This is my second Milligan experience, the first being The Body Beneath, which is a fine vampire epic. This one, as my title suggests, is like a Shakespeare play if all the words of the Bard were replaced by something less good.

It is a fine piece of work if you understand what you're getting into. The costumes are excellent. Susan Cassidy, who plays the female lead, Heather, is a comely lass. When she isn't nude it looks like her clothes are about to fall off. Then there's the eminent Richard Mason who plays Ivan the Hunchback. He's hysterical. Steer clear of Albert the half-wit. His eating habits will make you lose your lunch. And we must not forget Margaret the One-Eyed Hag, played by Maggie Rogers. Possibly the actress really was one-eyed. Considering the budget and talent involved it could not be makeup--it looks too real. So I really wonder what the story could be with her.

The rest of the cast is not remarkable, nor is the story. Just a lot of murders so that one or two of the people could gain power. For all the violence there's not much gore. I did enjoy the beheading at the beginning. It may not have been a masterstroke but it happens so quickly you don't have a chance to see how fake it probably looked. And like I said there's plenty of nudity. I was pleased to see some gay stuff. I would not have thought a film from that time would have it.

It's a good time overall. Like I think I said about The Body Beneath the length of the film is just right. An hour and twenty minutes is the right length for it. If it were any longer you'd probably kill yourself. For the length it is you can be forgiving of its shortcomings. Some may disagree but I think there's something very special about the films of Andy Milligan.

Supposedly inspired by "Tower of London", cult filmmaker Andy Milligan co-wrote and directed this insipid "British" period piece set in medieval times when the power-crazed Duke of Norwich (Gerald Jacuzzo) will murder anybody standing in his way. One such obstacle is the beautiful young Heather MacGregor (Susan Cassidy), who needs to bear a child who will inherit the throne.

Even knowing what to expect from Milligan - namely, bargain-basement gore, his own ridiculous costumes, and extremely tacky acting - it takes a special kind of patience to sit through "Torture Dungeon". The gore actually isn't *that* plentiful, and in fact the film spends precious little time in the title location. (Still, I have to give some credit to any film that begins with a decapitation.) Overall, the film wastes too much time with talk until it gets to what could possibly be considered the highlights.

Jacuzzo does border on competent with his amusing portrayal of the slimy antagonist, there is a fair amount of nudity both female and male, and Hal Borske is hilarious fulfilling similar duties to those he performed in Milligans' "The Ghastly Ones". He plays Albert, a grass and bug-munching half-wit who needs to be instructed on how to have sex with Heather.

Even with the films' faults, it's hard to completely knock any story that includes a pitchfork impalement, a one-eyed witch (Maggie Rogers), and an attempted threesome with a serving girl (Patricia Garvey) and a homosexual hunchback (Richard Mason), among other things.

Four out of 10.

Bargain Basement Maniac Director ANDY MILLIGAN was famous for making homemade 16mm films from scratch. He wrote, directed, photographed, edited, lit, set designed, and even sewed every costume himself for all his films... TORTURE DUNGEON (1970) is one of them. To say they are the product of a deranged mind is an understatement (especially if you were lucky enough to read his biography, as I was) His movies were like high school plays (if it was a high school in another universe of lunacy) The characters are all different levels of perverts, depraved mental patients, imbeciles, and creeps. It's amazing to watch this amateur cast of new york actors (some are just actors-in-training) put together this historical nonsense on pennies for budget. Milligan directs with total seriousness making it even funnier. The sets are inside Milligan's own Long Island house covered with material and drapes everywhere. Outside scenes are around a backyard muddy pond where a few nude "actors" probably caught ringworm from being forced by Milligan to wade in it. The story is incomprehensible and continuity non-existent BUT you just keep watching to see what Milligan will dream up for next scene. Like when the Duke gets his servant hunchback to join him and the princess in bed for a freak threesome.. Or when the slobbering half-wit royal brother is led step by step to impregnate his new bride. A few old pros like the actress playing the old one-eyed mom is as campy as a crazed Shakespearean Performer and Hal Borske as the half wit is really funny. A real time capsule movie and if you can get through it with the right frame of mind.. Can be alot of fun ?