12 March, 2014

The Hotel Entremares

Thanks to Alex Mendibil, the creator of the EL FRANCONOMICON blog and FACEBOOK page,  for discovering and posting these images and this information about a favorite Jess Franco shooting location from the mid 1960s onward. I'm copying it over here with Alex's permission for our blog readers. As he notes, films such as THE GIRL FROM RIO, VAMPYROS LESBOS, MIL SEXOS TIENE LA NOCHE. and many others, had various interiors and exterior scenes shot in the clubs, hallways, patios, cafes, shopping centers, hotel rooms/balconies, swimming areas, shops and lobbies of this complex. I'll be posting more on this location, which in in Murcia.[RM}

[Below: Alex Mendibil's original EL FRANCONOMICON post on FACEBOOK]
One of the most used locations in Jess Franco universe found at last!
The first town planning and infrastructure works were carried out in two phases:
- Phase 1 (1963-1964) : Work begins on the Gran Vía, the adjacent road or Cubanitos Bungalows Type III, Screen Studies, Urbanization Marysol, Jupiter Tower, Bungalows Type I and II, and Quinta Avenida, Miramar and Set Hex Complex, known as Black Tower, which was a milestone in the Region of Murcia because it offered a new way of life, through a second home to enjoy a great vacation.
- Phase 2 (1964-1965) : the Bungalows Type I and II, Screen Studies were completed and the works of the type III Bungalows, Hotel Entremares and Entremares Mall began.

In 1966, after the inauguration of Entremares Hotel was built an outdoors cinema, and next to the hexagonal towers, the Café- Restaurant "The Clubbing" was opened. Between Gran Via and Hotel Entremares was opened a shopping center with the same name, and about the same time the Club Nautico de La Manga, the restaurant Dos Mares, Navarra Tower and in the east end, the Hotel Galúa.
Las primeras obras urbanísticas e infraestructuras realizadas se llevaron a cabo en dos fases:
- Fase 1 (1963-1964): Comienzan las obras de la Gran Vía, viales adyacentes de los Cubanitos o Bungalows Tipo III, Estudios Pantalla, Urbanización Marysol, Torre Júpiter, Bungalows Tipo I y II, Urbanización Quinta Avenida y Conjunto Miramar y la Urbanización Conjunto Exagonal, conocida como Torre Negra, que supuso un hito en la Región de Murcia ya que ofrecía un nuevo sistema de vida, a través de la segunda residencia para disfrutar de unas excelentes vacaciones.
- Fase 2 (1964-1965): Se finalizaron los Bungalows Tipo I y II, los Estudios Pantalla y se comenzaron las obras de los Bungalows Tipo III, del Hotel Entremares y del Centro Comercial Entremares.
En 1966, tras la inauguración del Hotel Entremares se construyó enfrente un cine de verano (al aire libre), y junto a las torres hexagonales se abrió el Café-restaurante “La Parranda”. Entre la Gran Vía y el Hotel Entremares nació un centro comercial con el mismo nombre y, casi al mismo tiempo el Club Náutico de La Manga, el Restaurante Dos Mares, la Torre Navarra y en el extremo Este, el Hotel Galúa.
(Fotos de todocoleccion.net y cabodepalosylamanga.com)
(Fotos found in todocoleccion.net and cabodepalosylamanga.com)

Álex Mendíbil's photo.
Álex Mendíbil's photo.
Álex Mendíbil's photo.
Hotel bar.
Caseta flamenca (Flamenco's cabin)

Hotel Entremares
24 photos

[After reading this I revisited Franco's 1968, TWO UNDERCOVER ANGELS, in which this scene appears featuring a view of a large swimming pool which looks very much like the one pictured in the complex in the above photos]
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Interactive cinema moment...
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One of the most used locations in Jess Franco universe found at last!
The first town planning and infrastructure works were carried out in two phases:
- Phase 1 (1963-1964) : Work begins on the Gran Vía, the adjacent road or Cubanitos Bungalows Type III, Screen Studies, Urbanization Marysol, Jupiter Tower, Bungalows Type I and II, and Quinta Avenida, Miramar and Set Hex Complex, known as Black Tower, which was a milestone in the Region of Murcia because it offered a new way o...
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  • Robert Monell
For sale. I've got these in other editions, so no longer need to hold onto these. If you're interested in any, or all, PM me for price. Will ship world-wide. Eugenie is Region 1 NTSC, all others a
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THE GIRL FROM RIO (final battle scene)
— at HOTELES ENTREMARES
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01 March, 2014

EL MISTERIO DEL CASTILLO ROJO (1972)

Thanks to Michelle Alexander for drawing my attention to this still from an unfortunately incomplete zombie film started by Jess Franco in 1972. Looks like it could have been very interesting and the presence of  the stunning Kali Hansa is always welcome. This appears to have been partially lensed at the striking Ricardo Bofill designed structures in Southern Spain. This was Franco's first project for his Manacoa production company and feature the director himself as a mad scientist. The book OBSESSION: THE FILMS OF JESS FRANCO suggests that the film was meant to be more in the comedic vein that straight horror. Of course, Jess Franco rarely made "straight" anything...


EROTISMO: Caliente Video MDVC vintage VHS

Here are two more images from the delirious, oneiric montage in Jess Franco's 1980 EUGENIE, UNA HISTORIA DE UNA PERVERSION.

From the 1980s era MDVC VHS series of Spanish language videos which were sold here in the US from a California firm.
EROTISMO MDVC VHS


  • Robert Monell

26 February, 2014

THE REVENGE OF THE ALLIGATOR LADIES (2014) Jess Franco & Antonio Mayans

Below is a link to a trailer for THE REVENGE OF THE ALLIGATOR LADIES, a film, which when released will constitute the very last film of the late Jess Franco. The film is reportedly made up of footage shot during the making of AL PEREIRA VS THE ALLIGATOR LADIES (2012) with new footage shot after the director's death by actor/production manager and longtime Jess Franco colleague, Antonio Mayans aka "Robert Foster."

Jess Franco will reportedly appear in the film along with Mayans, Carmen Montes, Paula Davis, Irene Verdu, Debbie Logan and other cast members of the first ALLIGATOR LADIES film. This will presumably be in the same erotic comedy-neo noir vein. Music by Pablo Villa [Jess Franco]. Ferran Herranz, the producer, has indicated that this new film will premiere in Spain this coming April.

If possible, I'll attempt to screen it and publish a review here asap.

24 February, 2014

UNA RAJITA PARA DOS (Lulu La Verne, 1982)

The one Jess Franco film you must NOT see/if I moved my camera 1/2 inch to the right you would understand....
The one Jess Franco film you must NOT see if you are easily grossed out. If I moved my camera 1/2 inch to the right you would understand. The above image was taken by the cellphone off a Spanish VHS dub. These 1980s hardcore films, many produced by FERVI films, are actually rather interesting oddities which I'll be looking at here in the future. UNA RAJITA.... trends toward the scatological...

Jess Franco's Una Rajita para dos - xHamster.com

This one seems to be the first FERVI Films hardcore series, with a production date of 1982 give in OBSESSION: THE FILMS OF JESS FRANCO p. 154. FERVI was the company of producer Fernando Vidal Campos. The direction of this film is credited to Lulu Laverne, which usually indicates that Lina Romay and JF collaborated in the scripting and directing. Lina also appears in the lead female role under that name. The late Jose Llamas, frequent 80s era JF production manager/actor Antonio Mayans as a flaming gay Russian spy, "La Loca," and steals the show. He is quite amusing as he performs his over-the-top antics. Llamas and Mayans appear under the "dirty" beards, "Johnny Poyales" and "Tommy Proculi", gross sexual puns which the director obviously thought were funny self-satire. The director also is seen as the hotel's official peeping tom, another amusing JF cameo which also satirizes his position as a clandestine director of the bases hardcore possible in this context. Romay and co. are female agents assigned to retrieve microfilm from the rectum of an enemy agent! Yes, that's the "plot."  Set in a Costa Del Sol hotel, most of the runtime is taken up by hardcore antics in various rooms (probably also the production headquarters). A cheap way to make profitable no-budget hardcore. Not much style or imagination here and rather tedious at 80 m or so. Franco's best hardcore FERVI effort was EL MIRON Y LA EXHIBICIONISTA (1985). A few of these have actually surfaced on Spanish DVD in surprisingly good video quality. (C) Robert Monell 2014

15 February, 2014

EUGENIE, HISTORIA DE UNA PERVERSION (1980)

EUGENIE, HISTORIA DE UNA PERVERSION (1980) Red lips close up in an extended, delirious montage of eyes, lips, clouds, reflections in this version of Sade's PHILOSOPHY IN THE BEDROOM. This version is very different in style and focus than the 1970 EUGENIE, THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO PERVERSION. Once again illustrating that Jess Franco tells the same stories over and over, but in a different style and with an alternate emphasis each time. 

12 February, 2014

Je Brule de Partout (1978) Spoken opening credits....

  1. Thanks to David Z. for uploading...

JE BRULE DE PARTOUT (1978) MHVF Archived Review


NOV JAN FEB
Previous capture 5 Next capture
2001 2003 2004
16 Nov 01 - 4 Aug 04

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Thanks to John Charles for sending me a link to the MHVF archives. I contributed a number of reviews to the Mobius Home Video Forums starting about 20 [!] years ago. I'll be posting archived Jess Franco reviews here.

 This one, discussing the 1978 JE BRULE DE PARTOUT, was published in May, 2000. This may have been the very last film Jess Franco directed for prolific producer Robert De Nesle, who died that same year.

return to European Cult Cinema Discussion


Review: I'M BURNING-UP ALL OVER (1978)


Posted by Robert Monell , May 01,2000,18:00 post reply  top message  newest index

aka JE BRULE DE PARTOUT. Directed by Jess Franco (credited as Jacques Aicrag). 

Jenny Goldstone (Susan Hemingway) is abducted after a night at a popular discotheque. She is the most recent victim to fall into the hands of an international white slavery cartel. The point person is the beautiful, blond Lorna (Brigitte Lahaie/Van Meerhaegue), whom along with her henchmen bundle the girls aboard a ship fitted with an orgy room into which a sedating "love drug" is piped. They are transported to a brothel in Portugal where one of Jenny's customers will turn out to be her own father, ironically the financier behind the ring. 
One of Jess Franco's more obscure sexploitation efforts, another Captive Women scenario, but not a Women In Prison knock-off. It could be listed in the Women-In-Peril sub-genre, a low budget women in night trafficking epic most notable for the presence of Ms. Lahaie who would go on to be featured in several memorable Jean Rollin titles (FASCINATION, NIGHT OF THE HUNTED). Lahaie, like Helga Line or Rosalba Neri, is one of those Euro-cult actresses whose stunning beauty is equaled by formidable acting talent. She can play a mean bitch (as here) or a pathetic victim (cf NIGHT OF THE HUNTED), and sometimes a bit of both (cf FASCINATION).

This was shot in less than a week and really looks it. The "love drug" sequences are represented by some smoke being forced through crudely cut rubber tubes. The love drug concept also turns up in Franco as early as SUMURU 2 (1968), and is also prominent in CAPTIVE WOMEN (1980) {see the self-explanatory still on p.143 of OBSESSION: THE FILMS OF JESS FRANCO to get a taste of the latter title}. 

Lahaie apparently quarreled with Franco on set and she doesn't look like a happy camper, but she does look terrific! Franco would later give her better roles in DARK MISSION and FACELESS (1988), both much higher budgeted productions than this no-budget erotica. My favorite part was the opening, set in a glittering disco. Franco pans up from Lahaie's black leather boots to the blinding colored-light show and you immediately know you're in Jess Franco territory (despite the use of one of his rarer pseudonyms during the amusing spoken credits). Franco even tries to work in his trusted Al Pereira private eye character, but Jean Ferrere's thug-like visage is no match for the more ambiguous mug of Antonio Mayans. Daniel J. White's moody trumpet score adds a dash of much needed atmosphere. This women-in-peril oddity was one of three hardcore quickies produced by the late Robert de Nesle and directed by Franco in 1978, one of the director's less than favorite years.
--modified by Robert Monell at Mon, May 01, 2000, 18:04:23

09 February, 2014

EROTISMO: MILLION DOLLAR VIDEO CORP. VHS PLASTIC BOX

Here's the MDVC hard plastic clamshell VHS box in which you get the cassette. I'll also be posting some separate views. Of course, Spanish language only, sans English subtitles. This film still has not appeared on North American/NTSC VHS/DVD.

Once again, the film itself is the 1980 EUGENIE, HISTORIA DE UNA PERVERSION, another version of Sade's PHILOSOPHY IN THE BEDROOM (1795), previously filmed in 1969 as EUGENIE, THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO PERVERSION, featuring Christopher Lee, Maria Towers and Jack Taylor. This would also be filmed by the director as a Robert De Nesle financed project, the hardcore COCKTAIL SPECIAL, a 1978 production which appears to have been the last film JF made for the prolific French producer, who died that year.

More views of the box and images from the film  to come. This is one of my favorite versions of the text, which the director would make again and again. Not to be confused with Franco's version of Sade's 1788 "Moral Tale" EUGENIE DE FRANVAL [EUGENIE DE SADE-1970].