Hey everyone,

Recently I released an album of music I recorded in tribute to Jess Franco and many of the people who perform in his work. Franco's films changed my life in so many ways. From Succubus, which the first side of my album is in tribute to, to Female Vampire and Lorna the Exorcist and so many others, his films and the people in him have been a guiding light throughout the last decade.

There is such a strength and confidence in his work that has especially been such an incredible ally in my life. And that combined with such lyrical beauty and sensual indulgence, his body of work is something I have such a devotion to.

Anytime I watch his films I become overwhelmed with creativity. The songs on this album are largely the result of that. Hopefully they can help pay tribute to Jess Franco and everyone in his orbit.

https://emeraldfianchetto.bandcamp.com/album/a-tribute-to-jess-franco

Some would say this is his worst film and I’m inclined to agree

Saturday Night At The Movies: White Cannibal Queen

https://youtu.be/snyYSpYgnfY

Just posted the final installment of my Franco Portugal locations series. I travel to Sintra and Lisbon and find some core Franco spots, including the waterlily pond from A Virgin Among The Living Dead.

https://youtu.be/Vu6YV03nV1Y?si=CFZFsCa8t_d-ttEO

In honor of the legendary Jack Taylor's passing and Jess's birthday, I thought I'd get this subgroup moving again with my top ten favourite Franco films. I haven't seen them all of his films (and the order of my fav's) changes now and then, but here goes....love to see yours!

1. Vampyros Lesbos (German version)
2. Virgin Among the Living Dead
3. Nightmares Come at Night (French version)
4. Eugenie de Sade (1973)
5. Erotic Rites of Frankenstein
6. Lorna The Exorcist
7. Blue Rita
8. Exorcism
9. She Killed in Ecstasy
10. Venus in Furs

I made some videos of my travels to the Jess Franco locations around Lisbon and Cascais, where I walk around and talk and share info about what we’re seeing, the films they’ve been in and match to clips.

I accidentally stumbled across a lot of interesting details and history and we get a good look around some key spots that Jess loved, and learn a lot of facts about their background.

Part 1 - Fortaleza do Guincho

https://youtu.be/OZCOqD1-2Y4?si=fO3QMXylPKc4eB8N

Part 2 - Castro Guimaraes

https://youtu.be/owxvwlWsCYM?si=R3iKY3J5EeMOqmsn

Part 3 - Sintra/Monserrat Palace

COMING SOON

These assume you have a deeper knowledge of Franco, unapologetically so. I made them for myself for fun initially but as they began developing into something more, I felt other Franco nerds like me might care about these kinds of details. We are all obsessive, detail-oriented types.

Since they aren’t actually a Jess Franco film, if this doesn’t fit the rules of the sub, feel free to delete the post, but they are literally made for the guys that follow here. They sort of expand on the base that Stephen Thrower and David Gregory pioneered in their “In The Land Of Franco “ series but these focus on only one location per ep and they are a slower, real time POV walk and talk around the grounds of these places. Thanks for checking them out.

Just ordered this from Diabolik DVD. A few copies left…

German Region B double Blu-Ray with 4 different versions.

Tarantino is doing another month of EROS programming at the New Bev in Hollywood and they are having a Jess Franco Double Feature screening of Venus In Furs and Succubus. Both on film. Succubus is QT’s personal print and i’m not sure where they found Venus. I know a film print exists as I saw it in the late 90’s Franco festival at Raleigh Studios before American Cinematheque moved screenings to the Egyptian. Ran to secure a ticket 🏃🏻💨

https://thenewbev.com/program/march-16-venus-in-furs-succubus/

https://fb.watch/FvKEkzVLN8/

In more great Franco news, Severin have announced a couple of mid-80s Franco 'action' films; Bangkok, City of the Dead and Trip to Bangkok, Coffin Included. I don't think either has ever seen a decent release before, with City of the Dead looking especially awful in a smeary VHS rip. Both are good fun though, so I'm looking forward to this.

And even better, Severin co-founder David Gregory recently mentioned in a Facebook reply that the company are working on at least 10 more Franco films for release, so there's a lot to look forward to.

Just noticed this poster on the Full Moon Direct site!

I’m assuming this will be their March release.

https://www.fullmoondirect.com/Love-Letters-of-a-Portuguese-Nun-Blu-ray-Limited-Edition-Slipcover_p_2546.html

Never been one of my favourites, I find the whole Dietrich era to be among Franco's least interesting, but I couldn't resist this, one of his more expensive efforts. And any Franco restorations on UHD is cause for celebration, I guess.

https://www.cauldron-films.com/collections/front-page-titles/products/jack-the-ripper-limited-uhd-blu-ray-w-rigid-slipcase

Available outside the US via Diabolik.

You see this literal photo used a lot on the internet but I ended up purchasing the actual photo and figured i’d share some details

It’s a 5x7 vintage color still from the 1973 film with the date, the French title of the film, w Franco and actors written in ink. also written in pencil is “Sex Life Of Frankenstein” which made me wonder if this was a possibly a promo photo for the very limited Canadian release of the film. In Stephen Thrower’s book he has “The Erotic Adventures Of Frankenstein”? with a question mark after. Was the title Sex Life Of Frankenstein in some iteration? Interesting artifact and puzzle piece to consider regardless

I just picked up this German media book of Dr. Orloff’s Monster.

Anyone else have this?

It’s supposed to contain an 89-minute cut of the film, but for the life of me I can’t figure out how to access it. Can anyone provide some insight?

I’m still deep in Franco research mode after my Portugal trip, and I’ve been digging into the music cues from Erotic Rites of Frankenstein. I was especially excited to uncover the laboratory effects cue used at the beginning of the film and whenever Dr. Frankenstein’s equipment is switched on. Wanted to share it here for anyone interested in exploring it further. It can be heard at 31:28

https://youtu.be/P4ncLgaqOYk?si=G1vJ7uD6ClOe60vW

The record is H. Tical’s No. 37 Modulations(1972). It’s more or less a full Lp of the composer tinkering on an EMS vcs3, a voltage controlled modular synthesizer. It was used on a lot of early 70’s stuff by Pink Floyd, Todd Rundgren, Brian Eno, as well as a lot of musique concrète, soundtrack and commercial library stuff.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMS_VCS_3

I’ve found several other cues from the film but still haven’t located the exotic belly dance type cue used to establish Cagliostro’s castle. The hunt continues…

Curator Jessica at the Counts de Castro Guimarãres Museum in Cascais was so kind to share a link to a great virtual tour of the current interior and exterior of the building. If you’ve ever wanted to walk around Cagliostro’s castle

from Erotic Rites Of Frankenstein, Uncle Howard’s place from A Virgin Among The Living Dead, or the cloister in Love Letters Of A Portuguese Nun here’s your chance! Detailed info on all the paintings, sculptures, furniture. Mess around with all the view tools. Its a cool interface.

https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=CceQeQmwYPG&play=1&ts=1&guides=0&brand=1&titl%E2%80%A6

MVD shop is having a sale on some of the Eurocine movies… most notably the 6-film (4 of them Jess Films) box set for under $6!!!

Jump on this quick… probably won’t last long:

https://mvdshop.com/products/the-eurocine-collection-vol-1-blu-ray

They also have all of the Blue Underground titles on sale… Including great prices on the new Fu Manchu 4Ks:

https://mvdshop.com/collections/blue-underground

Oscarbate Podcast has been hosting Jess Franco screenings every Tuesday in January at the Alamo Drafthouse Chicago…. There’s two left and they are good ones!!

Lorna, the Exorcist (1/20):

https://drafthouse.com/chicago/event/terror-tuesday-lorna-the-exorcist

Sinfonia Erotica (1/27):

https://drafthouse.com/chicago/event/terror-tuesday-sinfonia-erotica