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Summary: The answer to existential angst and post-modern doubt?
Review: ... If alien anthropologists came to earth to study us in our natural habitat during the late sixties/early seventies, what would their version of a Discovery Channel Special look like?Well wonder no more! As it turns out, a director named Jess Franco answered that question in 1971 with the release of his Vampyros Lesbos. Vampyros Lesbos starts out much like the Disney Nature films of that era, except this time, human beings are the lemmings being driven over the cliff to make some sort of nefarious artistic point. The film begins with the camera pointing at the sun rising over a ship at sea. Or it could be of the setting sun. We [the viewer] don't know because we are not told what direction we're facing. An alien anthropologist starts narrating something, probably something like "As the sun rises (or sets) over the Mediterranean, the Vampyro Lesbo rises from her lair to dress and then consume her prey." Most of the time, the camera just tells the story with the alien anthropologist narrator probably interjecting expository information as he/it feels is needed for his/its intended audience. While the subject of this documentary seems to primarily be the vampyros lesbos, every so often other inhabitants of this great planet of ours is discussed/shown, including that mightiest of birds of prey: the mighty kite. From the human point of view, the movie is highly disturbing. It has the paper-thin plot, as one might expect, as well as the explicit nudity/erotic scenes to propel that paper-thin plot along. But all the while the thought nags: What if it isn't nature show, but a cooking show? Is our beloved earth the equivalent of an intergalactic four-star restaurant or just another fast-food drive-thru? The DVD has a nice picture quality but is thin on the extras. The movie is in German with English subtitles and there's a trailer that is in German with no subtitles. The thing I would like most as an extra for this kind of film would be a commentary track by a Jess Franco super fan and/or a short bio on the key players or some sort of trivia. But overall, I feel this is a very good buy and I will probably be thinking about this film weeks from now. Or, at least days.
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Summary: if it takes a review like mine to seduce you...
Review: ...then likely this film is not for you. i'm thrilled to actually own my own copy of this, my favorite jess franco film.
the indie film annals are overloaded with writings about franco and his movies. they will always be there for you. if you are an established franco fan, i think you can look forward to this one with supreme confidence.
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Summary: Vampyros Sexadelia
Review: After all these years I've finally obtained a copy of Jess Franco's wonderful and erotic 'Vampyros Lesbo'. This is one his best films and well worth the wait. Vampires out in the sun lounging in beautiful Spain is something that is extreme and original from our contemporary vampire films. The Cinemaphotography is great, as with the sets, lighting and atmosphere. The music is just great and really merges with the film and its setting in the early 70's. This is an intelligent film and not for those who enjoy predictable Hollywood horrors. Also note that this was the beautiful Soledad Miranda's last film and read the literature that comes with the DVD before veiwing the film. This is a film that I know I'll watch more than once!
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Summary: Like Murnau and Tarkovsky rolled into one!
Review: As I haven't seen the DVD I can't comment on the quality of this edition but I would like to make a few comments about the film. This is a good example of a certain kind of modernist European film that flourished during the 60's and 70's and whose echoes can still be seen in movies like The Ninth Gate and Eyes Wide Shut (more the latter than the former). Moody, atmospheric, often cryptic of plot, these works delivered a more cerebral experience even as they delved in heapings of eroticism. In many ways these films, although thoroughly imbedded in the imagery of their times, hearken back to the early modernist cinema of the 20's. As I was watching Vampyros Lesbos, I couldn't but help think of Nosferatu. It is clear that Franco must have emulated that film from the plot, to the use of locations to the mise-en-scene, to the associative links between characters occupying spaces many miles apart. In fact, this is the only vampire film I've seen that sucessfully captures the moodiness of Murnau's piece. Franco also makes great use of split-edits to overlap the dialogue from one scene onto the visuals of the next. He also uses an elliptical narrative that often disorients the viewer by blurring the identities of two characters and the subjective/objective relationship of various scenes (dream vs. reality). In addition he makes a fair use (sometimes overuse, e.g. scorpion) of associative cutting which in the case of the red kite add an odd leitmotiv to the film (watch for the use of other red flowy things -- scarves, flags, etc.) These effects plus others, plus the wonderful funk/psychedelic score, all add to the trippy, meditative feel of the movie. This is a very simple film (one is tempted to think a remake could be easily done for very little money) but a very effective, and oddly touching one.
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Summary: A sober Franco film.
Review: Don't be fooled by the title of the film. This is one of the more mainstream of Jess Franco's film, you could probably show it to your religious grandmother. It's erotic but not in that sleazy perverse way like Ilsa-The Wicked Warden or Female Vampire with one scene as a exception where Jess Franco himself plays a sadist who loves torturing women that he captures. But still it's sexy and elegant much thanks to the two beautiful female leads Soledad Miranda and Ewa Stroemberg. Miranda plays the lesbian vampire seducing Stroemberg. Dennis Price is the doctor who studies vampires cause he wants to be one himself and be immortal. The weird music is also one of the highlights, it gives the film a psychedelic atmosphere. And watch the film with the german dubbing, it makes the film even weirder. I give this film "just" 4 stars since it lacks the outrageous perverse atmosphere that many other of Franco's films have. But still it's gold worth and a must in your filmcollection.
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Summary: Vampyros Lesbos
Review: Don't be fooled by the title. This movie will satisfy 2 audiences: those looking for sexy ladies, and those who love horror. Refreshing to see a european approach to these movies. The color is excellent, the girls are beautiful, the setting is scary, & the music is just right for the mood. Add this one to your collection, I did!
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Summary: What in the heck is this ??
Review: Dont be fooled by reviews that hightly rate this film. The film is very confusing. From an erotic stand point the film is more tease then please. As soon as your into a scene its done or your turned away from it.Left to let your mind wander. From a horror stand point its very confusing. I only gave it 2 stars because the women are very attractive. Trust me folks rent this one.
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Summary: A fan of J Franco
Review: First off, I'm mad beacuse I just heard a new special edition of Vampyros Lesbos and She Killed in Ecstacy are comming out in October, which will probably be better than the out of print synapse dvd we all have. Anyway, if you like soft core movies, vampire movies, psychadelic sountracks and scores, funky cool heavenly sets, constant zoom shots, movies that on first viewing dont make much sense, then watch this one with friends. If you are a fan of the director i dont think you would be reading this, but if you are a newbie and are doing some reasearch to know with what movie of his to start with, this will definitely do. Be aware that like probalby 100% of people who watch this movie for the first time, you will be mesmerized and will fall in love with the beautiful Soledad Miranda.
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Summary: WOW
Review: I'm not gonna talk about the music. Everyone does. Just suffice to say that Soledad Miranda is the most beautiful woman ever committed to celluloid. Her lips betray frailty but her eyes are like steel. With her face (and body), she should have been one of the top actresses in the world. One moment in particular: in the dance sequence at the beginning, she crawls out from under the girl and looks up with these gorgeous eyes. And your just like DAMN. And plus she spends at least 85% of the film in revealing outfits, if not just outright naked. And her dance sequences in the nightclub are prime material. My only problem with the movie is that it's obvious that Franco took one dance sequence (with the mannequin-girl), and split it up into two parts of the movie. He should have had another whole sequence in the middle of the film, maybe that number with her in a thong, thigh highs, and a chain - the one you see the tail end of.
But these are minor quibbles. The soundtrack is groovy, the women are beautiful. This is out of print - buy it now. It'll just get more expensive. If it doesn't scare you, it'll at least thrill you in all the right places.
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Summary: A Super Sexy Swingin' Good Time!
Review: I've never been a big Jess Franco fan, but this movie is a real treat! It's a great time-capsule of sleazy euro-trash at it's sexiest...lots of cool sets, lots of great colors, lots of nudity, lots of ridiculous zoom shots...and whatta soundtrack! I've had the CD soundtrack for a long time and it's one of the best 60's bachelor-pad type scores ever...it's great to finally hear it in the movie! There's hardly any story, but if you like euro-trash, you won't be able to take your eyes off of it! Another great release from Synapse! A#1++++++
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