Starting a Jess Franco collection

[Gojirosan]

Am I alone in finding Vampyros Lesbos a tedious and uninteresting experience and Soledad Miranda an insipid and uninteresting screen presence?

The soundtrack was boss though. Totally overshadows the rest of the the production in my view.

[Pete]

I don't think it's as good as it's made out to be - SHE KILLED IN ECSTASY is much better.

[Daemonia]

Originally Posted by mr 420

IMO Jack the Ripper is one you should definitely get. If you are in the UK it is available uncut on Anchor Bay.

Jack the Ripper cracks me up, it's hilarious, especially in its English dub. Yes, there's nastiness involved, but overall it's a laugh riot.

For instance, it's Victorian England, yet aluminium road signs are clearly visible, as are the odd electric light if you're paying attention. Then there's the sketch artist, who draws something that looks exactly like Kryton from Red Dwarf, when no-one recognises that (and who would?) then he just scribbles a few nondescript lines and they all go 'That's him!' Huh?

And the ending, they come to arrest Kinski and he runs away for a couple of seconds then when they say 'Come with us' he just shrugs and goes 'Okay'. It's not a very thrilling or dramatic ending, I guess everyone involved had got bored by this point.

[Daemonia]

Originally Posted by Gojirosan

The soundtrack was boss though. Totally overshadows the rest of the the production in my view.

The soundtrack is incredible. Sexadelic Dance Party! Pride of place in my CD collection, next to Emanuelle in America.

[Demdike]

Originally Posted by R-T-C Tim

Franco is certainly one of the most 'Marmite' of directors, even his fans can disagree completely on which of his films are good or bad. His quality varies so much.

He has some very clearly defined 'periods' of film making, which can make it easier to find films you might like.

• His early films, 1960 - 68 were small scale Black and White projects like 'Orloff' and largely inspired by the Hammer films.

• Between 1968 and 71 he worked for British producer Harry Alan Towers, making a few very inept adventure films but also elaborate de Sade inspired erotica like 'Justine' and 'Eugenie', probably his most coherent and mainstream period of movie making.

• In 1971 he made a number of amazing films including 'Vampyros Lesbos' with the stunning Soledad Miranda, but on the verge of breakout fame she was killed in a car crash.

• Following this, Franco made a number of very workmanlike films, mostly for Eurocine in France, including 'X312 Flight to Hell'

• He returned to form later in the decade, working for Swiss director Erwin C. Dietrich making a number of WIP films among others, introducing Lina Romay for the first time.

• With the death of General Franco in Spain, Franco returned there to produce his own films, making a slew of micro-budget films, usually veering towards the pornographic (including Spain's first hardcore porn film).

• With his rediscovery on VHS and DVD Franco did seem to be coming back when he directed 'Faceless' (1988), but nothing really came of this.

• Most recently he has been working for straight-to-video firm One Shot Productions in America, shooting micro-budget productions which again focus mostly on the pornographic elements.

I badly need to update it, but I have reviews of 15 Franco films and a short biography on my Jess Franco guide

Nice brief guide Tim..

[Chucky]

Demdike, your avatar is so cute. The wee squiral munching his nuts.

[Chucky]

Well, I think I'm going to give buying Franco films a rest for a while.

It's been a strain on the old bank balance.

So far I'v got:

Female Vampire UK release
The Awful Dr Orloff U.S. release

The Jess Franco Collection Vol 1

Barbed Wire Dolls
Blue Rita
Ilsa The Wicked Warden
Jack The Ripper
Love Camp
Love Letters Of A Portuguese Nun
Sexy Sisters
Voodoo passion

The Jess Franco Collection Vol 2

Macumba Sexual
The Sexual Story Of O
The Inconfessible Orgies Of Emmanuelle
Downtown Heat
Downtown
The Mansion Of The Living Dead

Barbed Wire Dolls uncut VIP release
Women In Cell Block 9 uncut VIP release.

Phew!

[P-Mac]

Originally Posted by Daemonia

Jack the Ripper cracks me up, it's hilarious, especially in its English dub. Yes, there's nastiness involved, but overall it's a laugh riot.

For instance, it's Victorian England, yet aluminium road signs are clearly visible, as are the odd electric light if you're paying attention. Then there's the sketch artist, who draws something that looks exactly like Kryton from Red Dwarf, when no-one recognises that (and who would?) then he just scribbles a few nondescript lines and they all go 'That's him!' Huh?

And the ending, they come to arrest Kinski and he runs away for a couple of seconds then when they say 'Come with us' he just shrugs and goes 'Okay'. It's not a very thrilling or dramatic ending, I guess everyone involved had got bored by this point.

That's a strange one. Set in London, shot in German !

[g053584398]

Originally Posted by Gojirosan

Am I alone in finding Vampyros Lesbos a tedious and uninteresting experience and Soledad Miranda an insipid and uninteresting screen presence?

The soundtrack was boss though. Totally overshadows the rest of the the production in my view.

I think that Vampyros Lesbos is an interesting, dreamlike film with a wonderful performance from the stunningly ethereal Soledad Miranda. The soundtrack is fantastic as well.

The films of Uncle Jess certainly polarise opinion, but I believe that he is a greatly undervalued director.

[tris thompson]

For a wonderful atmospheric Franco experience try and track down the R1 Mondo Macabre release of DIABOLICAL DR Z - this has Pete Tombs' Franco documentary as an extra.

They also released SINNER and LORNA THE EXORCIST.

Tristan