Title card for the Italian hardcore version. For completists only...
This image appears at the end of all three versions discussed below...
Terrific poster for the less than terrific French version...
AL OTRO LADO DEL ESPEJO (1973) is one of my two or three favorite Jess Franco films. But only in the version with that title. In other words, the Spanish language version, which Jess himself told me was his preferred cut. I have a dub of the Spanish FQ video, in Spanish language only and in less than idea video quality.
I have two other versions on video, the French softcore, which contains added footage featuring Lina Romay and others which is not in the Spanish version. And then there is the Italian hardcore. That's my least favorite version due to the fact the hardcore inserts were not shot by the original director and pretty much ruin the film. In any case, at some point a comparison would be in order. But I would rather do a shot-by-shot breakdown of the Spanish version with notes on variants. It's an ambitious project and I may start it here.
I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who is aware of, or who has seen, an English language (dubbed or subtitled) variant. I'm not sure if this was ever released in English either theatrically or on video. I tend to doubt it, but Franco films have a way of turning up in surprising incarnations. Even a fan subbed version might be helpful at this point.
5 comments:
I haven't seen any of the versions of this one. So where do you find fairly obscure Franco movies such as this on DVD?
wow ! what a blog
wow ! what a blog
Hi Bob
I found this one only recently and have the Spanish and Italian versions. I really want to find the French one too, just for completeness, and I have also wondered about the unique footage found within.
Another question here is the nude material filmed by Jess of Emma Cohen. It appears in the Italina print, and I'd guess the French one too. The Spanish print uses alternate shots for the 3 nude scenes she has in the movie.
She looks so amazing in this film, I'd love to see a DVD someday, but if it omited the nudity I'd be heartbroken. I don't feel the nudity is essential to the story, but do get the feeling that a Franco preferred director's cut would surely include these nude scenes. Perhaps he just filmed them knowing the film would be altered and spiced up later?
Do you know the timeline when the original material was filmed and when the Lina footage was shot?
The film has an almost art house quality to it, and it's a shame one of the best continues to be so obscure ( and available only in fuzzy condition ). How about a three disc set that collects all 3 variants. You could do the commentary!
thanks for the blogging
John Bernhard
Thanks for your comments and vote of confidence on my doing a commentary, John. I would love to see a three version SE, as you suggest. I spoke to in detail both Jess and Robert Woods about the making of this film. Jess said it was a "commercial" project by which I think he meant that it has to be tailored to fit to the needs of the Spanish market in terms of censorship. He had to shoot alternate, covered takes. He seemed annoyed that he had to compromise on that. The Spanish version which the first filmed in the summer of 1973 and then the footage with Lina & co. later in that year or early 74 for a more "commercial" version demanded by the French producer, Robert De Nesle. Jess had wanted to make this film in the 60s but was blocked by Spanish censorship and he seemed disappointed that he had still make a compromised version years later. But it's still one of his best films. I only like the Spanish version. I don't like the Lina inserts at all and find the Italian hc vers unwatchable.
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