Joseph Sarno (1921-2010)

 
A somewhat fuzzy, dark image of Marie Liljedahl from Joseph W. Sarno's 1968 INGA, which nonetheless telegraphs some of the downbeat, serious mood of this vintage Swedish lensed erotica. Sarno died yesterday in New York City. He was 89.
 
A prolific director of over 100 sexploitation/erotic features from 1961 to 2004, Sarno had a singular visual style. His films ranged from soft to hardcore and some were credited to his various beards. I've only managed to see INGA and his lurid, German lensed gothic, DIE FLUCH DER SCHWARZEN SCHWESTERN aka VAMPIRE ECSTASY aka THE DEVIL'S PLAYTHING aka VEIL OF BLOOD (1973). The former, of course, launched Ms. Liljedahl into a career which would include Jess Franco's EUGENIE... THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO PERVERSION (1970). I always thought that VEIL OF BLOOD makes an interesting double bill with Franco's LA COMTESSE NOIRE [FEMALE VAMPIRE], also made in 1973.
 
Considering the genre in which he worked, he had a rather high critical reputation, which grew over the years. I would like to see more of his work, especially such vintage 1960s titles as SIN IN THE SUBURBS.

L'HORRIBLE DR. ORLOF

Thanks to Monique for sending this. This composition illustrates JF's early mastery of lighting and composition. The period ambiance is perfectly established in the details of wardrobe and setting. That baby spot on Vernon's face is arresting, illuminating Orlof's secret internal disturbance, his desire to redress, control and experiment with the female form.

And that's ORLOF with one F!

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Robert Woods in GATLING GUN

The American actor Robert Woods appeared in six Jess Franco films, all made in 1973, including LA COMTESSE PERVERSE, AL OTRO LADO DEL ESPEJO [two of the director's best films of that era], the Sade adaptation PLAISIR A TROIS, the thriller THE EYES OF DR. ORLOFF and two Maciste films, YUKA and LES GLOUTONNES.

He also was a capable leading man in a number of Spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s and 70s. One of those, GATLING GUN (1968), came out last year on DORADO DVD. It was one of 2009's most welcome and underappreciated DVD presentations of a good, if obscure, Eurogenre item.

Read my review on CINEMADROME
http://www.cinemadrome.yuku.com

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Pamela Stanford in MACISTE ET LES GLOUTONNES

Thanks to Mona for sending this image of Pamela Stanford [rn: Monique Delaunay]in LES EXPLOITS EROTIQUES DE MACISTE DANS L'ATLANTIDE aka MACISTE ET LES GLOUTONNES [Video title] aka LES GLOUTONNES. I really enjoy this mad composite of peplum, comedy and hardcore antics. It would be nice to have this on a double bill DVD with the other 1973 Jess Franco directed MACISTE title, MACISTE CONTRE LA REINE DES AMAZONES aka YUKA [Video title]. Both films feature German cult figure Waldemar Wahlfaart aka Wal Davis as Maciste along with US actor Robert Woods.

CINEMADROME - ANDY MILLIGAN & FRIENDS B MOVIE FORUM - THE HUMAN MONSTER/THE DEAD EYES OF LONDON (1940) Bela Lugosi

Meet the original Dr. Orloff!


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