I'M IN A JESS FRANCO STATE OF MIND

FRANCO 70 -THE DE NESLE YEARS: Vol. 1-3

2009-11-28T22:39:00.006-05:00

MONDO MACABRO has announced on their TWITTER and FACEBOOK accounts the upcoming release of titles from the Jess Franco-Robert De Nesle collection in 2010.

Great News!

We should be looking forward to some of the director's most sought-after titles finally appearing on DVD.

More information will follow. Keep an eye on the MONDO MACABRO blog for futher news.

www.mondomacabrodvd.blogspot.com/

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JESS FRANCO AND THE BALCAZARS

2009-11-27T16:43:00.006-05:00

The Men From Balcazar....

My Black Friday shopping included a pick-up of THE MAN FROM OKLAHOMA DVD from Dorado Films, who have released a number of very obscure, interesting Eurowestern/Eurospy titles. They deserve to be supported. I can't resist obscure Eurowesterns so I quickly snapped it up.

This little know Spanish-German-Italian hybrid was co-directed by Jaime Jesus Balcazar, who was one of the notorious Balcazar dynasty who built a studio near Barcelona, Spain where a number of Jess Franco films were shot. Below are some interesting comments and information on those Franco films and the studio by our Spanish friend, Nzoog. He is citing the Spanish language book BALCAZAR PRODUCCIONES CINEMATOGRAFICAS: Mas alla de Espulgas City, about the Balcazar empire started by the brothers Jaime Jesus and Alfonso. The text suggests that Jess Franco may have shot more films at the studio than any other single director.

More information is available on the JESS FRANCO AND BALCAZAR thread now featured on www.cinemadrome.yuku.com

{"The Castle of Fu Manchu is included in the list of Balcázar films proper, appearing as a coproduction between Spain, Liechtenstein, West Germany and Italy: "No credit is given to the contribution of Balcázar in the Spanish version of 1971. It appears that the Italian version was not premiered in its day". The Spanish company cited is Tilma Film.

The list of Franco films shot at Balcázar is the following (whenever known, the month in which the shooting at Balcázar took place is given):

Justine (June 1968)

Venus in Furs (September 1968)

Count Dracula (March 1969)

Devil's Island Lovers(1971)

The Curse of Frankenstein(June 1973)"}

I'm hoping for an English language edition of this information rich publication at some point in the future.

Thanks to Nzoog.

The Jess Franco Online Video Guide: SHINING SEX -Toei Video

2009-11-24T17:41:00.013-05:00

Another entry into THE JESS FRANCO ONLINE HOME VIDEO GUIDE, an ongoing project for the last year based on my CINEMADROME site. Go to http://www.cinemadrome.yuku.com/ THE WORLD OF JESS FRANCO FORUM to read previous entries.

SHINING SEX {onscreen title}
[aka Shining Sex-La Fille au Sexe Brillant]

Released by TOEI VIDEO/ TOHOKUSHINSHA HOME VIDEO-Japan *
100m
AR 1.33:1
Language options: English with Japanese subtitles

Directed by Dan L. Simon [Jess Franco]
PC: Eurocine [France]; Brux Interfilm [Belgium]

Cast: Cynthia (Lina Romay), Alpha (Evelyne Scott); Andros (Ramon Ardid), Ms Pecame (Monica Swinn), Dr. Kallman/Van Helsing (Olivier Mathot), Simon Berger (Boris), Jess Franco (Dr. Seward).

Synopsis: Cynthia, an exotic dancer in a upscale resort in Southern France, is seduced by a strange couple, Alpha, a being from another dimension and her human slave, Andros. Alpha places highly toxic matter (which also has hypnotic powers) into Cynthia's sex during love-making. From then on she will be a helpless pawn in a plot to destroy a psychic and a biologist who have become aware of the alien invasion and pose a threat to the plan.

Commentary: "A superior force obliges me to love you and then to kill you," Cynthia tells one of her victims. That could be a plot description of dozens of films and the love/death theme is central to his . No-budget SF-SEX [as a pre-feature onscreen title card added by Toei Video announces] esoterica with a very effective performance by Lina as the tragic Cynthia. This film has very little dialogue and an outre ambiance supported by a soundtrack which includes strange, industrial type sounds [SHINING SEX is also the name of an Industrial-Experimental music group], minimalist locations [the hotel in Southern France where this was lensed was also used for the equally no-budget Franco spy-comedy THE MIDNIGHT PARTY, another 1975 item which utilized virtually the same cast, crew and was shot back-to-back with this film], and, in this longer version, a weird extended boat ride down a river with white horses and exotic animals on its banks.

This could be termed as Fantastique cinema and almost seems like a Jean Rollin film at times. Very under appreciated and one of the director's rare excursions into science fiction (cf EL SEXO ESTA LOCO). This version is approximately 15 minutes [!] longer than the hardcore French version, which will be discussed in another entry in the JESS FRANCO ONLINE VIDEO GUIDE. This version is highly recommended over the hardcore, which subtracts even more footage for the scenes.

Franco's telezoom [he acted as his own DP] is, once again, relentless, but, in this context, an appropriate tool used to explore sexual/emotional/spatial/architectural/geometrical patterns while arranging them into cubist compositions.

Jess Franco is quite convincing as the paralyzed, occultist-psychiatrist, Dr. Seward, who attempts to save Cynthia from the alien plot. This before-the-fact, unintended AIDS allegory, is powerful stuff seen from a contemporary perspective. It's poetic sexploitation of a high order. Franco would remake this film in 1986, exploiting the then-recent suddenly blooming awareness of the disease, as SIDA, LA PESTE DEL SIGLO XX, for Golden Films Internacional, with Francoise Blanchard in the Lina Romay role. OBSESSION: THE FILMS OF JESS FRANCO reports Franco's claims that a dispute between Emilio Larraga and Eurocine halted the release of the film.

RATINGS
Film: *** [good]
Video: ** [acceptable video quality but the 1.33:1 cropping of a scope film is unfortunate]
Audio: *** [for once an intelligently written and voice-cast English dubbed version of a JF film]

*There have been no US-R1 presentations of this film on any video format so far.

Thanks to Eric Cotenas.

THE MILLION EYES OF SUMURU (1967)

2009-11-21T17:46:00.011-05:00

George Nader is a hoot in Lindsay Shonteff's 1967 Sumuru misadventure...

Jess Franco's 1968 Sumuru flick featured terrific costumes, a wasted George Sanders and numerous eye-catching posters.

"I have a million eyes, for I am Sumuru."

After finally getting a chance to see this 1967 Lindsay Shonteff (CURSE OF THE VOODOO) directed Sax Rohmer adaptation I can report that it's more entertaining and visually stylish (even in a cropped 1.33:1 poor quality print) than Jess Franco's 1968 Sumuru adaptation THE GIRL FROM RIO but has less interest in terms outre fashion design and codified genre commentary.* Both films were produced by Harry Alan Towers and bombed at the box office.

THE MILLION EYES opens with CIA Agent Nick West (George ROBOT MONSTER Nader) hijacked by British intelligence (in the person of the avuncular Wilfrid-Hyde White) and ordered to Hong Kong where he will infiltrate the world of female super-criminal Sumuru (Shirley Eaton), who owns an island undermined with high explosives and populated by a crack army of female assassins dressed in black tights. We see plenty of bare midriffs but no nudity. Boot and leather fetishists will have no complaints and watching Eaton whip a chained up Nader is camp fun of the highest order. Sumuru's dream is a world dominated by women where Love is a capital offense. That seems just fine with Nader as he takes every chance to get into a hot clutch with every Sumuru operative in reach.

Fun is the key word here. Nader, in full flight from Hollywood, was already involved in Euro espionage in his German-produced Jerry Cotton series [THE TRAP SNAPS SHUT AT MIDNIGHT] lets it all hang out here [everyone knew he was gay, but friend Rock Hudson was still deep in the Hollywood closet] as the fey, wise cracking secret agent who quips he had better in High School after getting kissed by Shirley Eaton! It's fun to watch George having a ball at Harry Alan Towers' expense. He's certainly more engaging than Richard Wyler in Franco's take. On the other hand there's the unavoidable presence of top-billed Frankie Avalon who can't act, isn't funny and looks like he needs to be back in a BEACH BLANKET BINGO movie or the Mickey Mouse club. He shouldn't be in the film at all, but I guess it wouldn't have gotten made without a "name" to sell it in the US. It didn't sell there or anywhere else, though.

No film featuring the legendary Klaus Kinski can't be without interest and here he matches Nader in tacky goofball antics by playing a double role, wearing a fright wig, smirking broadly and generally flailing wildly about as the sex-addicted Sindonesian President Boong.

Maria Rohm as cult- inductee Helga is no more necessary to the plot here as she in the Franco Sumuru film while her presence is certainly understandable given her relationship with the producer. She proved to be actress in her later Franco films, especially as Madame St. Ange in EUGENIE...THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO PERVERSION (1970). She's just a pretty blonde here. More to the point are Sumuru's guard, who engage in all sorts of erotic tortures, including one who strangles a prisoner to death with her thighs. So, yes it's also more erotic than Franco's 1968 film. Of course Franco's 1987 Sumuru inspired ESCLAVAS DEL CRIMEN is another story.

John Von Kotze's compositions are quite well-arranged considering this is basically a silly spy spoof attempting to be sophisticated, a typical set-up features amazons on either side of the frame sporting Mauser machine pistols, which, conveniently enough for the prop department budget, the Hong Kong police also use during the final assault. The Shaw Brothers Hong Kong sets look interesting but their scale can't be appreciated in this presentation and it's impossible to fully evaluate a 2.35:1 Techniscope film cropped to fullscreen. I can't say that I've ever been a fan of the Canadian born Lindsay Shonteff but this does deserve an OAR DVD presentation for curiosity value if nothing else. At least it all ends with a bang as Sumuru self-destructs her island empire. No such apotheosis graced Franco's THE GIRL FROM RIO.

It should also be noted that Nader also played the hero in the 1967 Vincent Price vehicle THE HOUSE OF 1000 DOLLS, also produced by Towers.

My favorite Sumuru movie scenes are those oddly angled and lit inserts in Jess Franco's BLOOD OF FU MANCHU (1968), about which Ms. Eaton is understandably still miffed since she filmed them during THE GIRL FROM RIO shoot only to have them appear in BLOOD, for which she got no remuneration. I admit to not having read the Rohmer Sumuru novels, but I would very much like to at some point.

There is also a reportedly alternate German version of this film which I haven't seen.

*Thanks to Bill Connolly and Robert Guest for providing me with videos of this rarity.

DVDs in question

2009-11-16T20:03:00.009-05:00

Are these DVDs worth 20 dollars a pop?

I've been unable to secure review copies of the R1 DVDs of Jess Franco's 1980 erotic-sci fi-comedy EL SEXO ESTA LOCO and the musical comedy LAS CHICAS DE COPACABANA (1979). I'm very much in the dark about the companies who have released these discs and am curious about the audio-visual quality. I also continue to wonder where these were sourced from.

I have the Spanish DVD of EL SEXO..., which is 1.33:1, in Spanish language only. The video quality is fair to good, but could be much better in terms of color, sharpness, definition and general luminosity. It's certainly an improvement over the old VSOM sixth generation dubs I've had for the last two decades! The film itself is one of Franco's most original, satiric, idiosyncratic journeys into genre hyperspace.

I would like to hear any reports from blog readers on these. Please post any comments below. Also, if anyone already has these/is interested in contributing a guest review, please contact me asap.*

The covers have an amusingly tacky quality but I wonder if they properly represent the films. They look like typical bargain bin material in your local Adult Shop.

renegovar@yahoo.com *

More Robert Siodmak!

2009-11-11T21:19:00.006-05:00

One of three visually spectacular German produced westerns Robert Siodmak directed based on the popular [in Germany] adventure novels of Karl May.*

I just watched the vintage trailer [in 2.35:1] for DER SCHATZ DER AZTEKEN on the excellent UFA R2 DVD of Jess Franco's DER TODESRACHER VON SOHO (1972). DER TODESRACHER... was produced by Artur Brauner's CCC company as were the Siodmak Karl May adaptations. There were a series of CCC Karl May films in the 1960s which did quite well in Germany, including Harald Reinl's APACHE GOLD aka TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE (1962).

I'll have a review up soon of DER SCHATZ..., along with its companion film, Siodmak's PYRAMID OF THE SUN GOD. Both were released in 1965 and starred former Tarzan Lex Barker. Lensed in Spain and Germany these films have a quite different look and feel compared to the Italian Spaghetti westerns of the same era. They're an acquired taste.

*Karl May was one of Adolf Hitler's favorite writers!

Thanks to Bruno.

CINEMADROME - THE WORLD OF JESS FRANCO FORUM - " I DON'T GIVE A SHIT": A New Interview with Jess Franco!

2009-11-07T15:24:00.001-05:00

FRANCO OF THE WEST

2009-11-03T17:23:00.005-05:00

I had the chance to do an extensive (still unpublished) interview with Jess Franco in which we discussed many topics. I quickly learned to expect the unexpected when interviewing the man. When he suddenly told me that he had been involved with a film I had seen at the drive-in decades earlier I was at a loss for words. Franco has been indirectly and directly involved with several European westerns in his career, from co-writing and assistant-directing Joaquin Romero Marchent's EL COYOTE and LA JUSTICIA DEL COYOTE in 1954 to his own EL LLANERO (1963), a sort of South American western set in 1863 Venezuela. Such later films as LES CHATOUILLEUSES (1974) and the "bandido" semi-western SCARLET (1983) [anyone want to see a print of that?] and VAMPIRE JUNCTION (2000) also have "western" elements.

He had offers to direct "spaghetti westerns" when they were popular but they didn't pan out. One of the episodes in his long career which he remains most proud is his self-described stint as "personal" assistant to one of his favorite directors, Robert Siodmak. Franco recounted to me at some length how he put his own career on hold in to work for the veteran director of PHANTOM LADY (one of Franco's favorite films) on the CINERAMA western CUSTER OF THE WEST (1967). This is not one of Siodmak's best or most personal films but it is a very interesting semi-revisionist take on the legendary character and, of course, ends with Custer's one-way journey into the Little Big Horn. It's a visually impressive, dramatically and historically muddled film, but I got the sense that Jess enjoyed working with one of his inspirations and he seemed more interested in talking about it than his own films.

I saw CUSTER OF THE WEST at the drive-in during the summer of 1968, hardly the best venue for a CINERAMA production. I also have it on DVD, but the film probably needs to be seen in its OAR for full impact.

Here are the somewhat complicated technical specs on the filming ratios and release history taken from the IMDB. I also didn't realize until after I had interviewed Jess that Jack Taylor was in CUSTER... . At least he's listed in the cast. But I can't find him in the film!

Film negative format (mm/video inches)
35 mm (horizontal)

Cinematographic process
Super Technirama 70

Printed film format
35 mm
70 mm (Super-Cinerama)

Film negative format (mm/video inches)
35 mm (horizontal)

Cinematographic process
Super Technirama 70

Printed film format
35 mm
70 mm (Super-Cinerama)

In any case, it was a pleasure to hear the excitement in his voice while describing the experiences of working with one of his masters.

Favorite Jess Franco Halloween Movies

2009-10-29T17:49:00.009-04:00

Dollar Store Monster Mash!

The Spanish Frankenstein monster (Fernando Bilbao). Look closely at those scars!

Where did you get those fangs, Howard?

What are your favorite Jess Franco movies to watch during the Halloween season?

One of my favorites is DRACULA CONTRA FRANKENSTEIN aka DRACULA, PRISONER OF FRANKENSTEIN aka THE SCREAMING DEAD aka DIE NACHT DER OFFENEN SARGE aka SANTANA CONTA DR EXORTIO [!. This 1971 no-budget monster rally offers an uncanny representation of the spirit of Halloween with its prowling famous monsters of filmland, mad scientists and weird atmosphere crackling with inhuman shrieks.

The costuming and make-up of the Frankenstein monster, Dracula and the werewolf actually look like Halloween costumes quickly executed by some kids with garage-sale clothing, crackerjack box fangs and some handy magic markers used to draw the surgical scars onto the face of Frankenstein monster actor Fernando Bilbao. All this makes it all the more fun to watch for me. It's bargain basement Gothic.

In a way it's the director's critique of the then-popular Hammer horrors and his cut-rate homage to the Universal horror movies of the 1930s and 40s (cf HOUSE OF DRACULA). I can understand how horror genre purists could dismiss it and take offense but it all brings a smile to my face every time I watch it.

The Return of "Brandy"

2009-10-24T15:55:00.007-04:00

"Brandy" as the werewolf in DRACULA CONTRA FRANKENSTEIN

aka NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST

Thanks to Nzoog, our Spanish friend and correspondent, for reporting on his recent encounter in Spain with director Miguel Iglesias Bonns (along with "Grace Mill") several months ago and revealing that the stuntman known as "Brandy", who appears as the werewolf in Jess Franco's DRACULA CONTRA FRANKENSTEIN (1971), went on to appear as Paul Naschy's uncredited stunt double in the Bonns-directed LA MALDICION DE LA BESTIA aka NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST (1975). I always wondered what became of him, he certainly makes an impression in the Franco film with his bizarre, energetic presence. He can be seen performing some impressive jumps and other stunts in LA MALDICION..., both in werewolf make-up and doubling for Naschy in some fight scenes.

NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST:

I have a dub of the vintage 80s prerecord of this, the English language version of LA MALDICION DE LA BESTIA.

This is my favorite Naschy "hombre lobo" movie. It's a real movie-movie, and isn't afflicted with the sometimes oppressively downbeat undercurrent some of his other efforts display. In fact, this entry in Naschy's epic Waldemar Daninsky saga has a happy ending. Waldemar Daninsky is cured by a plant, mixed with the blood of his beloved [Grace Mills], and they walk away together across the snowy plains of Spain, representing Tibet!

It opens with a party of explorers in Tibet being attacked by a "Yeti" which looks like a tall skinny guy in a ratty fur coat! This has to the most fulsome Yeti costume ever. Favorite scenes include the late Victor Israel's cameo in which he babbles about the curse of the red moon or something and then runs off a cliff (or is he picked up by a UFO?!); the hot, sub-human cannibal women who seduce Naschy and then proceed to have a meal of arms and body parts; the cannibal woman turning into a steaming skeleton in death; the skinning of the female hostage [a la Sade]; and Silva Solar, as a perverse Wandesa, getting stabbed in the crotch. I find her much better suited for the role than Patty Shepard in WEREWOLF SHADOW (1970).

Does anyone know who composed that rather ethereal CAM Espana cue we hear when Naschy enters the [gated] cave of the cannibal women? I've heard it in numerous Spanish horrors of that era.

Luis Induni almost steals the show as the skin-diseased Khan. In the fight scenes with Induni Nzoog confirms that Naschy (in his non-werewolf form) was stunt doubled by Brandy.

Naschy must have wanted to make a sexy-gory version of WEREWOLF OF LONDON, it has that feel. As a director Bonns appears to be a sort of cinematic Primitive and has a forceful, brisk, raw edged action-adventure style which works despite the mediocre cinematography and abysmal makeups. It should also be noted that the scalp of the Yeti which Waldemar and the Professor examine in the first scene, a scrap of fabric with hair glued to it, has to be one of the most unconvincing props in horror movie history.

To read more about Nzoog's report on the appearance of Bonns go to www.cinemadrome.yuku.com by hitting the link on the sidebar at left after scrolling down a bit. It's in this thread at the top of the board: Violación inconfesable (1981) Co-written and directed by Miguel Iglesias Bonns....

Jean-Bernard Raiteux LP Images

2009-10-22T18:23:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Curt for the image and information on the Jean-Bernard Raiteux LP. I'm still trying to find out more about the composer-musican whose music can be heard in at least three Franco films of the early 1970s: LES DEMONS (1972), SINNER (1972) and THE PERVERSE COUNTESS (1973). I also think some of his cues may be heard on the soundtrack of LA MALDICION DE FRANKENSTEIN (1972), but I'll have to confirm that at a later date.*

The feverish electric guitar stylings, backed by furious drumming and untamed flute variations are a unique sonic environment for the story of witchcraft and corruption in LES DEMONS.

33 1/3 <MONO-STEREO)
...
MPI/LP - 539
" musique pour l'image n° 39 "
HARLEM POP TROTTERS
Musique de Jean-Bernard RAITEUX
Face A
1. RAGE DE SKI
RA PID E
Musique fougueuse. Roge de vivre
2'47
2. JUDO K
LENT
Bourrée orientale pour hommes ca/mes
3'30
3. GALOP POUR UN 100 METRES
RA P 1 DE
Sprint pour 2 iambes ou 4 fers
3'06
4. VOILE EN LA MINEUR
LENT
Un romantisme serein
2'46
5. FOLKSET
MEDIUM - RAPIDE
Un tennis américain
3'04
6. PUNCHING POP
RAPIDE
Batteries, bongos et guitare - percussion

Face B
1. DRAGSTERS
RA PIDE
En soliste, le sax-soprano dramatise
3'45
2. LA BARAKA DU BARAQUÉ
MEDIUM - LENT
Un ;azzo.flûte burlesque qui fait /e poids et s'altère...
2'18
3. HARLEM POP TROTTERS
MEDIUM
Des bongos présents soulignent les bonds de la balle
2'35
4. LA MEDUSE APPRIVOISEÉ
LENT
Entre deux eaux
2'53
3'11
5. SWIMMING FO,LK
MEDIUM.- RAPIDE Un crowl médjterranéen
6 CRAVACHE D'OR 2'32
RAPIDE. .
Pour de brillantes chevauchées

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THE DEMONS: German Theatrical Version & Music

2009-10-16T17:36:00.004-04:00

The 2004 X-RATED KULT DVD: LES DEMONS/DIE NONNEN VON CLICHY: The X-RATED NUNSPLOITATION SERIES 5, DOPPEL DVD SET, will be one of the crown jewels of the serious Jess Franco collector. PAL, Code 2, 16:9 anamorphic.

I just re watched the vintage German theatrical version of Jess Franco's 1972 Nunsploitation/Witchfinder General epic. It struck me how this second version of the story of Judge Jeffries violates history and the director's own first version [THE BLOODY JUDGE-1970] by having the character undone by a supernatural curse ["the kiss of death"]. Of course, Britt Nichols and Anne Libert are the erotic objects in this film, and the director can't seem to wait to get them out of their habits and either into bed with assorted partners or into the torture chamber. One really can't compare John Foster [Cihangir Gaffari] as Jeffries to Christopher Lee's intensive portray of the character. Gaffari tries to look intense, and he does have striking features. Gaffari and DP Raul Artigot went on to make the contemporary witchcraft thriller, THE WITCHES MOUNTAIN, the same year.

This version is one of three on the X RATED KULT set, still my favorite Jess Franco DVD. The "Original Deutsche Kinofassung mit Bonusszenen" is a Grindhouse delight, complete with lime green scratches, missing frames, visible flags at reel changes and all sorts of blemishes. It's letterboxed wider than 2.35:2, its OAR. An educated guess would be 2.50:1, cutting into the top of the images. It's also the only version of the three to contain the vintage 1972 credits, in German DIE NONNEN VON CLICHY. Run time approximately 85m. It's definitely preferable to a cropped 1.33:1 presentation and has some historical value. Luis Barboo takes over the role of the Inquisitor, played by Howard Vernon in THE BLOODY JUDGE. It's always good to see the mangled visage of Barboo and one has to admire how Vernon, the memorably vicious Inquisitor in the first version, can be just as effective as the only totally sympathetic, enlightened person in the court.

What holds the film together even in its many compromised states, at least for me, is the startling, sometimes anachronistic score by Jean-Bernard Raiteux. Parts of the score, which could be described as a mixture of early 70's acid rock and period Baroque, were reused in Franco's 1973 LA COMTESSE PERVERSE. Franco's compositions also range from the symmetrical to the classical to the frenzied zooming and panning of the opening. Note the lens ravishing of Britt Nichols and Doris Thomas during their extended masturbation sequences.

I'm still interested in hearing from anyone who has the score on CD or vinyl, if it was ever issued. I would like to somehow get a copy. Thanks to Tony of Xploited and Squonkmatic.

ENTRE PITOS ANDA EL JUEGO (1985): Spanish Kiosk DVD

2009-10-10T15:55:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Francesco Cesari for sending the rare "Spanish kiosk DVD" of Jess Franco's 1985 ENTRE PITOS ANDA EL JUEGO, a delightfully airy, witty and self reflexive hardcore feature con "Candy Coster", directed by "Lulu Laverne", produced by Fernando Vidal Campos' Fervi Films.

It's obvious that Franco took these micro-budgeted hardcores as seriously as his non-erotic, more mainstream, linear mid 80s Fervi Film projects. The erotic film, even hardcore, is another legitimate genre for him.

A brief (approx. 70 m) venture, this is a minimalist (by necessity), almost Godardian take on the demands of Spanish hc consumers in that era. The telezoom images of high rises over Alicante [?] under the credits remind me of similar images in Godard's TWO OR THREE THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER (1966), also about sex, architecture and is the kind of film snobs hate. The same kind of snobs who jeer at Demofilo Fidani "westerns" and Jess Franco hardcore assignations. And remember, Orson Welles also worked on at least one hardcore film late in his career.* And it's always good to see "Mona Lisa"*... . Obviously, I take a certain attitude as a default mode when dealing with Franco's hc portfolio, and this is one that bears the scrutiny.

Franco is quoted in OBSESSION: THE FILMS OF JESS FRANCO (who also list this item as a Lina Romay film "with Franco's collaboration"; I think, "ghosted" by JF) as saying at Cannes '92 that, "This film has one of the best comic sequences in the history of pornographic cinema...." I won't go on. Solo Jess Franco....! I'll go on... more about the Spanish Kiosk DVDs of Jess Franco mid 1980s hardcores soon.

NOTE: the above image is from Franco's 1985 hardcore EL OJETE DE LULU, unfortunately it doesn't lead to the YouTube video, which appears to have been removed.

The Agfacolor DVD print is really nice. Good luck in finding one!

*3 AM [Gary Graver]

*Concha Montes.

UPDATED 10/2009

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NEW JESS FRANCO INTERVIEW!

2009-10-08T16:31:00.003-04:00

Jess Franco and Amy Brown at the 2009 Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas...

Amy Brown, the world-class authority on all things related to the late, legendary Soledad Miranda, now has a terrific new interview with Jess Franco up on her soledadmiranda.com website.

There is some fascinating new information in this interview about Miranda's overall career, her films with Franco, along with Franco's comments on her too-short life and some surprising revelations about what may have been some of their future projects together if she hadn't died.

I highly recommend this interview to anyone interested in Jess Franco/Soledad Miranda. Great job, Amy!

http://www.soledadmiranda.com/fantastic.html

Amy Brown

Thanks to Amy for the link and images.

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CINEMADROME - THE WORLD OF JESS FRANCO FORUM - BRUTAL NIGHTS OF LINDA (1973)

2009-10-06T22:40:00.001-04:00

One of the numerous alternate titles....

CINEMADROME - THE WORLD OF JESS FRANCO FORUM - BRUTAL NIGHTS OF LINDA (1973)

Jess Franco & Lina Romay at the 09 Fantastic Fest

2009-10-03T17:25:00.007-04:00

Jess Franco getting his award.

I would be interested in hearing about the prints of SUCCUBUS/NECRONOMICON and THE BARE BREASTED COUNTESS which were shown at the festival. They were both advertised with runtimes which are different from any versions I've encountered. It would be interesting to have noted if these were unique versions which we are not familiar with.

Thanks to Amy Brown, who managed to interview Jess at the event. Hopefully, that interview will be available in the near future. More images from the event will be published in future blogs. Once again, I wish I could have been able to make it. Congratulations to Jess Franco.

DANIEL MARTIN (1935-2009)

2009-10-01T17:55:00.003-04:00

Another Spanish actor noted for his many appearances in Spanish-lensed European genre films of the 1960s and 70s has passed away. Daniel Martin (real name: Jose Martinez Martinez), perhaps most familiar to US movie fans as the Mexican peasant father of Jesus in FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, died on Monday, September 28 in Spain. He appeared, mostly as a supporting player, in numerous Euro westerns and genre films such as THE DEVIL'S KISS (1975). One of his more prominent roles was as Charlie in Lucio Fulci's WHITE FANG. His career included over 70 roles from his first film in 1962 to his work in Spanish TV in late 1990s.

He also appeared in such films as Amando de Ossorio's DEMON-WITCH-CHILD (1974) and THEY CAME TO ROB LAS VEGAS (1969). As an actor he always seemed to bring humor, intensity and a certain energy to his roles. He was born 12 May 1935, in Cartagena, Spain. Thanks to Nzoog.

VICTOR ISRAEL (1929-2009)

2009-09-24T17:35:00.005-04:00

Frightening the tourists in Raul Artigot's THE WITCHES MOUNTAIN (1972)

Even though he only appeared in one Jess Franco film [DOWNTOWN HEAT-1990] I can't think of a more appropriate place to post this. Thanks to Nzoog for reporting the passing of this favorite Spanish character actor last week. Victor Israel was as prolific an actor as Franco is a director. He had a distinctive appearance with his slight frame, craggy face and ever-so-strange head which was balding on top but had electrified hair shooting out of the sides! His look alone was enough to produce a sense of unease. He could also be very funny. He should have been cast as some kind of creature in the LORD OF THE RINGS films and seemed to be a character who could have sprung out of the pages of Poe, Lovecraft or Stephen King.

Readers of this blog will remember him for his horror [the zombie priest in HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD] and Eurowestern [THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY] roles. He was an actor's actor who immediately commanded attention as soon as he appeared onscreen. A great, invaluable supporting player. Appearing in over 150 films [according to the IMDB-see filmography below] from TIERRA BRUTAL in 1961 to his final film appearance in 2007, he played all types of roles in film and television. A busy career.

Two of my favorite Victor Israel roles: the cemetery man in Miguel Madrid's GRAVEYARD OF HORROR (1971) and the bewildered innkeeper in the 1972 Raul Artigot occult thriller THE WITCHES MOUNTAIN.

What is your favorite Victor Israel role?

[From the IMDB]:
El Monte de las brujas (1972) -- A young couple traveling through the Pyrenees stays overnight at an ancient Spanish castle, only to discover that it is the headquarters for a coven of witches.
"I Spy" (1965): Season 2: Episode 24 -- Robinson and Scott scour Madrid to retrace events that led to the murder of Kelly's date (Zohra Lampert), a Soviet ballerina. Guest starring: Zohra Lampert, Lawrence Dane, Alan Oppenheimer, Lou Krugman, Shep Sanders
Horror Express (1972) -- An English anthropologist has discovered a frozen monster in the frozen wastes of Manchuria which he believes may be the Missing Link...
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Overview
Date of Birth:
13 June 1929, Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain more
Mini Biography:
Victor Israel is one of the most prolific and ubiquitous, yet anonymous... more
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Alternate Names:
Víctor D'Israel | Victor Israel
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Filmography
Jump to filmography as: Actor, Self, Archive Footage
Actor:

* 2000s
* 1990s
* 1980s
* 1970s
* 1960s

1. Sitges-Nagasaki (2007) .... Doctor
2. Goya's Ghosts (2006) .... Money Monk
... aka Los fantasmas de Goya (Spain: dubbed version)
3. Mola ser malo (2005)
4. "Paco y Veva" (2 episodes, 2004)
... aka "Paco y Veva (Somos jóvenes)" (Spain)
- ¿Nos conocemos? (2004) TV episode
- Duelo de cucharas en Cupido Palace (2004) TV episode
5. "Hospital Central" .... Agustín (1 episode, 2003)
- Cambio de planes (2003) TV episode .... Agustín
6. Cásate conmigo, Maribel (2002) .... Don Manuel
7. Vivancos 3 (2002) .... Borracho
... aka Dirty Vivancos III (International: English title)
... aka Vivancos III (Si gusta haremos las dos primeras) (Spain)
8. Mi casa es tu casa (2002) .... Jordi
9. El cielo abierto (2001) .... Abuelo Jazmina
... aka Ten Days Without Love (International: English title)

10. "La memòria dels Cargols" (1 episode, 1999)
- Lo Lleó de Santa Gueraula (1999) TV episode
11. Quince (1998) .... Quitamal
12. Tiempos mejores (1994) .... Taxista
13. Ciudad Baja (Downtown Heat) (1994) .... Vagabond
... aka La punta de las víboras (Spain: TV title)
14. Un plaer indescriptible (1992)
... aka Un placer indescriptible (Spain: Castilian title)
15. L'home de neó (1991) .... El profesor
... aka El hombre de neón (Spain: Castilian title)
... aka The Neon Man (International: English title)
16. Un submarí a les estovalles (1991) .... Travesti
... aka Un submarino bajo el mantel (Spain)
17. "Le gorille" .... Le majordome (1 episode, 1990)
... aka "Il gorilla" (Italy)
- Le Gorille dans le pot-au-noir (1990) TV episode .... Le majordome

18. Bueno y tierno como un ángel (1989)
19. El anticristo 2 (Magic London) (1989) .... Comisario
20. "Crònica negra" (1 episode, 1988)
- Mala llet (1988) TV episode
21. "13 x 13" (1 episode, 1987)
- La dama blanca (1987) TV episode
22. Adela (1987)
23. La veritat oculta (1987)
... aka La verdad oculta (Spain: Castilian title)
24. Una nit a Casa Blanca (1987)
... aka Una noche en Casablanca (Spain: Castilian title)
25. Los nuevos curanderos (1986)
... aka Els nous curanderos (Spain: Catalan title)
26. Más allá de la muerte (1986)
27. Escapada final (1985)
... aka Scapegoat (International: English title)
28. Acosada (1985)
... aka Acosada (Spain)
... aka Harassed (International: English title)
29. Al este del oeste (1984) .... Tumbas
30. Serpiente de mar (1984)
... aka Hydra
... aka Hydra-Monster of the Deep (International: English title)
... aka The Sea Serpent (USA)
31. Moment crític (1984)
32. Un genio en apuros (1983)
... aka Un geni amb l'aigua al coll (Spain: Catalan title)
33. Juana la loca... de vez en cuando (1983)
34. Morbus (o bon profit) (1983)
... aka Morbus (Spain: Castilian title: short title)
35. Asalto al Banco Central (1983)
36. El invernadero (1983)
37. El ser (1982) .... Gravedigger
38. Cristóbal Colón, de oficio... descubridor (1982)
39. La rebelión de los pájaros (1982)
... aka La revolta dels ocells (Spain: Catalan title)
40. Queen Lear (1982) .... Hobo
41. Rocky Carambola (1981) (as Victor Israel) .... Gangster jefe
... aka La criada se enamora (Mexico: subtitle)
... aka Le agarró la mano el chango (Mexico)
42. ¡Viva la Pepa! (1981)
... aka Mel i mató (Spain: Catalan title)
43. La cripta (1981)
... aka El misterio de la cripta embrujada (Mexico)
... aka The Crypt
44. Neumonía erótica y pasota (1981) .... Pepe
45. Virus (1980/I) .... Zombie priest
... aka Apocalipsis caníbal (Spain)
... aka Hell of the Living Dead (International: English title)
... aka Inferno dei morti viventi (Italy)
... aka Night of the Zombies (USA)
... aka Zombi 5: Ultimate Nightmare (Italy)
... aka Zombie Creeping Flesh (UK)
... aka Zombie Inferno
46. Denver (1980)
47. Viciosas al desnudo (1980)

48. Jaguar Lives! (1979) .... Sicilian party guest
... aka El felino (Spain)
49. "Doctor Caparrós, medicina general" (5 episodes)
- El mal de queixal s'encomana (????) TV episode
- Ja som aquí (????) TV episode
- Matemàtiques i futbol (????) TV episode
- Qui serà el nou alcalde (????) TV episode
- Visites d'urgència (????) TV episode
50. Cinco tenedores (1979)
... aka Five Forks
51. La profezia (1978) .... Giovanni
... aka L'osceno desiderio (Italy: alternative title)
... aka Le pene nel ventre (Italy)
... aka Obscene Desire (USA)
... aka Poseída (Spain)
52. Trampa sexual (1978)
53. Espectro (Más allá del fin del mundo) (1978) (as Víctor D'Israel) .... Tabernero
... aka Espectro (Spain)
54. Un hombre llamado Flor de Otoño (1978)
... aka A Man Called Autumn Flower (USA)
55. Dinero maldito (1978) .... Morgan
... aka I miei peggiori amici (Italy)
... aka Il braccio violento della mala (Italy)
... aka Killer's Gold (USA)
56. Me siento extraña (1977)
57. El jovencito Drácula (1977)
58. El pobrecito Draculín (1977) .... Vladimir
59. "Es muß nicht immer Kaviar sein" (1 episode)
- Ich heiße Mabel (????) TV episode
60. Las locuras de Jane (1977)
61. Cuentos de las sábanas blancas (1977) .... Calixto - mesonero
... aka Tales of the White Sheets (International: English title: literal title)
62. "La saga de los Rius" (5 episodes, 1976-1977)
... aka "La saga dels Rius" (Spain: Catalan title)
- Episode #1.9 (1977) TV episode
- Episode #1.6 (1976) TV episode
- Episode #1.5 (1976) TV episode
- Episode #1.2 (1976) TV episode
- Episode #1.1 (1976) TV episode
63. El secreto inconfesable de un chico bien (1976)
64. Las ratas no duermen de noche (1976) .... Karl
... aka Crimson (USA: video title)
... aka Crimson, the Color of Blood (International: English title)
... aka L'homme à la tête coupée (France)
... aka Le viol et l'enfer des X (France)
65. Manuela (1976)
66. Bons baisers de Hong Kong (1975) .... Victor
... aka From Hong Kong with Love (International: English title)
67. "El quinto jinete" .... Topo (1 episode, 1975)
- El ladrón de cadáveres (1975) TV episode .... Topo
68. Pim, pam, pum... ¡fuego! (1975) .... Sr. Dimas
... aka Pim, Pam, Pum... Fire! (International: English title)
... aka Ready, Aim, Fire! (International: English title)
69. Clara es el precio (1975)
70. Il bianco, il giallo, il nero (1975) .... Man In Prison
... aka El blanco, el amarillo y el negro (Spain)
... aka Le blanc, le jaune et le noir (France)
... aka Samurai (Canada: English title: video title)
... aka Shoot First... Ask Questions Later (USA)
... aka The White, the Yellow, and the Black (USA)
71. "Kara Ben Nemsi Effendi" .... Basch Kiatib (2 episodes, 1975)
- Die Brüder Aladschy (1975) TV episode .... Basch Kiatib
- Die Entlarvung des Mübarek (1975) TV episode .... Basch Kiatib
72. La maldición de la bestia (1975)
... aka Hall of the Mountain King (USA: cut version)
... aka Horror of the Werewolf
... aka Night of the Howling Beast (USA)
... aka The Werewolf and the Yeti (Europe: English title: video title)
73. La perversa caricia de Satán (1975) .... Baron de Clanchart
... aka Le baiser du diable (France)
... aka The Devil's Kiss (UK)
... aka The Wicked Caresses of Satan (USA)
74. Zorrita Martínez (1975)
75. What Changed Charley Farthing? (1974) .... Christmas
... aka El tramposo (Spain)
... aka The Bananas Boat (USA)
... aka The Swindler (Philippines: English title)
76. El último proceso en París (1974)
77. La chica del Molino Rojo (1973)
... aka The Chorus Girls (USA: video title)
... aka The Girl from the Red Cabaret (USA)
78. Ricco (1973) .... Checana, the nightclub owner
... aka Ajuste de cuentas (Spain)
... aka Cauldron of Death
... aka Gangland (USA: video title)
... aka Mean Machine
... aka Ricco (USA)
... aka Ricco the Mean Machine (USA: DVD title)
... aka The Dirty Mob
... aka Un tipo con una faccia strana ti cerca per ucciderti (Italy)
79. Anche gli angeli mangiano fagioli (1973) .... Giudà
... aka Even Angels Eat Beans (Canada: English title)
... aka Les anges mangent aussi des fayots (France)
... aka También los ángeles comen judías (Spain)
80. La isla misteriosa (1973) .... Pirate
... aka Captain Nemo (Spain: DVD box title)
... aka Jules Verne's Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo
... aka Jules Verne's Mysterious Island of Dr. Nemo
... aka L'île mystérieuse (France)
... aka L'isola misteriosa e il capitano Nemo (Italy)
... aka The Mysterious Island (USA)
... aka The Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo
81. La polizia incrimina la legge assolve (1973) .... Scorfano
... aka High Crime
... aka La policía detiene, la ley juzga (Spain)
... aka The Marseilles Connection (UK: video title)
82. Che c'entriamo noi con la rivoluzione? (1972)
... aka ¡Qué nos importa la revolución! (Spain)
... aka What Am I Doing in the Middle of the Revolution (USA)
83. Trop jolies pour être honnêtes (1972) .... Le psychiatre
... aka Demasiado bonitas para ser honestas (Spain)
... aka Perché mammà ti manda solo? (Italy)
... aka Quatre souris pour un hold-up (France)
... aka Seduction Squad (USA: video title)
... aka The Powder Puff Gang (USA: alternative title)
... aka Too Pretty to Be Honest
84. Horror Express (1972) .... Luggage Worker
... aka Pánico en el Transiberiano (Spain)
... aka Panic in the Trans-Siberian Train (International: English title)
85. Treasure Island (1972) .... Morgan
... aka Die Schatzinsel (West Germany)
... aka L'île au trésor (France)
... aka L'isola del tesoro (Italy)
... aka La isla del tesoro (Spain)
86. Un verano para matar (1972)
... aka Meurtres au soleil (France)
... aka Ricatto alla mala (Italy)
... aka Summertime Killer (USA)
87. El Monte de las brujas (1972) .... Inn-Keeper
... aka The Witches' Mountain
88. Kill! (1971) .... Baron
... aka Kill! (West Germany)
... aka Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! (USA)
... aka Kill: matar (Spain)
... aka Police Magnum (France)
89. ¡Viva la muerte... tua! (1971) .... Manuel Mendoza
... aka ¡Viva la muerte... tuya! (Spain)
... aka Don't Turn the Other Cheek (USA)
... aka Long Live Your Death
... aka Viva la muerte... tua! (Italy)
... aka Zwei Galgenvögel geben Zunder (West Germany)
... aka Zwei tolle Companeros (West Germany)
... aka Zwei wilde Companeros (West Germany)
90. Necrophagus (1971) .... Mr. Fowles
... aka El descuartizador de Binbrook
... aka Graveyard of Horror
... aka Necromaniac (video title)
... aka The Butcher of Binbrook (USA)
91. Catlow (1971) (as Victor Israel) .... Pesquiera
92. Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971) (uncredited) .... Cowardly coachman
... aka Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue (USA: complete title)
93. Aunque la hormona se vista de seda... (1971) .... Sebastián
94. Una chica casi decente (1971)
95. The Light at the Edge of the World (1971) .... Das Mortes
... aka La luz del fin del mundo (Spain)
96. El bosque del lobo (1971) .... Lameiro
... aka The Ancines Woods (International: English title)
97. Las melancolicas (1971)
... aka Exorcism's Daughter (USA)
... aka House of Insane Women
... aka Women of Doom
98. The Arizona Kid (1971)
... aka I fratelli di Arizona (Italy)
99. Uomo avvisato mezzo ammazzato... Parola di Spirito Santo (1971) .... Priest
... aka Blazing Guns
... aka El halcón de Sierra Madre (Spain)
... aka Forewarned, Half-Killed... the Word of the Holy Ghost
... aka His Name Was Holy Ghost (USA)
... aka They Call Him Holy Ghost
... aka Y le llamaban El Halcón (Spain)
100. Vamos a matar, compañeros (1970) (uncredited) .... Rosenbloom henchman with brown suit
... aka Companeros (USA)
... aka Laßt uns töten, Companeros (West Germany)
... aka Los compañeros (Spain)
... aka Zwei Compañeros (West Germany)
101. Persecución hasta Valencia (1970)
... aka Il sapore della vendetta (Italy)
... aka The Narco Men
102. Cabezas cortadas (1970) .... Doctor
... aka Cabeças Cortadas (Brazil)
... aka Cutting Heads (International: English title)
103. ¡Vivan los novios! (1970)
... aka Long Live the Bride and Groom (International: English title)

104. El abogado, el alcalde y el notario (1969)
... aka L'advocat, l'alcalde i el notari (Spain: Catalan title)
105. El ángel (1969)
106. ¡Viva América! (1969)
... aka Cry Chicago (USA: TV title)
... aka La vera storia di Frank Mannata (Italy)
... aka Mafia Mob
107. Vivi o, preferibilmente, morti (1969) (uncredited) .... Mayoralty candidate henchman with glasses, standing right beside him
... aka Alive or Preferably Dead
... aka Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid (USA)
... aka Sundance and the Kid
... aka Vivos o preferiblemente muertos (Spain)
108. Las crueles (1969) .... El portero
... aka The Exquisite Cadaver (USA: new title)
109. ¿Por qué te engaña tu marido? (1969)
... aka Why Does Your Husband Deceive You?
110. La residencia (1969) .... Brechard
... aka The Boarding School (International: English title)
... aka The Finishing School (USA)
... aka The House That Screamed (USA)
111. Comanche blanco (1968) (as Victor Israel) .... Carter
... aka Hour of Vengeance
... aka Rio Hondo (USA)
... aka White Comanche
112. Long-Play (1968) .... Hombre que ignora su existencia
113. ...e per tetto un cielo di stelle (1968) .... Innkeeper
... aka A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof (USA)
... aka And for a Roof a Sky Full of Stars
114. Una pistola per cento bare (1968) .... Barrett, Madman
... aka A Gun for One Hundred Graves
... aka El sabor del odio (Spain)
... aka Pistol for a Hundred Coffins (USA)
115. No somos de piedra (1968)
... aka We're Not Made of Stone
116. Un diablo bajo la almohada (1968)
... aka A Devil Under the Pillow
... aka Calda e... infedele (Italy)
... aka Le diable sous l'oreiller (France)
117. Killer, adios (1968) .... Dickson
... aka Killer Goodbye (USA)
... aka Winchester Justice (USA)
... aka Winchester One of One Thousand
... aka Winchester, uno entre mil (Spain)
118. O.K. Yevtushenko (1968) .... Trilby
... aka Somebody's Stolen Our Russian Spy
119. Operación Mata Hari (1968) .... Militar alemán bizco
... aka Operation Mata Hari (International: English title)
120. I tre che sconvolsero il West - vado, vedo e sparo (1968) .... Chef
... aka I Came, I Saw, I Shot
... aka Llego, veo, disparo (Spain)
... aka One Dollar Too Many (International: English title: TV title)
121. Bandidos (1967) .... Conductor#2 (the littler one)
... aka Crepa tu... che vivo io (Italy)
... aka You Die... But I Live
122. Después del gran robo (1967)
123. "I Spy" .... Taxi Driver #3 (1 episode, 1967)
- Blackout (1967) TV episode .... Taxi Driver #3
124. Sette donne per i MacGregor (1967) .... Trevor
... aka 7 Women for the MacGregors (USA)
... aka Siete mujeres para los Mac Gregor (Spain)
... aka Up the MacGregors (UK)
125. Mónica Stop (1967)
126. Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo. (1966) (uncredited) .... Sergeant at Confederate Fort
... aka The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (UK) (USA)
... aka El bo, el lleig i el dolent (Spain: Catalan title)
... aka El bueno, el feo y el malo (Spain)
... aka The Good, the Ugly, the Bad (USA: literal English title)
... aka The Magnificent Rogues (UK)
... aka Zwei glorreiche Halunken (West Germany)
127. El aventurero de Guaynas (1966)
... aka Gringo, getta il fucile! (Italy)
... aka The Adventurer of Iguana (International: English title)
... aka The Tough One (USA)
128. Il grande colpo di Surcouf (1966)
... aka La vengeance du Surcouf (France: alternative title)
... aka Le retour de Surcouf (France: alternative title)
... aka Tonnerre sur l'océan (France: alternative title)
... aka Tonnerre sur l'océan indien (France)
... aka Tormenta sobre el Pacífico (Spain)
129. Hallucination Generation (1966)
... aka Hallucination
130. The Texican (1966) .... Wilkins the Station Master
... aka Texas Kid (Spain)
131. Yankee (1966) .... Sceriffo
... aka El yankee (Spain)
... aka L'americano (Italy)
... aka Yankee l'americano (Italy)
132. Surcouf, l'eroe dei sette mari (1966)
... aka El tigre de los siete mares (Spain)
... aka Los hermanos Surcouf (Spain)
... aka Surcouf, le tigre des sept mers (France)
... aka The Fighting Corsair (UK)
... aka The Sea Pirate (USA)
133. El Greco (1966) (uncredited) .... Mental patient
... aka El Greco (USA)
134. Espi... ando (1966)
135. Dinamite Jim (1966)
... aka Dinamita Jim (Spain)
... aka Dinamite Jim (Italy)
... aka Dynamite Jim (USA)
136. Sugar Colt (1966) .... Gravedigger
137. Huida en la frontera (1966) .... Andreas
138. Doctor Zhivago (1965) (uncredited)
139. Train d'enfer (1965)
... aka Danger dimensione morte (Italy)
... aka Operation Double Cross (USA: TV title)
... aka Trampa bajo el sol (Spain)
140. Muere una mujer (1965) .... Un policia
141. Die Hölle von Manitoba (1965) (uncredited) .... Clerk
... aka A Place Called Glory (USA)
... aka Glory City
... aka Place Called Glory City (USA)
... aka Un lugar llamado 'Glory'
142. Los cuatreros (1965)
... aka Shoot to Kill (USA)
... aka Texas Jim (USA)
143. La otra orilla (1965)
144. La llamada (1965)
... aka The Sweet Sound of Death (USA: dubbed version)
145. Circus World (1964) (uncredited)
... aka El fabulós món del circ (Spain: Catalan title)
... aka El fabuloso mundo del circo (Spain)
... aka Henry Hathaway's The Magnificent Showman (UK: complete title)
... aka Samuel Bronston's Circus World
... aka The Magnificent Showman (UK)
146. El salario del crimen (1964) .... Delincuente interrogado
147. Totò d'Arabia (1964)
... aka Totò of Arabia
... aka Toto de Arabia (Spain)
148. Playa de Formentor (1964)
... aka Beach of Formentor (International: English title)
149. La bella Lola (1962)
... aka Quel nostro impossibile amore (Italy)
... aka Une dame aux camélias (France)
150. Tierra de todos (1962)
151. Tierra brutal (1961)
... aka The Savage Guns (USA)

EL FRANCONOMICON GOES ENGLISH

2009-09-22T20:08:00.001-04:00

THE FRANCONOMICON

Frank Jess, fragments of an impossible filmografía

THE RED CASTLE

with a commentary

AKA: THE MYSTERY OF THE RED CASTLE

INT: Frank Jesus, Yelena Samarina, Kali Hansa, Alberto Dalbés, Luis Barboo…

PHOTO: Javier Perez Zofio SCRIPT and DIREC: Frank Jess 1973. Spain. Manacoa Films. Color. _

Frank Jess like Radeck, according to the script "making the position of yogui and the signal of Power R", next to its machine of mental control in a scene of the film.

AN ESSENTIAL JESS FRANCO BLOG

WHICH YOU CAN NOW READ IN ENGLISH!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Hotmail® has ever-growing storage! Don't worry about storage limits. Check it out.

JESS FRANCO AND HIS FILMS AT 09 FANTASTIC FEST

2009-09-17T18:33:00.005-04:00

Coming soon!

[I wish I could be there! RM]

Fantastic Fest and Ain't It Cool News Present Jess Franco and Lina Romay Live In Person.

Join one of our favorite directors for a rare screening series and Lifetime Achievement Award presentation.

September 28-30, Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar Austin TX

For almost 50 years Spanish filmmaker Jess Franco has been making his own kind of cinematic poetry, steeped with themes of sex, violence, jazz, and subversive black humor. He has made around 200 feature films, though no one can say exactly how many. Once an obscure but busy man, he has become a well-known and respected figure over the past ten or so years as DVD audiences have joined earlier admirers like Fritz Lang and Orson Welles in acclaiming Franco's talent and vitality. Last year he was awarded Spain's highest film honor, the Goya Award and the Cinematheque Francaise devoted a season to his work.

Fantastic Fest is deeply honored to present its first Lifetime Achievement Award to Jess Franco. We will screen a selection of three of Franco's finest works. We will also be graced with the presence of his muse and inseparable collaborator Lina Romay. This will be Jess Franco's first ever North American film festival appearance.

This series is made possible by Ain't It Cool News.

Schedule of screenings

Monday, 9/28 7:15 pm VENUS IN FURS with Award Presentation
Dir. Jess Franco, 1969, 35MM, 86 min.

A young jazz musician finds the body of a beautiful woman he saw at a party the previous night washed up on the beach near Istanbul. He thinks back to the mysterious circumstances of the party and the strange people there. Later, in Rio he sees the woman again, and falls in love with her. A kaleidoscope of psychedelic and sexual imagery follows. Based on a plot idea by jazz great Chet Baker. Starring Maria Rohm, Klaus Kinski, James Darren, Barbara McNair, Dennis Price and Margaret Lee.

This screening is free for Fantastic Fest badgeholders. A limited number of tickets will be sold to the general public. Click here for tickets.

Tuesday, 9/29 7pm SUCCUBUS
Dir. Jess Franco, 1968, 35MM, 91 min.

SUCCUBUS is like the shiny side of the REPULSION coin, as we see into the half-dream/half-real life of a vivacious sexpot (Janine Reynaud) whose nightclub act depicts sexualized torture on stage. As we follow her through Lisbon and Berlin, through encounters with lesbians, sadists and little people, we begin to see signs that she is carrying her work home with her. Surreal, at times pretentious, but always compelling and new, even Fritz Lang liked this movie - he called it "a beautiful piece of cinema." We are indebted to another well-known admirer of this film for the loan of the print: Quentin Tarantino. Featuring Jack Taylor and Howard Vernon.

This screening is free for Fantastic Fest badgeholders. A limited number of tickets will be sold to the general public. Click here for tickets.

Wednesday, 9/30 6:45pm THE BARE BREASTED COUNTESS
Dir. Jess Franco, 1973, 35MM, 82 min.

Jess Franco directs his muse Lina Romay in this surreal story of a beautiful female vampire who consumes the sexual effluvia of her victims. This is one of the best Franco films of his most hyper-prolific period. Romay burns up the screen and Franco is at his most austere and poetic. Unforgettable music by frequent collaborator Daniel White helps to create a timeless atmosphere for the bloody, sexy pas de deux between Romay and her metaphysical paramour Jack Taylor. Also features Franco himself in a major role.

This screening is free for Fantastic Fest badgeholders. A limited number of tickets will be sold to the general public. Click here for tickets.

Additionally, there will be a special pre-festival screening of Franco's classic EUGENIE, THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO PERVERSION on Wednesday September 23 at Midnight at the Ritz (320 E. 6th St.). This warm-up screening is part of the long-running Weird Wednesday series, Admission is free for Fantastic Fest badgeholders and $1 for the general public. Mr. Franco will not attend this screening. For full details about this screening click here.

All screenings except EUGENIE, which takes place at the Alamo Ritz, 320 E. 6th Street, will take place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, 1120 South Lamar Blvd. in Austin TX. Fantastic Fest badgeholders will receive first priority of admission. Any additional seats will be made available to the public.

Coming soon on CD: Peter Thomas soundtracks!

2009-09-11T15:38:00.004-04:00

I thought I would share this information with the board readers. Peter Thomas is certainly a personal favorite among European composers of film music.

Friends and media partners,

Allscore - in cooperation with Soundtrack Corner - proudly presents a world premiere:

Two sex education-movie soundtracks by Peter Thomas ("Space Patrol", "Jerry Cotton"):

"The Perfect Marriage" and "Every Night of the Week".

One discovered only now, 40 years after its recording, the other one previously released only in part on one of the rarest soundtrack LPs ever.

Please find more information, cover art, soundsamples and the press handout here:

http://www.allscore.de/sites/ASM_029.htm

German release date: October 16, 2009
First copies will be available end of September 2009!
Promotion will happen in November/December 2009!

All the best,

Dietmar Bosch

All Score Media
Fuchseckstr. 7
D-70188 Stuttgart
Germany

Tel.: (0)711-6405929
Fax: (0)711-6405930

www.allscore.de

*** Upcoming:
Oct. 2009: PETER THOMAS SOUND ORCHESTER -
Van de Velde: Die vollkommene Ehe (the perfect marriage)...(OST) (CD ASM 029)

Nov. 2009: LES QUITRICHE - Sibérie (4 track-7" ASM 030)
(full length album in spring 2010)

*** Out:
Gerhard Heinz * The Mufuti Twins * Rework * Sam Spence * Franco De Gemini * The Kilaueas * Subotnik * Miss Claudia & Pornorama * DEFA-Märchenfilme * Ennio Morricone * Croon-a-Roma * Der Felsen * Kosmos * DEFA-Indianerfilme * Berry Lipman * Dexter * Peter Thomas * Martin Böttcher * Edgar Wallace * Franz Grothe * Star Maidens * and many more

AL OTRO LADO DEL ESPEJO: Versions

2009-09-08T19:53:00.007-04:00

Title card for the Italian hardcore version. For completists only...

This image appears at the end of all three versions discussed below...

Terrific poster for the less than terrific French version...

AL OTRO LADO DEL ESPEJO (1973) is one of my two or three favorite Jess Franco films. But only in the version with that title. In other words, the Spanish language version, which Jess himself told me was his preferred cut. I have a dub of the Spanish FQ video, in Spanish language only and in less than idea video quality.

I have two other versions on video, the French softcore, which contains added footage featuring Lina Romay and others which is not in the Spanish version. And then there is the Italian hardcore. That's my least favorite version due to the fact the hardcore inserts were not shot by the original director and pretty much ruin the film. In any case, at some point a comparison would be in order. But I would rather do a shot-by-shot breakdown of the Spanish version with notes on variants. It's an ambitious project and I may start it here.

I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who is aware of, or who has seen, an English language (dubbed or subtitled) variant. I'm not sure if this was ever released in English either theatrically or on video. I tend to doubt it, but Franco films have a way of turning up in surprising incarnations. Even a fan subbed version might be helpful at this point.

William Berger/Eurowesterns/Jess Franco

2009-09-05T13:41:00.011-04:00

As the black clad outlaw in SARTANA IN THE VALLEY OF DEATH (1970)...

William Berger (1928-1993) gave an outstanding performance as the alcoholic writer Dean Baker in one of Jess Franco's best films, JUEGO SUCIO EN CASABLANCA...

William Berger in 1970

The late Austrian born actor William Berger became something of a Spaghetti Western regular starting in the mid-1960s with Mario Maffei's RINGO'S BIG NIGHT (thanks to Squonkmatic for a look at the excellent Franco Cleef reconstruction). One of the last he appeared in before his notorious 1970 drug bust (which landed him in an Italian jail for a year) was Roberto Mauri's SARTANA IN THE VALLEY OF DEATH.

My review of that film is now up on the EUROWESTERNS FORUM at www.cinemadrome.yuku.com. Also of interest are Nzoog's recently added reviews of two ultra-obscure Spanish westerns directed by Jose Maria Zabalza, the man who gave the world the outlandish Z grade Paul Naschy werewolf epic, FURY OF THE WOLFMAN (1970). Since the Zabalza westerns never had any theatrical/video/DVD release in North America or outside of Spain, these should be of special interest to Euro western/rare Euro genre movie collectors.

William Berger, of course, was eventually released from jail after the intervention of his friend, the late director Marco Ferreri. He resumed his career in Spaghetti Cinema and eventually walked into the waiting arms of Jess Franco and would eventually appear in such JF titles as THE CAPTAIN IS 15 YEARS OLD (1972), THE EYES OF DR ORLOFF (1973), GOLDEN TEMPLE AMAZONS (1985) and JUEGO SUCIO EN CASABLACA (1984), among others. We'll be reviewing all of those titles here in the future. Berger was certainly a reliable actor who could play both villains or sympathetic protagonists.

EROTIKILL/LA COMTESSE NOIRE: Evolutionary Considerations

2009-09-01T17:20:00.003-04:00

The bloody lips of the Black Countess...

Some further thoughts on EROTIKILL and LA COMTESSE NOIRE. I'm bringing this over from CINEMADROME: THE WORLD OF JESS FRANCO FORUM. I like to revisit this film, in any variation, often, and it remains a personal favorite. I remember not liking it very much when I first saw it as THE LOVES OF IRINA on the PRIVATE SCREENINGS VHS. I found it slow, pretentious and not at all erotic. I just wasn't ready to make the effort to attempt to appreciate what the filmmaker was doing. I was annoyed by the out of focus cinematography and just wanted it to be over. My opinion of it has evolved over the years.

In 1973 Jess Franco made an extremely low budget, very personal, poetic vampire film on the island of Madeira with the working title LA COMTESSE NOIRE. This Eurocine funded enterprise featured Lina Romay as the lonely female vampire Irina Von Karlstein and would be probably the first French hardcore vampire film, at least as later released with hc inserts as LES AVALEUSES to French porno venues. This version was reportedly approx. 82 m. (according to OBSESSION: THE FILMS OF JESS FRANCO). In fact, it is well-known that there are numerous versions of this film from the hardcore to EROTIKILL, which we will briefly consider here.

EROTIKILL is the approx. 72 m US video version, which has a 1985 Eurocine copyright on it. It was one of two versions released on US video in the 1980s, the other is THE LOVES OF IRINA [PRIVATE SCREENINGS label]. The latter video is the way I first experienced the film sometime in the late 1980s. I wasn't prepared and pretty much disliked the film. It did have a flash of hardcore in the hotel room seduction-attack scene between Lina Romay and Ramon Ardid. That hc moment was "wiped" from the much later IMAGE DVD version, FEMALE VAMPIRE. That 2000 DVD ran 101 m. and was the first anamorphic presentation of the film on US home video, outside of grey market dubs like VSOM's wretched THE BARE BREASTED COUNTESS, running approx 110m and minutes and containing all the hardcore and alternative bloodsucking footage!

Three is also a 2001 German DVD from X RATED KULT DVD titled EROTIILL [LADY DRACULA 2], at least on the box. this is also the hardcore version, but runs to 105 m PAL, Code 2. The actual onscreen title is LUSTERNDE VAMPIRE UN SPERMARAUSCH. I'll be reviewing that on a separate thread.

Force Video's EROTIKILL was one of a six "Wicked Women" features released on VHS by the company and omits all of the hardcore material. It also has alternate scenes showing the Countess Irina sucking blood from the necks of her victims rather than lapping their sexual fluids as she does in Franco's original concept and all the harder versions. This is the "conventional" vampire version with each attack concluding with a close-up of the victim's blood on Irina's lips. This also omits the shot of Irina kneeling in front of first victim Roger Germanes during the assault in the forest aviary. She instead is showing leaning over him, biting him on the neck. In fact, all of the sexual scenes are missing or abbreviated. The scene with the hotel masseur simply cuts from them embracing to her majordomo (Luis Barboo) carrying out the body.

This version does contain nudity, including the vaginal zoom during Irina's walk through the misty forest during the opening credits. But other shots of Irina lingering in her hotel room are "covered" by here long, black cape. The original (non hc) version runs 85 m according to Alain Petit's MANACOA FILES, that would be the LA COMTESSE NOIRE title version, but there has never been a video release with that onscreen title of which I am aware.

In some ways EROTIKILL focuses more of our attention on the existential qualities of the film and its mood of doomed Romanticism and emotional longing, but the lingering sexual interludes do have merit in that they emphasize the elusive nature of pleasure and bloodsucking has always had a sexual element going all the way back to Murnau's NOSFERATU.

Cut are the final seconds of the opening credits but not the moment where Irina walks right into the camera lens, one of my favorite Franco technical transgressions which underscores the self-reflexive, oneiric nature of the project. It might have been a "mistake" (maybe not) but I'm glad they left it in. This version also has an added line by Dr. Orloff (Jean-Pierre Bouyxou) delivered to Franco's Dr. Roberts during Monika Swinn's autopsy as he touches her neck (not her vagina as in other versions), it sounds like a different dubber than the rest of track and I've never heard this line in any other version. It may have been added by the video company or Eurocine. The main disadvantage of this presentation is that it crops Franco's 2.35:1 compositions to 1.33:1 after the opening credits, making at least 50% of the original image unavailable.

I have at least 6 different versions of this on various video formats with language tracks ranging from English to German to French.

Other known titles include EROTIKILLER (Italian video); UN CALDO CORPO DI FEMMINA; LA COMTESSE AUX SIENS NUS; ENTESSELTE BEGIERDE: VERENTAHRIMA MORSIAN, SICARIUS, THE LAST THRILL.

I still want to go to Madeira...

EROTIKILL: Up with [FORCE] video; down with DVD!

2009-08-30T15:55:00.004-04:00

Here's what they want over at amazon.com:

Customer image from W. S. Smith "out-of-print-video" [see above image]
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Erotikill [VHS]
Starring: Gilda Arancio, Alice Arno Rating: NR (Not Rated) Format: VHS Tape
15 Reviews
5 star:
(3)
4 star:
(5)
3 star:
(4)
2 star:
(1)
1 star:
(2)

› See all 15 customer reviews...
3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.

3 used from $31.95 2 collectible from $59.99

Also Available in: List Price: Our Price: Other Offers:
DVD $24.99 $22.49 24 used & new from $15.99

Ha! Just a play on words in the blog's title. I was just struck how the old OOP FORCE VIDEO [72m; 1.33:1] of LA COMTESSE NOIRE (1973) is going for twice the price of the superior [video-wise] and much longer IMAGE DVD!

I just revisted the FORCE VIDEO VHS last night and will port over some commentary from www.cinemadrome.yuku.com THE WORLD OF JESS FRANCO FORUM.

Do any readers actually have the FORCE VIDEO prerecord of EROTIKILL? It's one of a series called WICKED/WILD WOMEN, other titles include Luigi Bazzoni's PRIMAL IMPULSE, which I still have the oversized box for but can't located the actual VHS!