Jess
Franco
Redemption 2008
ALL REGION
Web: http://salvation-films.com
The
Demons (Les Démons) is Jess Franco’s take on Ken Russell’s The Devils and it is
certainly is a startling and original work. It is sometimes seen as a sequel to
Francos’ 1969 witch and sex melodrama ‘The Bloody Judge’ which starred none
other than Christopher Lee !
Franco
is a prolific filmmaker with an estimated 180 films under his belt; some have
achieved quite a measure of success such as Vampyros Lesbos and 99 Women, which
is still considered one of the best “women in prison” movies. Most of his works
fall into the category of sexploitation and are marvellous celebrations of sex,
violence and transgression. While it has sometimes proved difficult for Franco
to find the funding necessary for his films and quality varies greatly, it can
be said that The Demons is one of his better works and a celebration of
everything Franco stands for - Eurotrash
at its very best.
A
witch burned at the stake by the inquisition doesn’t go quietly, engulfed by
flames, she curses her accusers, Lord Jeffreys (Cihangir Gaffari), Lady de
Winter (Karin Field) and her lover Renfield (Alberto Dalbes). She proclaims to
all that her daughters will help fulfil the curse. Suitably alarmed, Lady de
Winter sets out with Renfield to find the girls, Margaret (Britt Nichols) and
Kathleen (Anne Libert). Believing they
may be in a local convent they confirm with Mother Superior Rosalinda that
there are indeed two nuns Margaret and Kathleen that could be the descendants
they are looking for. As one would
expect in such a tale, one (Margaret) is believed to be chaste and pure whilst
the other (Kathleen) is haunted by dreams of running naked in the forest and
being one with nature, naturally this is seen as proof that she is league with
the devil.
After
Lady de Wynter does a rather lurid inspection to make sure they are virgins, she
declares Kathleen may indeed be a witch and takes her back to her castle to be
tested for sorcery. Here she is tortured to verify her feisty union with Satan.
However, all is not lost, it seems Lady De Wynter’s husband has taken a liking
to her and due to an intervention by a member of the household she is let
escape.
At
the convent Margaret has a visit from her dead mother demanding vengeance for
her death. Margaret for some reason instantly forgets her vows as a nun and as
well as her purity and agrees. She now
has wild sexual congress with a rather dapper Satan figure and gets the powers
of a sorceress to boot !! Of course, she loses her marbles and transforms from
chaste nun to nymphomaniac, writhing in uncontrolled sexual frenzy she seduces
poor old Mother Rosalinda who just can’t cope with all these lusty feelings and
jumps of a balcony !
While
all hell is breaking loose in the nunnery, Kathleen has escaped into the arms
of a local painter. But this doesn’t last long as she is again captured, this
time after an affair with Renfield. Kathleen and Margaret certainly seems to
get a lot of action in this film !
As
a political sub plot unfolds and plans are afoot for an invasion by William of
Orange, Margaret poses as a Spanish maid and gets inside the De Wynter
household. Margaret also has the powers of a sorceress and can turn people into
skeletons, so sex, sorcery and politics come together in a powerful climax. Sad
to say, Kathleen betrays her sister and Kathleen dies like her mother at the
stake, but not before taking Lord Jeffreys with her.
The
Demons is quite an experience, filled to the brim with sex, sorcery, lesbianism
and acts of wanton cruelty and violence, it is Eurotrash cinema at its most
delectable. As per normal Franco practise, the camera focuses in on every curve
and every welt and there is certainly lots of flesh on show.
Like
with all Jess Franco films, the acting is, well, a little wooden and the
editing on the eccentric side. The dialogue is mostly in English with
occasional lapses into French but since we are not getting the short 70 minute
cut edition this is a small price to say and since Franco has a very visual
style it really doesn’t affect the story flow. The soundtrack is rather fun,
filled with jazzy drums, flutes and explosions of rock and metal, it is so out
of whack with a 16th century witch tale that it makes The Demons
even more of a cult classic.
It
is great to see this edition released by Redemption and it offers everything
one would expect from a Jess Franco classic !