SLAVES

DIE SKLAVINNEN/SLAVES (1977), now released in a restored version by Full Moon, is not really a women-in-prison film, but it exists in a related sub-genre, the women-in-peril film. A story about women brutalized/kidnapped/tortured/manipulated/murdered by ruthless criminals or sometimes friends and associates. Other women-in-peril Jess Franco films include his two Fu-Manchu films. THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU (1968) and THE CASTLE OF FU MANCHU (1970), ESCLAVAS DEL CRIMEN (1987), JE BRULE DE PARTOUT (1978), EUGENIE, HISTORIA DE UNA PERVERSION (1980), OPALO DE FUEGE (1978), DIE TEUFLISCHEN SCHWESTERN (1977), MADCHEN IM NACHTVERKEHR (1976), FRAUEN OHNEUNSCHULD (1977), ORGIA DE NINOFOMANAS/LINDA (1980), the last a personal favorite. SLAVES falls squarely into the sub-genre. American exploitation cinema also had a run of these films, termed “roughies” or “nudie-roughies” films which focused on sexualized sadism visited upon captive/exploited women. In fact the US VHS release of LINDA was retitled CAPTIVE WOMEN 5. Many of these women-in -peril titles where German co-productions. SLAVES opens with a shot of a huge tropical plant somewhere in the jungles of a tropical island, more shots of foliage before the action shifts to an office of the Federal Police. Marta (Esther Moser SEXY SISTERS) makes her way through the jungle (now represented by some obviously potted/artificial tropical flora decorated a dark interior set), finally collapsing as she reaches the police outpost. The sleepy duty officer wonders why she is dressed in only see-through lingerie, something is up. The rest of the film is narrated by Madama Araminda, or Princess Arminda, the owner of the Pagoda, a highly profitable brothel located in the jungles of Chao Island, frequented by police officials who give Arminda protection. Cut to Arminda escaping from Snake Island Prison, where she has been incarcerated on Marta’s testimony. Her escape is enabled by two individuals who have plans to gather a fortune in ransom from one of the kidnappings executed by Arminda’s drug financed syndicate. The rest of the film is narrated by Arminda, this sudden change in point-of-view, complicated by a flashback structure, makes for a kind of tropical Film Noir, and the fact that it’s narrated by a dead person illustrates the influence of the Billy Wilder classic, SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950). The escape is filmed with Franco’s typical pan-telezoon style where he zooms back from the Golden Gate style bridge in Lisbon and then zooms in on Arminda lowering herself down the side of the prison. Very efficient, very minimal, all done without fuss. Picked up Ebenholz (Aida Vargas) she is immediately abducted by the brutal agent (Jess Franco) of Amos Radeck (Victor Mendes), who spends the rest of the film directing Franco through various torture methods, cigarette burns, waterboarding, bondage, etc. Radeck’s daughter (Martine Stedil) was kidnapped by Arminda and disappeared after he paid a film million dollar ransom. Cat faced Stedil does a good job of playing the blase victim whose demise is preordained. Franco regulars of this period, Peggy Markoff and handsome hunk Eric Falk are also on hand, albeit in small roles. Torture, lesbian interludes, rape and summary execute abound in this trim 76 minute effort. In the end, if there is a point, is that it’s a dog eat dog world and only the most ruthless survive. The most interesting elements here are the eye catching Zurich and Sintra locations, filmed in a less fly-by-night than usual fashion by Franco, who shared DP tasks with the reliable Peter Baumgartner, who lensed the Dietrich produced, JACK THE RIPPER (1976), which is probably the best feature of Franco’s two year contract with the producer. There’s also a sometimes jazzy, sometimes brooding score by Walter Baumgartner, along with the constant sounds of wild jungle animals. Stock footage represents Chao Island, (cf the opening scenes in CALL OF THE BLONDE GODDESS, also 1977). Franco’s trademark Nightclub scenes all seem to have been shot in one day, in a black walled set, dressed with wicker furniture and a few more tropical plants. The Zurich interiors tend to be rendered in hot pinks and ice cold blues while the Portuguese jungle settings, including Sintra’s Monserrat Palace, familiar from A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD and CECILIA, are sometimes breathtaking to behold, the latter scenes were the work of Peter Baumgartner, according to the director.

The massive Victor Mendes is in full Syndney Greenstreet mode as the sinister billionaire who read comics as Franco conducts the torture shows. Lina Romay is also quite credible as the shifty, coldhearted Arminda, who pays the ultimate price for her criminal activities. Franco himself is also quite effective as Radeck’s quietly efficient enforcer, who has the last laugh in this very downbeat crime film. SLAVES is a very watchable, entertaining feature which is now available remastered and restored from Full Moon in razor sharp definition. The colors are absolutely stunning, eye piercingly vivid as they pop off the screen. The definition is razor sharp, brimming with detail. The soundtrack is in German, with English subtitles. The most intriguing Special Feature is a 40m interview, FRANCO, BLOODY FRANCO, conducted with the director at a Zurich hotel, during the making of JACK THE RIPPER in 1976. This was an unsubtitled Feature of previous Ascot Elite Blu-rays. I’m very pleased it’s now more widely available in an English friendly release. Franco speaks in French, stating his theory of directing, to let the action evolve from the daily shooting, rather than strict adherence to the script, and his respect for the talents of Klaus Kinski. He also details how he visioned the film as a further examination into the themes in his first horror film, GRITOS EN LA NOCHE, and how he wanted to explore the twisted personality of the Ripper while maintaining a sympathetic distance. Nothing the difference between historical suggestions on the Ripper identity, he comes down on the side of Fantastique, rather than a realistic-historical approach, which he did not want to make. He also has some very negative things to say about Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy, rejecting his induction into the realm Fantastique creators and the dubious aesthetics of Hammer Horror. He lavishes much praise on the American B movie titan, Roger Corman, whom he claims as a spiritual equal. A vintage trailer reel is also included. English subtitles are included for the extended interview which has been ported from the German Ascot Elite JESS FRANCO GOLDEN GOYA COLLECTION, which was a HD release. As far as I’m concerned this release is worth the price for the revealing Franco interview alone. (C) Robert Monell 2024

TENDER FLESH

Tender Flesh 1997 93 MINUTES DIRECTED BY JESS FRANCO--CAST: LINA ROMAY, MONIQUE PARENT, ALDO SAMBRELL, ALAIN PETIT, ANALIA IVARS, MIKEL KRONIN, AMBER NEWMAN =====================================

(a.k.a. BOCCATO DI CARDINALE) As the title indicates, this is another cannibal movie in the ever-expanding Franco filmography. Recycling elements of his own THE PERVERSE COUNTESS (1973), which in turn was lifted from THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, TENDER FLESH avoids the strictly gross approach of the director's 1980s zombie flicks (THE MAN HUNTER, WHITE CANNIBAL QUEEN). It's more of an updated remake of his 1973 LA COMTESSE PERVERSE, with Lina Romay playing a villain role instead of the victim.

The famous French chef Paul Radeck (Alain Petit) and his predatory wife ( Romay) hire Carlos (Mikel Kronin) to find an uninhibited woman to join them in a sensual island vacation. Joining in the fun and games are international financier Kallman (Aldo Sambrell) and his dominating wife (Monique Parent). Paula (Amber Newman), an American tourist in Spain, is auditioned and paid to join this oddball group. Once at the Radeck estate, the vacation turns into a twisted nightmare for her. Everyone wants to have sex with her. Paul constantly records the activities with a camcorder. The food for the feast is seasoned with Radeck's secret recipe, which includes human urine contributed by a live-in sex slave Furia (Analia Ivars). This disgusting brew is similar to the titular concoction in Franco's 1978 COCKTAIL SPECIAL. Things get really out of hand during a televised "treasure hunt" staged by the Radecks, in which Kallman puts up the cash prize, hidden in a briefcase on a boat, that has to be located within a specified time limit. Paula jumps at the chance, but she is hunted by the rest of the players. In addition to their other perverse habits, they are cannibals who cook and eat their prey after an elaborate stalk and kill.

Franco seems to have reinvented himself as a lightweight satirist with this irreverent comedy-of-manners. Shot in English as a USA-Spanish co-production, Franco combines contemporary American performers with Euro-veterans Aldo Sambrell and Lina Romay. The result is an odd culture clashing erotic adventure. Franco begins the film with an amusing and appropriate quote from James Joyce and keeps his tongue firmly in cheek throughout. Monique Parent is wonderfully bitchy as the huntress while Romay, Sambrell, and Petit wisely underplay their sinister characters to good effect. The one completely over-the-top turn comes from by the statuesque Ivars, as the Super-Freak Furia, a mute (except for one hilarious word at the end) and scantily clad siren with a forever darting tongue. This lizard-woman is perhaps Franco's wildest creation since the bird-woman from EROTIC RITES OF FRANKENSTEIN.

Also, Franco plays with the relationship between audience and movie. For instance, in the climatic hunt sequence he distances the action by putting a canned laugh track over the sequence, complete with audience whistles and catcalls as things turn bloody. (C)Robert Monell 2024

JUEGO SUCIO EN CASABLANCA (Dirty Game in Casablanca) 1984

A surprisingly well-resourced Manacoa Films production, this remake of Tulio Demichelli's JUEGO SUCIO EN PANAMA (Ace of Hearts) has an important change of setting (to the Casablanca of Hollywood mythology) as well as an admirably sustained downbeat mood. This 1984 Jess Franco neo-noir was written by Santiago Moncada, a prolific Spanish writer, a novelist, playwright and screenwriter of such Jess Franco films as LA ESCLAVA BLANCA (1985), LAS ÚLTIMAS DE FILIPINAS (1984) and the excellent JUEGO SUCIO EN CASABLANCA, all in dire need of a HD restoration in an English friendly versions. It is a 1980s neo-noir set in the legendary city, featuring an outstanding performance by the late William Berger as an alcoholic writer trapped in plot hatched by corrupt colleagues. It's also a downward spiralling love story embedded in a thriller which also culminates in a twisted story of unrequited love.

The main action takes place in a crooked nightclub not unlike Rick's Cafe Americaine in the Michael Curtiz CASABLANCA (1942). Franco had also satirized the classic war romance by playing a piano player named Sam in his 1983 neo-noir LOS BLUES DE LA CALLE POP (AVENTURAS DE FELIPE MALBORO, VOLUMEN 8) who keeps the PI protagonist (Antonio Mayans) informed through musical cues. That film also features a poster of Bogart in CASABLANCA on the wall of the bar. Dean Baker (William Berger) an expatriat American writer, who has become a pathetic alcoholic, haunting Casablanca's gambling dens, manages to win a small fortune at a card game which he consigns to payment to one of the card players to fulfill his death wish by killing him by a certain date. Continuing the CASABLANCA parallels the owner of the gambling club is played by the gargantuan character actor Ricardo Palacios (ATTACK OF THE ROBOTS) recalling the mammoth Sydney Greenstreet in the 1942 version. A further layer of classic noir is added by the startling image of Baker's body floating in a swimming pool which directly references Wilder's SUNSET BOULEVARD.

Franco handles the action as somber flashbacks followed by a structural twist which intoduces a bittersweet third act featuring a collective unhappy ending for the main characters. The atmospheric score by Julian Sacristan sends vocal and guitar rhythms wafting through the tropical nights during which most of the film unfolds. A rare break from the familiar Daniel White cues Franco was still using during this period. Analia Ivars and Muriel Montessey (as Silvia Motez) are both impressive as the two women who struggle for Baker's attention as he tries to solve the mystery.

It's also suprising how convicing the various interior sets and locations are considering Franco's previous dependance on hotel rooms and tourist style shots for interiors and exteriors (here including locations on the Costa Del Sol and in Spanish Melilla on coastal Morroco) in the majority of his 1970s and 80s films. A Blu-ray was promised by Dorado Films but has yet to materialize, a restored HD English friendly release is long overdue .

(C) Robert Monell, 2024