The Master Executioner

The Master Executioner
Lupus Pictures (2006)
Sceenshots and trailer at http://www.lupus-pictures.com/en/default.aspx

The Master Executioner is a 2006 production from Lupus Pictures.  It is one of their movies with a historical theme that I mentioned at the end of my last post.

When the movie begins, the court executioner is having his way with a naked woman in a strappado.  He is interrupted by a messenger who tells him that the Princess requires his services.  The Princess arrives with her maid who has apparently committed some transgression but I'm not sure what it was.  The maid is stripped to the waist (off-camera), her hands are tied above her head and she is given a flogging.  The Princess doesn't appear satisfied with this punishment so the Executioner demonstrates other options on two other prisoners.   The first is tied to a bench (we don't see her before see is on the bench) and the Executioner demonstrates a selection of different canes before settling on a flexible cane that I didn't recognize.  The Princess is aroused by the caning but it wasn't quite what see had in mind for her maid so the Executioner demonstrates another option.  He demonstrates another longer cane on a second prisoner in a strappado.  This caning is much more severe - almost too much for me and I was thinking of turning it off when it finally ended - but the Princess still isn't satisfied.

The Princess finally settles on something that looks like a carpet beater except that it has a round wooden end with an 'H'-shaped hole in it.  The maid is stripped naked and tied face down on a bench with her elbows bound to her knees.  The Executioner beats her upraised buttocks with the paddle.  Again, the beating seems quite severe but the Princess seems satisfied with the results since she pays the Executioner for his efforts and leaves the maid for his enetertainment.

The Master Executioner is well done but it isn't one of my favorite movies.  It appears to have been filmed in a castle and while the costumes may not be completely accurate from a historical standpoint, they do appear appropriate for the setting.  The technical quality is good although some scenes are a little dark (it is a dungeon after all).  The problem for me is that the beatings, particularly the second caning, are a bit too much for my taste.  They reach the point where I don't really want to see anymore.  On the other hand, I was surprised by my reaction to the opening scene; I wouldn't have thought that I would like a scene like that one but it is actually the one that stands out in my memory - obviously I don't know myself as well as I though I did.

Lupus has made several other historical-themed movies and they are all very well done.  Their biggest asset is the locations they are able to use for filming.  They don't seem to make as many historical themed movies as they used to but I'm hoping their will be more in the future.