Jess Franco

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Vampyros Lesbos (1970)

One of Jess Franco's most infamous films. It stars the gorgeous Soledad Miranda who entices women to her island home via exotic and erotic striptease acts at a club. Once there she ensnares them in with her vampiric will and drinks their bolod in order to live forever.

I've got to be honest and say plot wise there really isn't an awful lot going on. The lovely Ewa Stroemberg is lured to the isolated island in the Med, is seduced by the countess and no one including Dennis Price and Franco regular Paul Muller can work out what is wrong with her.

However the lure of Vampyros Lesbos isn't the story, it's everything else. For the Spanish maverick Franco has created a surreal melancholic poem about vampiric loneliness. There's plenty of erotica although perhaps not as much as the films title might suggest. Far from pounding the viewer into submission with endless zoom shots of hairy sexuality, Franco is far more subtle, intercutting scorpions, moths and kites in the sky with the lingering moments of sensuality.

The film's soundtrack is a joy. Thick with hedonistic eastern influences and jazz and rock motifs, it's skillfully integrated into the film carefully toying with the ears and mind as Franco's sumptuous visuals work their way into our conscious. Coming across like a fever dream, Vampyros Lesbos is recommended late night viewing.

The UK dvd from Second Sight is beautifully restored and looks stunning.

[Demoncrat]

Great review there Dem!!

Ordered that double blu from Dorado Films. £40!!!!!

Ahem. I voted to Remain, ken??????????

[Demoncrat]

Ahem. Watched Night Has A Thousand Desires.
Very nice looking print here. As this story was redone as Nightmares Come At Night...Voodoo Passion AND Sinister Eyes Of Orloff (See last post ahem), it may not come as any surprise to even the casual Franco nut that this is a real humdinger, whilst not scraping the heights of Lorna etc, this is prime Jesus, the ST wobbles and shrieks (Pablo Villa cough), Lina still looks lovely (IMHO) and he pops up playing a shrink.

Need I say more??


The Dorado double bill btw.
Silence was very mannered, but had his essential "offness" poking through.
Sinister Eyes....wooh mama, first ten minutes easily outstrips most "thrillers" imho. So twas worth the outlay (£36.36) ahem. Their next release should be fun....

[Demoncrat]

Cecilia (1982)
This torrid tale of exploration of an 'open' marriage is primo smut ... if you like that sort of thing. Thankfully I do. Made in the middle of an artistic rebirth, this is one of his "competent" ones ...meaning the zoom gets a wee rest . The BU dvd looked decent enough.

[Demoncrat]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demoncrat

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

FFS! Missing a trick there. Can't they get the thing out in time for Christmas.

Actually going off the last one i probably mean Christmas 2018.

[Demoncrat]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

FFS! Missing a trick there. Can't they get the thing out in time for Christmas.

Actually going off the last one i probably mean Christmas 2018.

Striking cover though
That will look spiffing sitting next to MP.
Plus I'll get to show more folks Countess Perverse.

[Justin101]

Finally! - I love the cover! I can't wait to get this one.

I just hope they are going to be the same size - I got a couple of Wes Anderson books (which were published by the same company as each other) and they are different spine heights it's so frustrating

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

A bit of colour wouldn't go amiss either.

Like the other book, 40 notes is pretty steep for a black and white tome.

[Justin101]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

A bit of colour wouldn't go amiss either.

Like the other book, 40 notes is pretty steep for a black and white tome.

Even though it's black and white I think it's good value still due to the sheer scope of the thing and it's very high quality - I paid less than RRP for mine though, I got it for £26.00 on Amazon.