After a cult besieges her convent, a young nun goes with an army of Muslims to destroy the convent and kill who wronged her.
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Title: Flavia, the Heretic (1974)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Florinda Bolkan | ... | Flavia Gaetani | |
| María Casares | ... | Sister Agatha | |
| Claudio Cassinelli | ... | Abraham | |
| Anthony Higgins | ... | Ahmed (as Anthony Corlan) | |
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Spiros Focás | ... | the French Duke |
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Diego Michelotti | ... | Flavia's Father |
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Raika Juri | ... | Sister Livia |
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Jill Pratt | ... | Mother Superior |
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Franca Grey | ... | Village Girl |
| Laura De Marchi | ... | Tarantula Cult Woman | |
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Eduardo Filipone | ||
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Ciro Ippolito | ||
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Carla Mancini | ||
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Luigi Antonio Guerra | ||
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Giuseppe Pertile | ... | Bishop |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
Italy 1600: A convent of nuns are invaded by the Tarantula Sect on their annual pilgrimage. The cultists defile the place of worship, orgying in the chapel and desecrating the altar. One nun decides she can't take the religious oppression any longer and flees the convent upset that all the leaders are male. Written by <arviga@online.no>
Taglines:
She Launched A River of BLOODParents Guide:
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See full technical specs »
Details
Language:
ItalianRelease Date:
January 1977 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Flavia, the Heretic See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (uncut)Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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See more »
Did You Know?
Goofs
The movie takes place in Italy circa 1400. At one moment Flavia and Abraham are on the beach eating roasted ears of corn. See more »Quotes
Flavia Gaetani: [addressing Christ on the cross] Why... why? Why is God male? The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost - all male. Even the twelve apostles. All twelve of them - males.See more »
Alternate Versions
The 1994 UK Redemption video was cut by 1 min 24 secs by the BBFC with edits to topless nudity, the rape of the swine-herder's daughter, a nun's breast being burnt and her nipple cut off and shots of Flavia peeling skin from an ankle wound during the flaying scene, as well as heavy edits to a horse being castrated. The 2008 Shameless DVD was fully uncut. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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There is so much that can be said about this film. It is not your typical nunsploitation. Of course, there is nudity and sex with nuns, but that is almost incidental to the story.
It is set in 15th Century Italy, at the time of the martyrdom of 800 Christians at Otranto. The battle between the Muslims and the Christians takes up a good part of the film. It was interesting when everyone was running from the Muslim hoards, that the mother superior would ask, "Why do you fear the Muslims,; they will not do anything that the Christians have done to you?" Certainly, there was enough torture on both sides.
Sister Flavia (Florinda Bolkan) is sent to a convent for defying her father. In the process, she witnesses and endures many things: the gelding of a stallion, the rape of a local woman by a new Duke, the torture of a nun who was overcome during a visit by the Tarantula Sect, and a whipping herself when she ran off with a Jew. The torture was particularly gruesome with hot wax being poured on the nun, and her nipples cut off.
Sister Flavia is bound to continue to get into trouble as she questions the male-dominated society in which she lives. She even asks Jesus, why the father, son and holy ghost are all men.
Eventually, she joins the leader of the Muslims as his lover and they sack the convent. Here is where you see more flesh than you can possible enjoy at one time. But, tragedy is to come. She manages to exact sweet revenge on all, including the Duke and her father, but finds that the Muslim lover treats her exactly the same. She is a woman and that is all there is to it.
I won't describe what the holy men of the church did to this heretic at the end, but it predates the torture of Saw or Hostel by decades.
Nunsploitation fans will be satisfied with the treats, but movie lovers will find plenty of meat to digest.