02 January, 2012

MONDO MACABRO DOES JESS FRANCO IN 2012!

Countess Ivana Zaroff (Alice Arno) greets her guests, who will later become her prey and her dinner....
Count Rador Zaroff (Howard Vernon) signals that it's time to dine on hard hunted and freshly killed human flesh in the upcoming MONDO MACABRO DVD presentation of Jess Franco's first, and best, entry into the European Trash Cinema Cannibal genre...

If you thought Mondo Macabro outdid themselves in 2011with their definitive DVD releases of Jess Franco's SINNER (1972) and LORNA, THE EXORCIST (1974), wait until you see their 2012 releases of LA COMTESSE PERVERSE and PLAISIR A TROIS, both filmed back-to-back during a few weeks in the Spring of 1973.
In  Jess Franco's LA COMTESSE PERVERSE (1973) The Woman Hunt has an unintended outcome for Countess Zaroff. The long MIA original version of this transgressive erotic adventure is being released on DVD for the first time in its original version as intended by Jess Franco. The original version was in-effect the first French Cannibal [S]exploitation feature with disturbing satire on 1970s class and sexual gamesmanship, executed in the inimitable avant garde/Horror y Sexo/ Cine Bis Jess Franco style. That is, before it was recut on orders from producer Robert De Nesle, who found the film too disturbing and edgy for his intended XXX rated venues. First inane "comedy" scenes were added and a later re-release included some crude hardcore inserts. An Italian version added ugly hardcore scenes not shot by Jess Franco. All these additions disfigured the film, based on the oft-filmed story THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, beyond recognition. It will now be brought back to its original incarnation from the original negative elements. Even in the compromised forms in which I have seen it over the years it always makes my top 10 Franco lists.
The whip crazy sadist Martine Bressac first seduces and then lashes her victims to death in PLAISIR A TROIS, Jess Franco's cubist take on Sade's PHILOSOPHY IN THE BOUDOIR. Besides deadly whippings, Alice Arno slashes, castrates, drugs, binds, hangs and displays victims in her basement chamber of horrors. One of the director's most intense and stylized Sade adapts, this is a must-see and has some brief glimpses of hardcore. This will also transferred be from the original negative elements. Extras to be announced.

Stay tuned for more information. More images will be rotated/added later.

Both DVDs are planned for the 2nd quarter of 2012.

2 comments:

scott said...

Even if MM doesn't release for a year or 2, LORNA and Nico's STRIP-TEASE were subject to many delays (!) will still be worth it. PLASIR A TROIS is an incredibly underrated Franco effort and to see the original version of LA COMTESSE PERVERSE too will be a joy..

Bill Knight said...

Excellent news! Can't wait to get these!!!