Drama Cult Classic

Inheritance, sapphic rites, and vampiric vengeance lurk in a castle's shadowy halls.

THE DEVIL'S PLAYTHING

Pleasures That Fire The Flesh… Horrors That Freeze The Blood… Nothing Is Forbidden To The Plaything Of The Devil

1973 · 1h 55m · X · Drama / Horror / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

Three women head home to collect their inheritance, but they stumble upon a group of witches trying to bring their vampire leader back to life.

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Quick Answer

What is The Devil's Plaything about?

The Devil's Plaything is a 1973 Sweden/Switzerland/Germany drama, horror, and thriller film directed by Joseph W. Sarno about two young women who, upon inheriting a castle, become entangled in satanic lesbian rites led by a descendant of a vampire baroness.

Programmer's Pick

A castle full of sapphic rites, vampiric baronesses, and inheritance stipulations? Joseph W. Sarno doesn’t just flirt with gothic erotic horror—he throws a candle-lit orgy for it. If your taste runs toward lesbian vampires and baroque decadence, this one doesn’t disappoint.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

In the heart of central Europe, two young women arrive at a secluded castle after being named heirs in a mysterious will, with the condition that they must remain there for an entire year. Their austere hostess, Wanda, presides over nightly rituals filled with eroticism and homage to a legendary vampire, Varga. The castle's charged atmosphere intensifies when an anthropologist and her brother, stranded by a road accident, seek refuge within its walls. Beneath the gothic trappings and sensual ceremonies, a legacy of vampirism and revenge simmers, as Wanda’s connection to Varga threatens to ensnare all who enter the castle’s decadent embrace.

Details & Specs

Director: Joseph W. Sarno
Writer: Joseph W. Sarno
Release: 1973
Runtime: 1h 55m
Country: Sweden, Switzerland, Germany
Language: German, French, English
Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Also Known As: Schloss der schwarzen Hexen, Veil of Blood, Vampire Ecstasy, Plaything of the Devil, Original title: Der Fluch der schwarzen Schwestern

Why This Matters

Directed by Joseph W. Sarno, this 1973 horror film stands out as an international co-production between Sweden, Switzerland, and West Germany, with its uncut version notable for including more suggestively sexual scenes.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Joseph W. Sarno Writer: Joseph W. Sarno

Nadia Henkowa Wanda

Anke Syring Julia Malenkow UB Ulrike Butz Monika NW Nico Wolferstetter Peter Malenkow

Claudia Fielers Irina Kant

Marie Forså Helga

Flavia Keyt NM Natasha Michnowa

Heidrun Hankammer CJ Christa Jaeger EM Eric Mancy AD Alon D'Armand

Explore More

Sexploitation Erotica Erotic Horror Independent Film Female Nudity Psychotronic Film Female Rear Nudity Female Topless Nudity Female Full Frontal Nudity Nudity Female Frontal Nudity Sex Scene Grindhouse Film Erotica Lesbian Sadism Lesbian Sex Lust Strangulation

Why Cult

Lesbian Vampire Coven

The film’s core revolves around Wanda’s cult of women conducting satanic rites in celebration of the vampire Varga.

Sexual Phantasmagoria

Expect a parade of erotic horror: lesbian orgies, body paint, and candle-lit ceremonies saturate the castle’s gothic halls.

Gothic Castle Inheritance

Two heirs must survive a year in an ominous European castle, with their legacy entangled in vampiric lore and sinister rituals.

Sapphic Ritual Revenge

Vampire Varga’s vengeance is channeled through Wanda’s nightly ceremonies, intertwining sexuality with supernatural retribution.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Arrival of heirs at the castle

Threat

Vampire Varga seeking revenge through Wanda

Effect

Targeting descendants of Varga's persecutors with vampiric rituals

Setting

Central European castle

Questions from the Vault

Who directed The Devil's Plaything? +

Joseph W. Sarno directed The Devil's Plaything.

How long is The Devil's Plaything? +

The Devil's Plaything has a runtime of 115 minutes.

What genre is The Devil's Plaything? +

The Devil's Plaything is a drama, horror, and thriller film.

Where can I watch The Devil's Plaything? +

You can watch The Devil's Plaything on SassyFlix.

How does Wanda channel the vampire Varga's vengeance? +

Wanda, as the descendant and priestess of vampire baroness Varga, channels Varga’s revenge by organizing satanic lesbian rites in the castle, targeting the descendants of Varga’s original persecutors.