Although there are over 100 DVD presentations out there of various titles, COUNT DRACULA has had two already this year, there are still numerous important Jess Franco films which have not had a R1 digital presentation including such personal favorites as LUCKY, THE INSCRUTABLE (1967), LORNA, THE EXORCIST (1974), PLAISIR A TROIS, THE PERVERSE COUNTESS, AL OTRO LADO DEL ESPEJO (all 1973). THE SADIST OF NOTRE DAME, SINFONIA EROTICA, EL SEXO ESTA LOCO are also candidates and have already appeared on Spanish DVD. GEMIDOS DE PLACER and EUGENIE 1980 have already been mentioned by me in previous blogs. All of these would be very welcome, especially in the HD formats.
I'll be asking for nominations on a regular basis to gather a consensus...
I'll be asking for nominations on a regular basis to gather a consensus...
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ReplyDeleteI deleted my previous post as it had a nagging typo in it.
ReplyDeleteHere is the post, corrected.
My Region 1 Jess Franco wish list:
AL OTRO LADO DEL ESPEJO
GRITOS EN LA NOCHE (A definitive 2 disc set containing the Spanish and the Eurocine versions and an commentary by Franco, San Martin, Perla Cristal, Diana Lorys, and Ricardo Valle, if he's still alive. This film is considered the first true Spanish horror film and should be accorded such a deluxe presentation.)
LA MANO DE UN HOMBRE MUERTO (The Spanish version.)
Interesting selections, Mirek. BTW, at least one DVD company is tracking this blog, so who knows...? I like the GRITOS EN LA NOCHE SE. Is this a Spanish film or a French in terms of legal nationality? It was a Eurocine backed coproduction so they might have access to the elements or would have to back it. I'd like to know who is the rights holder of many of these 60s Spanish Franco films. I know that the French version of AL OTRO LADO... is a possibility for future DVD release and who the rights holder is, but not the Spanish version, which was on Spanish Q video. If anyone knows, please contact me.
ReplyDeleteA wish-list of the yet unreleased:
ReplyDeleteLORNA, THE EXORCIST
THE PERVERSE COUNTESS
SINNER
THE DAUGHTER OF DRACULA
THE DEMONS
All from roughly the same period. (Given their reputations, it's astonishing to me that no one has yet released either LORNA or COUNTESS.)
Among those already released, several of them could use an upgrade--many of them are sorely in need of it, in fact--but I'm more interested in things I haven't yet seen than in better editions of things I have.
I'd repeat a wish for a lot that's already been mentioned;
ReplyDeleteTHE PERVERSE COUNTESS
AL OTRO LADO DEL ESPEJO
EUGENIE (1980)
PLAISIR A TOI
LORNA
There also seem to be a lot that you and Francesco Cesari have mentioned in The Franco Loung on Latarnia that I'd love to see as well, but can't remember titles off the top of my head.
Of course, I would be satisfied with these being released in any region as long as there are English subs!
Thanks for the lists. I see the PERVERSE COUNTESS requested. Recently Alain Petit told me he feared the original elements of Franco's initial non hardcore version under that title may no longer exist. All the reedits contain additional footage of Lina Romay and Caroline Riviere in comedy scenes which were not in LE COMTESSE PERVERSE but were requested by Robert de Nesle to lighten the tone.
ReplyDeleteDEMONS and FILLE DE DRACULA may appear on R1 DVD possibly from IMAGE sooner than later. The rights for the others, including LORNA, are presently in the hands of someone reluctant to release them but are being pursued. I wonder if there are original elements for LORNA still available?
Greg Hillabrand of Los Angeles emailed me requesting EL OJETE DE LULU, a 1985 hardcore quickie because of its "outrageous" premise. He also requested THE SADIST OF NOTRE DAME. SADIST, remember, was released by WIZARD on video in the late 1980s in a cut version, DEMONIAC.
ReplyDeleteHaving seen both Exorcism and The Sadist OF Notre Dame, I prefer the latte and would love a really nice transfer of this flick with a commentary by Franco so I can compare it with the Synapse release of Exorcism. My vote would invriably have to go with SADIST OF NOTRE DAME.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it would be very interesting to have him talk in detail about acting and directing this variant, with English subtitles, of course!
ReplyDeleteI can only join in the choir it seems..
ReplyDelete-LORNA
-GEMIDOS DE PLACER
-EUGENIE 1980
-SINNER
-SINISTER EYES OF DR ORLOFF ?(1972 WILLIAM BERGER)
Lorna and Gemidos seem high on so many Francofile lists... is it purely a $$$ issue that Lorna may never see the light of day Or does the right-holder offended by it'subject matter??
even to have these in R2 would work I just want to own them proper.
I hope that SEVERIN releases GEMIDOS next. There is siginficant demand to justify it. LORNA would be one of the Robert DeNesle productions and I'm led to believe the holder may not know or care about it's content. But if the money's there perhaps there will be a release sooner than later. Once again, finding complete elements (with the infamous "scene") is going to be a question. I don't know what they have. I've only seen it in poor dubs in various incomplete incarnations. Thanks for your interest...
ReplyDeleteHmm, but was that dildo scene in Lorna really shot?? Could it be just an outrageous still done on the set?
ReplyDeleteLike in the trailer for A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD there is a shot of Franco holding three heads on a stick or rod and that's not in the versions of the film I've seen at all. do you know about that scene? I asked before on the Latarnia forum but no one replied
My Region 1 DVD wish list is quite large, but the five I want most are:
ReplyDeleteAL OTRO LADO DEL ESPEJO
EL SEXO ESTA LOCO
LA COMTESSE PERVERSE
LORNA L'EXORCISTE
GEMIDOS DE PLACER
In answer to Scott. I think it was indeed shot but later cut from most, if not all, release prints. I seem to remember someone online saying it might have shown in Sweden with that scene and perhaps a print is still there. If there are good original camera negatives left this may or may not survive amidst the materials.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your list, Bill. Please feel free to add your longer list. So far, LORNA... has the most votes.
ReplyDeleteIn my other post I forgot to mention AL OTRO LADO DEL ESPEJO too!! A great movie, probably the closest film of his that actually plays like a possibly serious drama.
ReplyDeleteLa Muerte silba un blues
ReplyDeleteResidence for Spies
Lucky, the Inscrutable
Sex Charade
Daughter of Dracula
Demons
The Corpse Packs His Bags
Lorna, the Exorcist
I was happy to read that Daughter of Dracula and Demons may get released by Image sooner or later. I recently btoke down and finally bought a VHS copy of Lucky recently because I really wanted to see it.
yes, SEX CHARADE!! I have never seen it but am guessing it's another gem like NIGHTMARES COME AT NIGHT
ReplyDeleteThanks for your list, Cinebeats. And SEX CHARADE is a good choice. I've heard that the soundtrack for this film is missing and they [Eurocine?] just have a silent print. It sounds like one of JF's most intruiging concepts. So I would add it to my own list.
ReplyDeleteCinebeats, where did you get your copy of LUCKY? I hope it looks better than mine which is an X gen dub with very poor video quality. I'd to see a good OAR versions of this.
Sex Charade sounds amazing but I've never seen it and I'm dying to!
ReplyDeleteI bought my VHS copy of Lucky on good old ebay. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet so I don't know how the quality is, but it's probably not much better than the copy that you got Robert. It arrived with no case and no attempt to make it look any better than a cheap bootleg copy which is sort of sad. I feel dirty for buying it.
I've never seen THE CORPSE PACKS HIS BAGS. Being interested in Edgar Wallace related material, I need to.
ReplyDeleteI would watch SEX CHARADE as a silent movie.
ReplyDeleteSo would I. Even a newly created soundtrack would be acceptable over not being able to see it at all.
ReplyDeleteI could imagine it with musical outtakes from NIGHTMARES COME AT NIGHT and I would be content..
ReplyDeleteOr they could add it as a silent bonus film on an SE of another Franco release. Or someday the soundtrack might turn up.
ReplyDeleteMore Franco porn featuring Lina is always welcome:
ReplyDeleteEl Ojete de Lulu
Phalo Crest
Phollastia
would be at the top of the list.