The Demons (Jess Franco)

[pro-bassoonist]

The Demons Blu-ray



NEWS
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=13189

Independent U.S. distributors Redemption Films have confirmed that they will release on Blu-ray cult Spanish director Jesús Franco's The Demons a.k.a Les Demons (1973), starring Howard Vernon, Anne Libert, Britt Nichols, Doris Thomas, Karin Field, and Alberto Dalbés. The release is expected to arrive on the U.S. market in April.

Redemption's upcoming Blu-ray release of The Demons has been mastered from the original negative and will feature the film's original opening credits, making it the most complete version.

Pro-B

[bizarre_eye]

I'm definitely in for this.

[pro-bassoonist]

The Demons Blu-ray PRE-ORDER



Pro-B

[Brett C]

I look forward to this release.

[pro-bassoonist]

NEWS
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=13683

The Demons

In the wake of the massive controversy surrounding Ken Russell's The Devils, several filmmakers rushed to create their own Inquisition horror films, inspired by the true story of satanic possession at the convent of Loudun. THE DEMONS (Les démons) is Jess Franco's stellar entry in the nunsploitation canon, with a degree of sadism and sexual explicitness that overshadows its competitors.

While being burned at the stake, an accused witch curses the principal witchfinder and his minions. As a result, members of royalty and the religious establishment are caused to suffer (or, some might say, enjoy) a series of human depravities. Franco photographs the scenes of torture, sex, and demon possession with a sense of tenderness that is both aesthetically pleasing and deeply unsettling.

Previously unreleased on video in the U.S., this Redemption edition represents the complete, uncensored version of the film.

Special Features:

Newly mastered in HD from the original 35mm elements
In French and German with optional English subtitles
Interview with Jess Franco by David Gregory (16 min.)
Six minutes of deleted footage
Two theatrical trailers
Trailers of other Franco films

Pro-B

[iamnoone]

"Previously unreleased on video in the U.S."

That's not true as Unicorn Video released the film on VHS in the 80's in the US. Unless they were trying to say the complete uncensored version was never released in the US, but they didn't word it very clearly.

[El_Fez]

I saw this last night - holy hell, that is . . . an interesting film. The porno shots are so far over the top that either Jess had no goddamned clue how to make a movie or that he was pushing the smut into the realm of parody and satire. The dramatic bits are strangely compelling in their terribleness and the whole project has a "Wait - WTF?!?" feel about it.

It might be my favorite Jess Franco flick ever, but that's a very low bar to cross.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by El_Fez

I saw this last night - holy hell, that is . . . an interesting film. The porno shots are so far over the top that either Jess had no goddamned clue how to make a movie or that he was pushing the smut into the realm of parody and satire. The dramatic bits are strangely compelling in their terribleness and the whole project has a "Wait - WTF?!?" feel about it.

It might be my favorite Jess Franco flick ever, but that's a very low bar to cross.

... and most of the time it's in focus.

[El_Fez]

This is true!

Actually, for a Jess Franco movie - you know, where he'll dress up some white guys to look like KISS, give them a spear and have the "natives" dance around for his cannibal movie - the production looks pretty good. Nice sets, good costumes, like some money was actually spent on this thing.

And dear lord, that soundtrack! Wildly inappropriate for a medieval period piece, but is the most porn-y porn soundtrack I have ever heard, right down to the bongos.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by El_Fez

This is true!

Actually, for a Jess Franco movie - you know, where he'll dress up some white guys to look like KISS, give them a spear and have the "natives" dance around for his cannibal movie - the production looks pretty good. Nice sets, good costumes, like some money was actually spent on this thing.

And dear lord, that soundtrack! Wildly inappropriate for a medieval period piece, but is the most porn-y porn soundtrack I have ever heard, right down to the bongos.

How man Franco films have you seen?

[El_Fez]

Compared to the man's output? Very few. I've seen Bloody Moon, Devil Hunter, Cannibal Terror, Women Behind Bars, White Cannibal Queen, Zombie Lake (which technically is only written by him), Oasis of the Zombies, and now The Demons.

[TripleHBK]

Originally Posted by El_Fez

This is true!

Actually, for a Jess Franco movie - you know, where he'll dress up some white guys to look like KISS, give them a spear and have the "natives" dance around for his cannibal movie - the production looks pretty good. Nice sets, good costumes, like some money was actually spent on this thing.

And dear lord, that soundtrack! Wildly inappropriate for a medieval period piece, but is the most porn-y porn soundtrack I have ever heard, right down to the bongos.

I feel like you should be hired to review all his films.. Every comment you post moves this Blu up on my "To Buy" list.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by El_Fez

Compared to the man's output? Very few. I've seen Bloody Moon, Devil Hunter, Cannibal Terror, Women Behind Bars, White Cannibal Queen, Zombie Lake (which technically is only written by him), Oasis of the Zombies, and now The Demons.

There was another side to Franco when he started. Before he was liberated.

Watch THE AWFUL DR. ORLOFF (1962), THE SADISTIC BARON VON KLAUS (1962),
DR. ORLOF'S MONSTER (1964) and THE DIABOLICAL DR. Z (1966). These are
more disciplined, professional, studio-type exercises in Gothic horror bursting at the
seams with perversity and fetishes that he's unable to bring into the clear text.
Moody black and whites. Wonderful atmosphere and imagery. The pacing is glacial
but the films are better for it. All on Kino-Redemption blu-rays.

On a higher plain, be sure to watch MARK OF THE DEVIL (England-West Germany
1970) directed by Michael Armstrong. An elaborately produced exploitation classic
that preceded Ken Russell's THE DEVILS at the box-office by over a year.

[El_Fez]

Oh yeah, the one with Herbert Lom and Udo Keir? I have it, but it's been a while since I've seen it. I seem to recall enjoying it a great deal. Witchfinder General is probably my favorite of that genre, but Mark of the Devil was still pretty good.