RIP Filmmaker Jess Franco*

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Synthfreek, Apr 2, 2013.

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  1. David Egan

    David Egan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oakland CA
    Here's a curious thing: Diabolik DVD was listing a DVD due on June 19 of Sylvia aka Midnight Party (1976) touting the mind blowing Lina Romay performance. The item has disappeared, it isn't happening. Teased on one of Franco's rarest titles stings and there aren't any new releases on the way.
     
  2. Dude111

    Dude111 An Awesome Dude

    Location:
    US
    Very sad :(
     
  3. Rocker

    Rocker Senior Member

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Picked up both these titles recently, bringing my Franco collection up to a total of 75 discs:
    Film Aficionado

    Still a ton of other releases I haven't been able to find yet, though... :p
     
  4. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Saw Venus In Furs (1969) last week and enjoyed it. No blu-ray, unfortunately, but I'd buy one if it was put out.
     
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  5. jwoverho

    jwoverho Licensed Drug Dealer

    Location:
    Mobile, AL USA
    Rumor is that Severin has the rights to several of the early 80’s Golden Films-era titles including Bahia Blanca and Gemidos de Placer.
    I too would like to see a blu of VENUS IN FURS along with EUGENIE DE SADE, two of Franco’s most important films.

    Top Ten Franco Films today:
    Diabolical Dr. Z
    Venus in Furs
    Eugenie De Sade
    A Virgin Among The Living Dead
    Erotic Rites Of Frankenstein
    Lorna The Exorcist
    Al Otro Lado Del Espejo
    Love Letters Of A Portuguese Nun
    Gemidos De Placer
    Macumba Sexual

    Honorable Mention:
    Rififi En La Ciudad
    Necronomicon
    Eugenie, The Story Of Her Journey Into
    Perversion
    99 Women
    Vampyros Lesbos
    Nightmares Come At Night
    Sinner
    Lovers Of Devils Island
    The Sadist Of Notre Dame
    Mil Sexos Tiene La Noche
     
  6. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    and I'm sure they will do a good job...I like their work so far.
     
  7. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    very impressive!
     
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  8. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Already available.

    Eugenie Blu-ray Release Date December 15, 2015
     
  9. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    That's actually a different film. The one you linked is Eugenie: The Story of Her Journey Into Perversion aka De Sade 70. The film jwoverho is referring to is Eugenie De Sade, which features Franco's muse Soledad Miranda.
     
  10. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Ah, yes, now I remember. That's this one. The overlapping and re-done Eugnie stories can get confusing. You'd think with Soledan Miranda in it, if there were a way to put it out, it would have happened by now. But it also seems like even among Franco fans, it isn't that highly regarded, is it?
     
  11. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    I'm ready to sell my entire Franco collection. I have about 100 titles on DVD and blu-ray.
     
  12. Always felt that his best films were made earlier in his career. He was mostly an awful film director.
     
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  13. Rocker

    Rocker Senior Member

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Anyone?
     
  14. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    The old Image DVD was probably in the PAL speed, corrected on the blu-ray.
     
  15. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Knocked a few more off my to-see list.

    Succubus (1968) - this was very much in the vein of what I consider the classic Jess Franco style. Rented it on Amazon Prime. Blu-Underground put this and Venus In Furs out on DVD some time back, but no blu-ray so far. I wrote then to ask if they would put them out on blu, and they replied that they would like to but the rights holders do not have the elements to scan for a proper blu-ray release. Maybe they'll turn up sometime.

    Diamonds Of Kilimandjaro (1983) - I got this blu-ray cheap a few months back and finally watched it. The movie is pretty sloppily put together. Like the sequence where the red head goes skinny dipping in the lake and is supposedly attacked by alligators. The sequence has no sound effects (even when the men shoot the alligators) and is just set to music. Then it repeats itself, but WITH sound. So it seems like she gets started by alligators, leaves the lake screaming, and then immedidaly goes back for another dip, and it happens again. But the redhead Lita and her hilarious choice of jungle attire was maybe my favorite thing about the movie. Also really liked the bloodthirsty native woman Nobawho wanted to kill the white men. Credits say Lina Romay was in it, but I didn't even recognize her. Was she the sickly mother lying in bed? I thought that was maybe the same actress playing Diana, just with some makeup on to make her look ill. The blu is barebones, but does have a real nice looking slipcase.
     
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  16. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    Thanks for the update on Succubus and a fair review of Diamonds Of Kilimandjaro .

    Have you seen Attack of the Robots (France 1966) ? Newly released by KinoLorber.
    I've ordered it. Franco wrote and directed this sequel to Godard's Alphaville between
    Dr. Orlof's Monster (1964) and The Diabolical Dr. Z (1966) so it falls within his
    early disciplined phase. I assume it will be in black & white with atmosphere & style,
    have a decent budget and be very stupid. But it might be fun. I don't know why I spent
    the money on it, I really don't.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2020
  17. Rocker

    Rocker Senior Member

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I'm the same way... most of Franco's films are pretty awful, but if I see one on DVD or Blu-ray that I don't have yet, I can't help but add it to the collection! :p
     
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  18. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    Franco and Romay brought out the worst in each other. After they met
    he threw purpose and self-discipline to the winds to create scenarios
    for her exhibitionism. Telling a good story and technical know-how no
    longer mattered. His filmmaking became all about her. Even when she
    wasn't in it, it was still all about her. I wonder if Stephen Thrower talks
    about their relationship in his two-part biography.
     
  19. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    I tend to agree. I love 99 Women and stuff like that but most of his later sado-masochist stuff seems like he was just indulging his own predilections. Not very interesting viewing. Still, he was a definite pillar in the classic exploitation community and the sheer number of films he made is impressive. RIP Jess!
     
  20. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    I have not see Robots. I took a look at it when the disc was announced, but it didn't seem that appealing. Maybe sometime. I didn't get much out of Orloff, and don't thin I've seen Diabolical Dr. Z. Like Franco himself, I'm a complete voyeur, so I get a lot more out of his later "undisciplined" work. I like the colors, the women, the locations, the dream-logic like plots. Franco directing in b&w just doesn't work for me.
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2020
  21. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    This I understand. I'm not a voyeur, but I'm attracted to the colors, the
    women, and the European locations especially in those films shot on the
    Mediterranean coastline. I'm also attracted to fantastic premises although
    Franco's are not often developed into plots and when there is an attempt to
    contrive a plot the term "dream-like logic" gives them too much credit. I
    may have mentioned this before, but one of my favorite scenes in all of
    cinema is the credits sequence in A Virgin Among the Living Dead. It's
    just a woman behind the wheel of a car driving along the Mediterranean
    coast road in Spain. I like the road and the scenery, passing the bars and
    marinas, the cutaways, the speed. I wish it had lasted longer. I think all
    his films would hold up better if they were shorter. He rarely has 60
    minutes of things to show & tell. The rest is padding. But that hour's
    worth would have more impact if it weren't padded, generally.

    Do give Diabolical Dr. Z a look.
     
  22. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    I know the scene you're talking about. For the budgets he had to work with, and the speed at which he worked, he really had an good eye for locations. Those great coastal castles and mansions on the Mediterranean really add to the atmosphere.

    I'll give Dr. Z a shot sometime. Just don't think I'll blind buy it. But if I can see it first on a rental, I will.
     
  23. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Saw an announcement of two new Jess Franco blu-rays coming.

    Night Of Open Sex (1983) and Cries Of Pleasure (1983)
    Severin Films Announces February Releases

    I haven't heard of either of these before. Both are listed as being "brand new 4k restorations from the original camera negative".
     
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  24. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    I just watched Attack of the Robots. It's a mediocre comedy / thriller
    which lacks have the extreme visual style of Franco's Awful Dr. Orloff
    and Diabolical Dr Z. It has it's moments, especially in the third act,
    but it didn't hold my attention. The commentary by Tim Lucas held
    my attention, however.
     
  25. Rocker

    Rocker Senior Member

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I'm not familiar with them either, but I'll probably end up buying them anyway! :p
     
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