Les démons

The film is an inferior follow-up, regarding a vicious witch-hunter who terrorizes , judges and executes to suspicious villagers. Lord Chief Justice Judge Jeffries (Cihangir Gaffari) of seventeenth century England condemns women as witches to further his political and sexual needs and while in the dungeons takes place brutal tortures executed by his nasty verdugo. The condemned prisoners approach the judge for clemency but are rejected when they don't give in to the lust of the judge . A witch is tied to a pole, as the scarlet flames lick her pale and desperate face while the feeble body is eager to succumb, the vindictive unrepentant witch doomed by the Grand Inquisitor Jeffries and Lady de Winter to die at the stake vomits her last malignant and sulphurous curse to all those guilty of her ordeal. But within the nunnery's thick stone walls, rabid desire and evil possession govern, the burnt witch utters her last words: a death curse against her accusers: Lord (Alberto Dalbés) and Lady DeWinter (Karin Field) to be carried out by her daughters. Terrified by the curse, they set out on a search for the witch's heirs and they meet them to be nuns (Anne Libert, Britt Nichols) and in particular, Kathleen and Margaret who have been raised as Sisters in the Blackmoor convent since childhood. Only one daughter has ¨The Kiss of Death¨. Only one daughter has the power to avenge her mother's death. Which one is granted the power of vendetta? Let the Exorcist Beware, the Demons are Here! Their Lips are Divine but the Kiss is Deadly. They are Sisters with Spirit... Divine and Deadly. Erotic horror... Torture... Witchcraft. Horror will hold you helpless!

This 'Les démons' (1973) is one kind of sequel to ' The Bloody Judge' or 'Night of the Blood Monster' or Il trono di fuoco (original title) (1970) deals with a graphic delineation of witch-hunting in England, that's why the story recycles roles, history, and incidents from that film shot three years earlier. Here there's a fired witch, as a result, petrified and with the curse of demise upon the accusers' heads, Lord and Lady de Winter set out to trace the witch's dark bloodline, during the Monmouth rebellion period and overthrowing King James II and subsequently William of Orange taking his place. This film has been framed of painting too violent and bloody a picture of the old times, but its power is slightly remarkable and strongly sordid. The production values is mediocre considering its short budget. There're also some scenes dealing with British historical events, along with a lot of sleaziness, images of naked women and others submitted to cruel tortures . It is a twisted tale of strange desires , betrayals , perverse pleasures , prurient men and corruption. Cihangir Gaffari takes the role of Christopher Lee as Lord Justice Jeffries, giving obviously a worst acting. The Judge Jeffries role was real, in fact he was a nasty witch finder who condemned women as witches and rebels as traitors, while unleashing a reign of fire and fury. Co-stars two ravishing beauties: Anne Libert and Britt Nichols. And outstanding Karin Field as the wicked Lady De Winter, along with Franco's regular Alberto Dalbés as Thomas Renfield. And another Franco usual: Howard Vernon, overacting , as always. Being a Spanish/French production , there're Spaniard actors appearing here and there: Carmen Yazalde, Luis Barboo, Alberto Dalbés, Rosa Palomar and French ones: Anne Libert, Doris Thomas, Andrea Montchal. Special mention for the colorful cinematography by Raúl Artigot , in a luxurious copy adequately remastered , shot on location in Portugal and Castillo de Santa Bárbara, Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana.

The motion picture was middlingly directed by the prolific Spanish filmmaker Jesús Franco or Jess Frank. Most people agreed that some Frank's works resulted to be acceptable , but most of them were botcher films. Jess was a Stajanovist, restless writer, producer, director who realized over 200 pictures. His career spans over 50 years with a few successes and lots of flops, making all kind of genres : thrillers, adventures, action and with penchant for Terror and erotic genre . Jesus used to sign under pseudonym, among the aliases he used apart from Jess Frank or Franco Manera, were the following ones : Frank Hollman, Clifford Brown, David Khune, James P. Johnson, David Though, among others. Franco used to use ordinary trademarks, such as : zooms , nudism, foreground on objects , filmmaking in DIY style and managing to work extraordinarily quick in very low budget, as well as frequently releasing various titles at the same time. He was a prolific filmmaker, directing a lot of lousy movies. In his beginnings he soon applied all his knowledge and experience as director assstant, musician, editor to his feature directorial debut, Tenemos 18 años (1959). His Succubus (1968) was nominated for the Festival of Berlin, and this event gave him an international reputation. His career got more and more consolidated in the following years, and his endless creativity enabled him to tackle films in all genres, from "B" horror films to pure hardcore sex films. However, making some passable films, such as : We are 18 years old, The awful Dr Orloff, The Bloody Judge , Count Dracula, 99 women, The Blood of Fumanchu, Faceless and a few others. And many of them were heavily cut and with double versions. Rating : 4/10. Inferior and below average exploitation movie. Only for Jess Frank completists.

My mate gave me this. He'd ordered it especially from Germany for reasons unknown. There's no plot explanation needed - you just have to look at the cover and see who directed it.

Highlights of this film include:

1) Hitting the display button to find out how soon I've got before it ends 2) Losing interest 3) Wondering what my mate was expecting when he bought it 4) Realising exactly why it had been sitting in my collection unwatched for a decade 5) Being relieved that I didn't watch the 117 minute special version on disc 2.

Lowlights include:

1) Every scene lasting forever. 2) Female nudity rendered boring. 3) Endless scenes of women being tortured. 4)Everything else about the film.

A witch curses her executioners while being burned at the stake. Nearby, a convent is suddenly besieged by impure thoughts, deeds, and general naughtiness. Unclean spirits have taken hold of the sisters therein, resulting in wanton, wicked nakedness.

THE DEMONS is a Jess Franco film, so it's not surprising that the nuns have lost their habits. There is indeed copious female nudity, as well as perverse situations and gory torture.

Though Franco's depiction has taken a lot of flack, just what would we expect to happen in a demonized nunnery, anyway? Square dance night?

WARNING: This film contains the infamous "virginity check" and "bride of Satan" sequences!

Those accustomed to the Director's work should definitely enjoy this movie. Others might want to watch something a tad less blasphemous...

After an old witch is burned at the stake by the inquisition her two nun daughters execute a revenge which amounts to them seducing every man and woman that comes their way. Dealing with lust and anguish (frequent themes in Franco work),'Les démons' is quite a polished work by Franco's standards. Widescreen compositions are impressive and psychedelic music outstanding(a catchy guitar tune starts playing every time there is a bare flesh on the screen). Sadly Jess Franco didn't bother to hire a good cameraman, so some shots are out of focus, especially during zooms. Still, the camera-work in 'Les démons' is much better then in such later Jess Franco movies as 'White cannibal queen', for example. Regular Jess Franco actor Howard Vernon ("The awful Dr. Orloff") has a supporting role. Recommended for Franco admirers and those who find the idea of lesbian nuns hot.

Despite a little over use of the zoom lens now and again and inexplicably repeated lines this is a pretty well made Jess Franco movie. The budget must have been decent because picture quality and cinematography above par with some excellent location shooting, inside and outside. Costumes are also good, he must have borrowed those from some other film, and there is some effort to keep the tale within known historical events. None of this is to say, however, that there aren't lashings of sex. There is some torture but not overly done, no it is the sex scenes that predominate and fairly erotic and varied they are too. Anne Libert does well in the lead and generously shares her body with most of the rest of the leads. Howard Vernon is set against type for once and I reckon acquitted himself better than when he is given reign to go jumping and over acting everywhere