Actualités

Stars: Paul Naschy, Silvia Solar, Olivier Mathot, Evelyne Scott, Claude Boisson, Gilda Arancio | Written by Juan Fortuny, Marius Lesoeur, H.L. Rostaine | Directed by Juan Fortuny

Crimson, also known as The Man With The Severed Head (which was the title this film previously debuted under on Arrow’s Arrowdrome label), opens up with a nice gang of criminals taking part in the lovely of activity of robbing a jewelery store. However, it all goes pear shaped when due to well placed idiocy (oh the film world, we do love you) one of the criminals sets off an alarm while trying to steal a lovely pearl necklace. The gang tries to escape but disaster strikes when Paul Naschy’s character gets shot in the head. Realizing that they can’t exactly take him to a hospital they do the next best thing and seek help from a doctor friend of theirs who is somewhat indebted to them.

Stars: Malisa Longo, Oliver Mathot, Patrizia Gori, Pamela Stanford, Claudine Beccarie, Erik Muller, Rudy Lenoir, Jean Le Boulbar, René Gaillard, Thierry Dufour| Written by Victor Hardia, Marius Lesoeur, Patrice Rhomm | Directed by Patrice Rhomm

As much as I adore exploitation cinema, I have to say that Nazisploitation is one of the least enjoyable branches in this crusty, inbred cinematic family tree. There are only a handful of titles I enjoy from the genre and yes, I think Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS is probably one of the most overrated pieces of exploitation cinema ever. I just find the genre to be lazy, repetitive and wide of the mark. Will Patrice Rhomm’s French offering – Elsa Fraulein SS – be one of the few exceptions? Unfortunately not.

So, the story is simple. Things aren’t going too well for the Third Reich. They’re getting a battering from Allied Forces causing...

Dr. Orloff’s Monster

Blu-ray

Redemption / Kino Lorber

1964 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 84 min. / El secreto del Dr. Orloff, Brides of Dr. Jekyll, Les maitresses du Dr. Jekyll / Street Date February 7, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Hugo Blanco, Agnès Spaak, Marcelo Arroita-Jáuregui, Luisa Sala, Perla Cristal, Magda Maldonado, Pepe Rubio, Pastor Serrador, Daniel Blumer, Manuel Guitián, Mer Casas.

Cinematography: Alfonso Nieva

Film Editor: Á Serrano

Original Music: Fernando García Morcillo, Daniel White

Written by: Jesús Franco, Nicole Guettard, A. Norévo

Produced by: Marius Lesoeur

Directed by Jesús Franco

Arguing the merits of Jesús Franco seems a blind alley to me. I know academic film writers that have seen dozens of his films and who assure me that they perceive an artist amid all the exploitation and pornography. Why not? I continue to see Franco as a fringe filmmaker of little talent and less interest. Keep anything up long enough and it...