From the fevered, wonderfully perverted minds of Spanish
filmmaker Jess Franco and Swiss producer Erwin C. Dietrich (JACK THE RIPPER)
comes the notorious women-in-prison shocker WOMEN IN CELLBLOCK 9 (aka Frauen
für Zellenblock 9 and Tropical Inferno). The controversial film (it was and
remains banned in the U.K.) stars Franco regulars Susan Hemingway, Howard
Vernon and Karine Gambier and tells the tale of a gaggle of female
freedom-fighters who are taken to a secluded women’s jungle prison where they
endure all manner of violent and sexual humiliations.
Like all of the productions in the prolific Franco/Dietrich
collaborative cannon (most of which are represented in Full Moon's limited
edition Jess Franco DVD Collection), WOMEN IN CELLBLOCK 9 is a visually lush,
erotic and explicit exploitation masterwork, armed with exotic locations, weird
performances and a great, dreamy score by composer Walter Baumgartner.
As a film fan who seeks out the lost treasures you have
always heard about Franco’s 99 Women being so controversial for its time. I
think the controversy of this film is that the price is so damn high. Why
attack Blue Underground. They are not the regular suspects. That would be
Grindhouse, Severin, Arrow and countless others who are gouging the fans for
every penny we have. I understand you are having tough times on sales, but to
hit your die-hard fans so hard is not the answer.
99 Women is basically a women
in prison exploitation film. Maria Rohm plays the 99th prisoner of an all-female
island prison. Franco is shooting high on this film, but it just comes up so
short. You have Mercedes McCambridge and Herbert Lom in this film. They both
are incredible at their crafts, but they are so wasted here. The film tries to
create a plot off of the government inspector coming down on the sadistic
governor. Which we get to see the guy who is in charge of the male prison on
the other side of the island.
Director: Jess Franco Star(s): Maria Schell, Herbert Lom, Mercedes McCambridge, Luciana Paluzzi, Maria Rohm, Rosalba Neri, Elisa Montes, Valentina Godoy
Synopsis The Demented Mother Of All Women-In-Prison Movies!
For his epic shocker of caged women gone wild, legendary director Jess Franco (MARQUIS DE SADE’S JUSTINE) brought together a once-in-a-lifetime cast of International beauties including Maria Schell (THE ODESSA FILE), Luciana Paluzzi (THUNDERBALL), Rosalba Neri (LADY FRANKENSTEIN) and Maria Rohm (VENUS IN FURS). Oscar® winner Mercedes McCambridge (JOHNNY GUITAR) and Herbert Lom (THE DEAD ZONE) co-star as the sadistic wardens of an island prison where abused yet luscious young lovelies surrender to their own depraved desires. Behind bars… without men… experience the unchained passion of 99 WOMEN!
Long censored around the world, Blue Underground is proud to present the Unrated Director’s Cut of 99 WOMEN in a brand new 4K restoration, along with startling Extras including an eye-popping interview with Jess Franco himself! This Limited Edition also includes a new 4K scan of the notorious French Version (LES BRULANTES) on a bonus Blu-ray Disc!
I actually have this book somewhere but I haven’t read it yet. I’m well aware of who the Marquis was but not sure how the subject matter will be treated as a film. Strictly exploitation? Titillation? Porn? Only one way to find out… Though from what I understand, Justine is one of the MdS’s early works and isn’t as graphic and sexual as what comes later (see what I did there?).
The Marquis de Sade’s Justine is a 1969 film (SIXTY NINE, DUDE!) directed by Jess Franco (writer and director of everything from B horror to porn) and starring Klaus Kinski as de Sade and Romina Power as Justine. We begin our tale with the Marquis being hauled off to prison. As he spends his days in the Bastille, two weeks before the French Revolution, he is tormented by imagery of two young women and their plights in life.
And by tormented I mean as someone who needs to create literature that speaks to humankind or makes a statement on the world around him. In this case, de Sade want to tell us how virtue always seems to be punished while evil is constantly rewarded. He by no means committed the atrocities against Justine - he just created them. As he scribbles furiously in a blank book, the movie develops, showing us the story of Justine as the Marquis writes it.
Justine and her sister, Juliet, are two beautiful young women being raised in a nunnery - for their education, of course. Lord knows Juliet is a whore and Justine is pure innocence. When their father is forced to flee the country, the girls are kicked out of the convent and forced to find their own way in the world. While Juliet is totally cool with moving to a brothel and earning her keep, Justine is just too morally innocent to stay and must leave.
And it is from this moment on that Justine suffers every cruel trick, scheme, and lascivious attention people can throw her way. She’s basically sold into slavery, framed for theft, tricked into a gang of criminals, framed for murder, tricked (again) by a group of hedonists, escapes, finds love, loses it, finds it again, kidnapped by the leader of that gang of criminals from before, whisked away by an angry mob, then finally saved by her sister - who’s lived a life of thievery and murder to become the mistress of one of the King’s advisers and now lives very comfortably with money, jewels, and everything she could ever want.
What do you mean...I don't get to have sex with ANYBODY in this film??
But don’t you dare change, Justine. Juliet’s life has been completely empty and meaningless. And though you’ve lived through Hell because she wouldn’t stick by you, at least your everlasting soul will go to Heaven. You know, when you’re dead.
WHAT THE EVER LOVING FUCK?
This was probably the most depressing and silly movie I’ve watched in a long time. With the name de Sade attached, I was expecting AT LEAST some sexy kinky shit that I could possibly rub one out to, even if it was more Skinamax bull shit. But son of a bitch if this wasn't just a lot of almosts and nearly happens and close calls and absolutely no sex. We don’t even really get to see the WHORES having sex. I mean, COME ON!
Oh sure, sure. There was a little titillation with some bare breasts and a flash or two of naked bush and some girl on girl kissing and wrestling. But hardly enough to even be called interesting. It’s not like I watch these kinds of films on a regular basis and have become jaded. This whole movie just felt very shallow and meaningless. And did I mention no sex? IN A MARQUIS DE SADE MOVIE.
Ooooh! Right in the eye. So sorry, my dear.
The style was a lot of artsy shots and filters, dramatic music and heavy sections of no dialogue, crappy acting, terrible voice overs. Every character was predictable and Justine was so frustratingly innocent - you’d think by the third time she got screwed over she’d pick up on some clues of the evil surrounding her. Or perhaps innocence = low bell curve?
Klaus Kinski was probably the best asset but all he did was furrow his brow and scribble in a book for the whole 10 minutes he was even in the damn film. Even Jack Palance felt like she should have been in a silent feature with all the scene chewing he did.
For those aficionados out there that enjoy Jess Franco’s work, and perhaps because this can be seen as an exploitation film of sorts (more like Exploit-lite), this movie might be worth a watch. Even those who are fans of the Marquis might be interested in this adaptation. But two hours of trite crap just puts me to sleep. Dear gods don’t let the book be this boring.
European cult cinema has produced many undeniable talents over the past 50 years: Dario Argento (Suspiria, Deep Red), Mario Bava (Black Sunday, Bay of Blood), Jean Rollin (Living Dead Girl, Grapes Of Death), Walerian Borowczyk (The Beast, Behind Convent Walls) and Lucio Fulci (City Of The Living Dead, The Beyond) are just a handful of names that have contributed numerous memorable features. And then there's Jess Franco. A highly skilled and talented filmmaker in his own right, Franco has been brilliant with films like Venus of Furs and Succubus but has also unfortunately churned out unwatchable shot-on-video sludge like Marie Cookie and the Killer Tarantula and Tender Flesh. The directors mentioned earlier are far from perfect but seem to have a tad more consistency than the Spanish filmmaker.
Kino and Redemption Films are back yet again with another addition to their line of Jess Franco films on heels of the fine releases of The Awful Dr. Orloff and Virgin Among the Living Dead with Jess Franco's Demons. Not to be confused with Lamberto Bava's Demons, Jess Franco's The Demons takes a page out of Ken Russell’s popular and very controversial The Devils with this deliciously blasphemous tale of horny nuns, possession and nasty inquisition sadism. The story surrounds the torture and subsequent execution of a witch who makes her presence known in the after-life as a demonic spirit possessing innocent and very hot nuns.
Jess Franco's Bloody Moon is his stab at the slasher film genre. Our main character, Miguel, we learn early on that he was sent away for murdering a woman who was turning him on. Well, years pass and he seems that he is healed and is set free from the asylum. He comes back to the scene of the crime which now is a resort his family owns and soon after he is back as you can guess, the body count starts to rise. Is Miguel truly healed, or is something worst going on? Bloody Moon is not Franco's best work nor is it anywhere near his worst, this film lies somewhere in the middle. It seems that when Franco goes away from his comfort zone as in films like this, he does try to resort to some of his old tricks which make this film really shine above your standard 80s slasher.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 9, 2014 - Kino Lorber and Redemption are proud to announce the release of Jess Franco's THE DEMONS in its complete, uncensored cut on Blu-ray, newly mastered in HD from the original 35mm elements, and THE BLACK TORMENT, a Gothic horror film by Robert Hartford-Davis that will be released on DVD, mastered in HD from 35mm archival elements. Continuing its releases of the best in European horror in newly-mastered editions from original film elements, Kino Lorber and Redemption are pleased to bring these two films to horror fans on April 29th with special features including interviews that give new insight into the creation of these stylish and atmospheric films. THE DEMONS is the latest of Kino Lorber and Redemption's digital restorations of the films of Jess Franco, including such critically-acclaimed releases as FEMALE VAMPIRE, A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD, and the Rondo Award-nominated THE AWFUL DR. ORLOF.
...back in the good ol' grindhouse theater days of the early '70's, to mid '80's, this viewer remembers having mentally...at least, unconsciously...latched onto the production studio name of 'Eurocine', as well as the occasional smattering of films, put forth by this guy, Jesus Franco...or Jess Franco, as he was alternately coined. Of course, once home video became a standard norm, and the local video store...if they were respectably savvy, as far as cult and genre films...began to stock and shelve many of these European imports, the names 'Eurocine' and 'Jess Franco'...once flickered on the viewing screen...were fondly brought back to mind, once again. And having already partaken of some of these cult film classics in the stale, musty darkness of grindhouse venues, this ardent viewer salivatingly knew quite well that with a 'Eurocine' film...the studio which by now, well recognized and revered sleaze master Jess Franco, often favored...now available in the privacy of of one's abode, what was in store for this eagerly anticipating viewer, was nothing short of raw and unbridled sleaze, at it's very finest. Oh, those titles, though..."Female Vampire"..."Kiss Me, Killer"..."Women Behind Bars"..."Devil Hunter"..."Zombie Lake"..."White Cannibal Queen"..."Oasis of the Zombies"...as well as this review's 'flavor-of-the-moment'...a moody and tempered bit of obscure and underappreciated Eurocine/Jess Franco sleaze, which features Jess' often-used sexy darling, actress Lina Romay, has escaped even the most ardent of cult film aficionados, and has finally seen the mirrored sheen of digital home video, thanks to the astute film acquisitioners, over at Severin...1975's "Hot Nights of Linda". Is it as 'hot' as the title...as well as the erotically alluring artist's rendering on the DVD/Blu-Ray cover...implies?? Let's find out, shall we??
Dave and Kevin reflect on the lives of several recently deceased figures in film. They discuss Jess Franco, Annette Funicello, Harry Reems, Richard Brooker and Roger Ebert. Dave also gives a little history lesson on Margaret Thatcher and censorship.
Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.
I have been joking with my girl friend that one day on this site I will write a three letter review of some movie: "WTF?" End of blog. If I were to carry through on that threat, Jesus "Jess" Franco's PAULA-PAULA would certainly be my target.
I can enjoy cinematic sleaze from time to time as much as the next guy. An occasional roll in the cinematic mud can be a lot of fun. And I can't say I haven't enjoyed watching some of Franco's films in the past on just that level. But this one is so thin, it asks way too much of us.
From the fevered, wonderfully perverted minds of Spanish
filmmaker Jess Franco and Swiss producer Erwin C. Dietrich (JACK THE RIPPER)
comes the notorious women-in-prison shocker WOMEN IN CELLBLOCK 9 (aka Frauen
für Zellenblock 9 and Tropical Inferno). The controversial film (it was and
remains banned in the U.K.) stars Franco regulars Susan Hemingway, Howard
Vernon and Karine Gambier and tells the tale of a gaggle of female
freedom-fighters who are taken to a secluded women’s jungle prison where they
endure all manner of violent and sexual humiliations.
on DVD 