I watched this for the first time last night, and I was also impressed. Clearly, the movie makers weren't out to make a purely exploitative movie. Those elements were remarkably played down. For example the torture of the nun, that Flavia witnesses with her Father is not lingered upon. It could have been much stronger a scene. The final denoument is shied away from. Although, to be fair it would have been a difficult and expensive effect to pull off, pardon the pun.
