ok and sorry and i couldn not resist . though this be a pretty grim movie at time and i can not hear the phrase spanish inquisition without go through the monty python routine . once the movie start and however and i be always so engrossed i forget about the sketch . this movie have me hook from the first scene the first time i saw it and but it have that rare quality of actually get well with every viewing . a many have say and this be without a doubt full moon all time best . i be a diehard stuart gordon fan and and if it wasn not for re animator and i might say it be gordon best and too . by the way and the first scene be very grisly and cold blood and and you know it gon na be a great movie when that happen even before the opening credit . i be really sadden that this movie do not get more of a chance for wide release . i remember it be in the theater for maybe one week and then go to video and and the only reason i even know it exist be from read fangoria . look at the cast while they aren not all consider a list and they be favs among horror and cult fan lance henriksen ( millennium and alien ) tom towles ( henry and portrait of a serial killer ) and jeffrey comb ( re animator and from beyond ) and france bay ( blue velvet ) and oliver reed . i think the other strike it have against it be that people see the title ( maybe that why it be change in some version and include the r rat dvd that i rent and to the inquisitor ) and figure it a travesty to even try to remake . some friend wouldn not even give the movie a chance ( to the point where they do not even want to look at the box and they be so scornful ) until i have to beg them to watch it they thank me after the first few scene . don not get me wrong and the original be wonderful and and vincent price be and well and vincent price and in a class by himself . however and this movie have very little in common with corman other than the title and the fact that both movie be base on poe work and and that there a scene towards the end where some unlucky bstard try to get free before the pendulum slice him in half . the similarity end there and however and and i do not think it fair or accurate to call it a remake . this version be actually set back in spain during 1492 and the real inquisition . lance henriksen and who can make his voice sound so quietly evil that hopkins a hannibal lecter sound harmless by comparison and star a torquemada . with the assistance of his underling and he want to rid the world of witchcraft and heresy and figure the best way to do this be to torture and kill what seem like 99 % of the population ( historically and he be say to be responsible of over 100 and 000 execution ) . during one ugly public display involve gordon wife carolyn purdy gordon other than re animator and she always seem to come to a horrible end in his movie ) the young baker antonio and his lovely wife maria make the mistake of try to intervene and so they assume she a witch and toss her in the dungeon . in her cell and she befriend by kindly esmeralda . in one of the most clever twist and her cellmate turn out to be the one out of the ten of thousand accuse who actually be a witch . maria husband try to save her and of course be immediately arrest as well . unfortunately for maria and ole torq be horrify to find himself secretly attract to her ( he a monk and and a henriksen explain in the feauturette and have probably never get any in his life ) and doesn not know how to deal with it . at first it seem like maria might be able to use this to her advantage and but since torq be so psychotically religious that he think any human emotion be the work of satan and thing just get more complicated and intense from there . there be several reference other than the pendulum to poe work clever one and that fit in with the plot and be not just toss in for the hell of it . someone be wall up and even quote the notorious line for the love of god . yes . for the love of god be the grim reply . a cask of wine be reveal to be amontillado . there also subtle reference to the premature burial and probably more i miss . one of the element that be actually kind of amuse in a horrible way be that you have absolutely no chance against the evil force in this movie and to the point where it be ludicrous . youre reasonably attractive . youre obviously try to tempt men and must be a witch . youre ugly . that also a sign of be a witch . you look normal . youre a witch disguise a a normal person . you try to fight back when they tear your clothes off to examine you . youre not co operating and youre a witch . you give up and co operate . youre an evil whore . you have a mole or freckle anywhere on your body . that the mark of the devil and youre a witch . oh and you do not have any . someone will pinch you and make a mark . oh and the mark be start to fade . youre use your evil power to make it fade . youre just completely screw no matter what . also and if they haven not torture you yet and you confess first to get it over with . sorry and no such luck . you might just be try to avoid torture and so confession doesn not officially count until you have be torture for day that be and if you do not die under torture ( not another one . a torturer complain in exasperation at one point ) . the cast be amaze . there not even near enough room to list all the great acting in this movie . standouts be henriksen and who not only portray total evil all too convincingly but the inner struggle against his lust for maria v his holy duty . oliver reed have less than 10 minute of screen time a a heavy drinking cardinal who come to visit torquemada and try to get him to ease up on the mass kill a little and but trust me and you will remember his scene long after the movie be over . jeffrey comb and a the scribe with the prince valiant haircut and huge horn rim harry potter glass who seem to be the only one involve who be just do his job and not get off on it like all of torquemada other flunky and steal every scene he in . a less talented actor would have be forgettable in what could have be a boring part and but he make the most of every second of his screen time . he also get the some of the best and funny line ( how can they confess if they dont have tongue . ) and include the best in the movie along with the actress playing esmeralda . she wonderful and and one of the best and most memorable scene of this and or any horror movie for that matter and involve her show stopping revenge when she burn at the stake . a she be drag up and comb character actually tell her apologetically represent i be sorry that you weren not properly able to confess . there just wasn not enough time to torture you . esmeralda represent thanks anyway . not only be i run out of room to rave about how much i love this movie and but i do not want to talk it up so much that i ruin it . just watch and enjoy and and get the bejeezus scar out of you . make sure you be not go to be interrupt for 90 minute and because it be so rivet you do not want to have to turn it off even for a minute . watch and and prepare to be impress . caution represent this be not a movie for kid and or easily upset adult . the movie pull no punch in the graphic portrayal of extremely nasty torture and execution . the movie be scary and disturb enough while i try not to dwell to long on the fact that it be base on historical event . in the word of a character during a climactic moment that you would not forget for a long time . welcome to hell .