Inge Schoener Movies

This German language feature is a highly experimental and intellectual examination of the musings (told through flashbacks) of a young man sitting in a courtroom as the public prosecutor goes over his case in a desultory manner. A crisis of conscience has brought him to this point. Daniel Hartmann (Jost Vobeck) was at first just a witness, called to testify about the abduction of a political dissident by thugs from his native country. Then he became aware that the police were not really interested in solving the case, or helping the unfortunate political refugee. He acts independently to rescue the man, and winds up having to kill one of the abductors. Because the young man is just a private citizen, his actions result in his being brought to trial himself. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Released as Mark of the Devil to U.S. theaters (accompanied by complimentary barf-bags for squeamish patrons with urpy tendencies), this gory torture-fest was produced in Germany under the title of Hexen bis aufs Blut Gequält (Witches Tortured Till They Bleed). The story is comprised of equal parts Ken Russell's The Devils and Michael Reeves' sardonic Witchfinder General (aka The Conqueror Worm). It involves the demented Count Cumberland (Herbert Lom), an Austrian nobleman who implements the witch-hunting policies of the Inquisition as a means of obtaining land, riches, and nubile young wenches -- particularly the lovely Vanessa (Olivera Vuco), who has been accused of heresy and witchcraft. Cumberland's accomplice in the torture and terror, Baron Christian Von Mem (Udo Kier), realizes too late that his mentor is the true evil stalking the land, not the terrified innocents whose "trials" are a mockery of justice. Christian is sacrificed to the enraged villagers during the inevitable revolt at the film's climax, while the Count makes a hasty escape -- thus enabling the birth of a sequel, Mark of the Devil Part 2. Both films were repackaged in the mid-70's and released in time to join the ranks of the European demon-possession subgenre (American release ads proudly proclaimed "Damn The Exorcist!"). The barf-bags were not entirely unjustified for this graphically sadistic exercise which assaulted audiences with explicit scenes of torture, including the removal of one poor victim's tongue. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

In this actioner, a British officer spends fifteen years searching for his daughter after she is abducted by an East Indian cult of snake worshippers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A British officer's daughter is kidnapped by an island cult near India. Fifteen years later, he returns with an expedition to find her. Meanwhile, a snake hunter who has fallen in love with the girl is captured by the cult and ordered to kill the officer. But he and the officer team up, defeat the cult, and rescue the girl. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide

Infidelity is the real subject linking the four funny vignettes that comprise this Italian anthology. "The First Night" centers on a naive pair of Sicilian newlyweds honeymooning in Naples. While celebrating their wedding night a friendly millionaire invites them aboard his yacht for a few drinks. There the tycoon offers the groom a fortune in exchange for having sex with his bride. Too drunk to think straight, the groom agrees to the bargain. The next night, he goes to cash the millionaire's check and finds it is no good forcing him to make a difficult decision. In the second story, "One Moment is Enough" an insanely jealous husband's attempts to keep his wife faithful fail miserably. The third story "The Last Card" centers on an unemployed football player who becomes a male prostitute to help support his impoverished family. Unfortunately, he is not quite up to the job. Finally in "Saturday, July 18," a wife spends a month vacationing in Capri. Her husband eventually shows up and begins boasting about how trustworthy she is. Unfortunately for him, she is anything but. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

It Happened in Rome -- as well as in Venice, Florence, and points in between in this frothy excursion into beautiful Italy. The slight story concerns two young girls -- the German Hilde (Inge Schoener) and the French Josette (Isabelle Corey) -- who are hitching through the countryside. Vacationing Britisher Margaret (June Laverick) has pity on them and gives them a lift. Unfortunately, Margaret has not been paying attention to her gas gauge, and the three end up trying to push the vehicle to a gas station. In the process, they lose hold of the car at a crucial moment and it rolls into the sea. With her means of transportation ruined, Margaret joins Hilde and Josette as a hitchhiker. Along the way, each of them encounters their fair share of amorous Latin lovers before finding true love. Interestingly, the writers of this glossy romance include the anarcho-communist Dario Fo, as well as Furio Scarpelli and Age (who both collaborated on The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

Set in the late 1700s, this grim Danish psychological drama chronicles the mental breakdown of Sweden's young monarch amidst the intrigue and treachery. The king ascended his throne at age 19. His stepmother, the queen, objects and schemes to have him replaced by her natural son. Her plan is to have the depressive king declared mentally incompetent to rule by a noted specialist. Unfortunately, the doctor offers an honest diagnosis and the king keeps his throne. The doctor begins treating him and soon the king's melancholia abates and he begins ruling properly. He rewards the physician by naming him Prime Minister and his closest confidant. Unfortunately, problems arise when the new minister finds himself unable to resist the charms of the king's British wife. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide