast

Ray Sager	...	Montag the Magnificent
Judy Cler	...	Sherry Carson
Wayne Ratay	...	Jack
Phil Laurenson	...	Greg
Jim Rau	...	Steve
Don Alexander	...	Det. Kramer
John Elliot	...	Det. Harlan
Karin Alexana	...	Stage Girl #1 - Chainsaw Victim
Jack Gilbreth	...	Maitre d'Hotel
Corinne Kirkin	...	Stage Girl #2 - Headpike Victim
Monica Blackwell	...	Stage Girl #3 - Punchpress Victim (as Monika Blackwell)
Sally Brody	...	Stage Girl #4 - Sword Victim
Karen Burke	...	Stage Girl #5 - Sword Victim
Eric Kelner Raynard	...	Coroner
Sheldon Reis	...	Audience Member
Julie Yager	...	Secretary
Charlotte Bell
Alex Ameri	...	Stage Hand #1 (as Ali Ameri)
David Atlas	...	Stage Hand #2
Patty La Du	...	Waitress
Stephen Field	...	Policeman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fred M. Sandy	...	Audience Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Herschell Gordon Lewis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Allen Kahn		screenplay

Produced by
Herschell Gordon Lewis	....	producer
Fred M. Sandy	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Larry Wellington

Cinematography by
Herschell Gordon Lewis		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Alex Ameri		(as Eskandor Ameripoor)

Makeup Department
Frank Morelli	....	hair stylist
Frank Morelli	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Gary Isaacson	....	unit manager
John Sezonoy	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Allison Louise Downe	....	assistant director

Art Department
Barry Lewis	....	property communications

Sound Department
Robert Lewis	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Herschell Gordon Lewis	....	technical special effects (as Sheldon Seymour)
Allison Louise Downe	....	special effects (uncredited)
Robert Lewis	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alex Ameri	....	camera operator (as Alex Ameripoor)
Roger Gee	....	still photographer
Daniel Krogh	....	camera operator

Animation Department
William S. Stein Jr.	....	color lighting coordinator

Editorial Department
Daniel Krogh	....	assistant editor
Ray Sager	....	assistant editor (as Ray Szegho)

Other crew
Harry Imeroz	....	production coordinator
Roger Strauss	....	technical design unit chief

Production Companies

• Mayflower Pictures

Distributors

• Mayflower Pictures (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Select-a-Tape (1980) (USA) (VHS) (as Midnight Video)
• Rhino Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• New Star Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (2000) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• CMV Laservision (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Siren Visual Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Continental Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (199?) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | New Zealand:R16 | USA:Not Rated | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Mayflower Pictures

Trivia:

Ray Sager was a last minute replacement for the original actor cast as Montag who dropped out of the movie right before shooting started.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the beginning of the movie, after Montag has chopped his head off with the guillotine, and his body starts grabbing at the head, you can see the hair of the actor behind the guillotine poking out on the right side.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Montag the Magnificent:[to the theater audience] I am Montag, master of illusion! The fire of the laws of reason! A magician if you will. But then... what is a magician? A person who tears asunder your rules of logic and crumbles your world of reality so you can go home and say: "Oh what clever tricks he has. What a sly deceiver"... and go to sleep in the security of your own, real world.
[laughs]
Montag the Magnificent:What is real? Are you certain you know what reality is? How do you know that at this second you aren't asleep in your beds dreaming that you are here in this theater? Ah, yes... it all seems too real. Well, haven't you ever had a dream that seems so very real...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Rocktober Blood (1984)

A really strange and disturbing masterpiece of hilarious nonsense

Though this is one of my all time favorite movies, I would still have to give it 7 out of ten because it has too many flaws for me to rate it as a perfect film. For one, the plot does meander and great deal. Also, the characters for the most part are pointless and annoying. Still, this does not matter in the world of Herschell Gordon Lewis. This is easily one of the stupidest, most unbelievable, disturbing and hilarious movies that I have ever seen in my entire life. You'll find yourself laughing out loud as you vomit at the sight of people having swords shoved down their throats, being done in with punch presses, being chainsawed in half and every other disgusting thing you can possibly imagine. Only in the world of cinema can things this ridiculous happen. That's what I love about movies, they take you into a different world, and this movie does just that. Aside from the gore, what really makes this movie stand out is it's evil villain 'MONTAG THE MAGNIFICENT'. After watching this movie, my friend Jason and I decided to start worshipping him and revelling in his badassness. Also, what totally rules about this movie is just how terrible the acting is. Ray Sager is actually the worst actor of all time. It made me laugh the entire time I watched it, yet at the same time his presence has an unnatural creepiness to it. The ending has to be seen to be believed.

Truly a unique horror film that should be seen by fans of bad cinema or just anyone who wants to be totally grossed out and given nightmares.

(My personal rating is 10/10)