Thread: Jess Franco
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Old 18th September 2020, 06:21 PM
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Countess Perverse (1974)

One of 11 films director Jess Franco made and released in 1974, Countess Perverse is the Spanish auteur's take on the much filmed 1920's story The Most Dangerous Game.

Set on an island with a mansion of quite unique design, Franco adds his own touches to the well worn ideas already filmed, namely lots of sex bordering on hardcore (Even Howard Vernon gets his fingers dirty) and cannibalism.

For the first hour you'll probably wonder what this had to do with The Most Dangerous Game. Fortunately the last third leaves the sleaze behind and we get a little gore and head sawing and a hunt across the island as Lina Romay's heroine is tracked down by the deadly Countess Zaroff as played by the lovely Alice Arno. In true Franco style both women are starkers however Arno carries a bow and arrow, although neither are ever strategically placed as to hide her modesty. I doubt Franco would allow it if they were though.

One of the film's strength's are the performances in particular Vernon and Arno as the Count and Countess Zaroff. Both come across with demented glee and seem to be having enormous fun.

Come the end Countess Perverse is an enjoyable film with perhaps too much shagging early on and too little plot development to be really classed as top level Franco. I still recommend it to all Francophiles though
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