Crimes dans l'extase

"She Killed In Ecstasy" must be one of Jess Franco's most artistically well-made films (I say "must be", because the man has made almost 200 movies, so it's hard to be sure!). Of course, there are scenes that make him come off as a hack (especially those involving physical violence), but at least the film is not boring, and it is helped immeasurably by the mesmerizing presence of Soledad Miranda. She is almost able to convince us that a woman would go to bed with her ten minutes after she had first met her (!), or that a man would go to bed with her even though he knows she is a killer out to get him (!); the story is still implausible, yes, but without her it would've been laughable. She is also able to suggest the rage and sorrow of her character, and indeed one thing that sets this movie apart from other revenge thrillers, such as "I Spit On Your Grave", is that it doesn't try to justify or celebrate the heroine's vengeance; instead, it presents an initially normal woman who seems to be getting more deranged by the minute because of her own actions. (**1/2)

Jesus Franco has made so many movies that it's almost inevitable that he will occasionally get one right. This is one of those movies where his bizarro and repetitive plots, his pan-and-zoom-happy cinematography, and his obtrusive jazz score all manage to gel for a pretty dumb but thoroughly enjoyable movie. It helps, of course, that this was one of only four films he made with the incredible Soledad Miranda before her untimely death in the early 1970's. There's no denying that Franco's regular collaborator (and wife), Lina Romay, was a very sexy actress in her prime and has become something of a legend in her own right, but she is a pale shadow of Soledad Miranda, who was if anything even more beautiful and had a kind of class and talent that none of Franco's later actresses could ever hope to emulate.

The plot is about as simple as you get--this is yet another Franco knock-off of "The Bride Wore Black" with Miranda avenging herself on the scientists who drove her husband to suicide by censuring his morally dubious embryo research. Of course, this involves getting them all in bed (including the one woman, who is naturally a lesbian). This makes for some interesting (and sometimes disturbing) scenes--a nude woman being smothered with a see-through plastic throw pillow, a single trickle of blood running down Miranda's bare thigh after she stabs one poor guy in the back (while he is apparently licking the lint from her belly button), and, perhaps most disturbing of all, Howard Vernon, Dr. Orloff himself, in the altogether(shudder!). Like any good Franco movie this film is deliciously perverse. Miranda's murderous campaign against these hapless souls is every bit as morally questionable as her husbands grisly experiments. She manages to achieve an uneasy combination of touchingly sympathetic, voraciously sexy, and frighteningly psychotic. Her last two victims (one of who is Franco himself) realize exactly who she is and know she is going to kill them, but they can't resist her anymore than a male praying mantis can resist the female who is going to rip him apart and eat him.

Is this is perfect movie? Well, no. The whole premise is completely ridiculous and it has the most unconvincing fatal car crash in cinema history near the end. But it sure is a lot of fun to watch.

This has gotten a renewed life, following the "Vampyros Lesbos Sexadelic Dance Party" CD, which includes music from "Vampyros Lesbos", "Devil Came From Akasava", and this remake of "The Diabolical Dr. Z". Basically, a young scientist is barred from continuing his experiments in mixing human and animal DNA by the local medical board. He goes home, mopes, and eventually commits suicide. His wife, the lovely Soledad Miranda, is quite upset, and proceeds to use her femininity to lure the doctors responsible into sexual situations, before disposing of them. There is a lot of Cornell Woolrich's "The Bride Wore Black" here, juiced up to 60's level sex and sleaze. Franco pops in as a scientist, and it's interesting to see Howard Vernon playing the same role he played in "Diabolical Dr. Z". Other than the flaky psychedelic Jazz soundtrack, this is one of Soledad Miranda's best films, and she tackles her role mucho gusto. Franco's notorious Zoom overuse is toned down here, and he keeps it moving along nicely. Not as twisted as his 70's takes on similar material, but more well done than much of his catalog.

This is the second film of Jess Franco I got to see. I have to admit that he is watchable on the level that his film are so different styled, that are indeed interesting. Better in the idea and plot from legendary "Vampiros lesbos", filmed in the same year , it fails a bit in camera work and photography. If you liked Vampiros Lesbos, go see it.

Featuring the beautiful brunette Miranda, this film scores better as a softcore porn rather than a thriller. Whatever the case, it just ain't the typical atmosphere you would expect in such a film. And of course this is recommended to all fans of sexploitation films. This even got enough style to make interesting viewing.

Dr. Johnson (Fred Williams) is happily married with his beloved wife Mrs. Johnson (Soledad Miranda) and is researching human embryos using animal cells. When he brings his findings to the Board of the prominent Dr. Franklin Houston (Paul Müller), Prof. Jonathan Walker (Howard Vernon), Dr. Crawford (Ewa Stroemberg) and Dr. Donen (Jesus Franco), the committee rejects his researches and destroys his laboratory. Dr. Johnson has a nervous breakdown and commits suicide, and the disturbed Mrs. Johnson seeks revenge, seducing each member of the Board and killing one by one while having sex with her victims.

"Sie Tötete in Ekstase" a.k.a. "She Killed in Ecstasy" is a movie of revenge that uses a storyline very similar to François Truffaut's "The Bride Wore Black" with a grieving woman seeking revenge on the responsible for the death of her beloved lover. However, this film follows the usual style of the director Jesus Franco, with kinky sex, nudity, lesbianism and murders. The hot Soledad Miranda is very beautiful and sexy. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Ela Matou em Êxtase" ("She Killed in Ecstasy")