Complete Monster: Grigori Rasputin himself is a "holy man" who uses his Healing Hands, and especially his Hypnotic Eyes, to get people to do his bidding. He starts the movie drunkenly seducing a woman, and when her boyfriend attacks him, Rasputin chops the man's hand off, before trying to rape the woman. He then hypnotizes Sonia, lady-in-waiting to the Tsarina, into, among other deeds, causing the Tsarina's young son into having an accident so Rasputin could heal the son, the first step into gaining influence with the Tsarina. Rasputin's other deeds include cruelly dismissing Sonia when he tires of her and then having her kill herself; attacking her brother—likely fatally—with acid when the former confronts him; and, even when being killed, manages to kill one of the attackers, a former colleague of Rasputin's who joined the conspiracy to kill him when Rasputin's machinations became too much.
Hilarious in Hindsight: In 1956, Lothar Malskat was hired to restore damaged frescoes in St. Mary's Church in Lubeck, Germany. He forged additional frescoes, using many people and historic figures as models, one of which was Rasputin. This would not be the only attempt to get Rasputin depicted in a church. Around fifty years later, there was a movement to canonize Rasputin.
was hired to restore damaged frescoes in St. Mary's Church in Lubeck, Germany. He forged additional frescoes, using many people and historic figures as models, one of which was Rasputin. This would not be the only attempt to get Rasputin depicted in a church. Around fifty years later, there was a movement to canonize Rasputin