VAMPYROS LESBOS
****
Directed by Jess Franco.
Starring Soledad Miranda, Eva Strömberg, Dennis Price.
Horror, Spain/Germany, 89 Minutes, Certificate 18.
Released on 4K UHD and Blu-ray in the UK on 30th March by Severin Films
Out of his one hundred and eighty or so films, it could be argued that VAMPYROS LESBOS is director Jess Franco’s most recognisable, the one that comes closest to the outer fringes of the mainstream. Perhaps it is one of those films where the title of the film is its most famous aspect, marking itself out as part of that wave of films of the late 1960’s and early 70’s that were all too eager to take advantage of relaxed attitudes to onscreen sex and violence and explore sapphic vampires in all their swinging glory. Manfred Hübler’s and Siegfried Schwab’s funky psychedelic score, which when re-released on CD in 1996 hit the UK album charts for several weeks, brought the film to the attention of many, especially fans of Tarantino who used the most famous track “The Lion and the Cucumber” on his own JACKIE BROWN soundtrack. It could be argued however that a large part of that audience were perhaps unwilling to shell out more cash for a VHS copy of the film to see what it actually was all about, thinking it was nothing more than a naff/groovy slice of vintage softcore Euro-horror. Thanks to the advent of boutique Blu-ray labels and the extraordinary in-depth books of Stephen Thrower however, Franco and his vast body of work are now viewed through a lens of reappraisal, one that is still too far out for the masses maybe, but for lovers of cult cinema and its weirder, rougher edges is a veritable goldmine.
So what is VAMPYROS LESBOS actually about? The plot, such as it is, features Linda, a woman working in Turkey who is plagued by dreams of a seductive woman, played by Franco’s muse Soledad Miranda. When Linda finally meets the woman of her dreams, going by the title of Countess Carody, in the flesh, their attraction, involving much blood drinking, sparks off a dream like spiral into madness and death. It may not sound like much, but Franco’s keystone film somehow transcends the need for such basic cinematic niceties. At the same time it also reveals itself as much more transgressive than its softcore nature suggests. Drifting away from the more formal nature of his previous films, including his severely flawed COUNT DRACULA adaptation starring Christopher Lee, this sees Franco go wild, following his own creative instincts and throwing his obsessions onscreen for everyone to see. The camera zooms in and out, focussing equally on salacious shots of exposed flesh in extreme close-up but also other aspects that look like they have captured Franco’s attention at that exact moment. Ships in the background, floating kites, and drowning scorpions flit onto the screen while the psychedelic sitar driven score fades in and out of random radio transmissions. All too often certain films are referred to as dreamlike but Franco manages to completely capture that sense of complete randomness that somehow feels like it makes perfect sense at the time.
Re-released on 4K UHD by Severin, this is a superlative example of remastering, capturing the films original sun-dazed look in sharp detail, bringing its 1970 setting into sharp, glorious focus, making the films Turkish locations mesh with the hazy atmosphere of the storyline to beautiful effect. Looking as fresh as it did on its release in the early seventies, it captures Franco’s vision beautifully, highlighting shots and scenes that show off his style for striking and artistic composition that many audiences ignored, choosing instead to fixate on his more salacious tendencies. The disc is also complemented by a generous wealth of extras that total over five hours. Many of these may be familiar to those who brought the previous Blu-ray release but there are a number of new features on offer here, including an enlightening documentary with Franco expert Stephen Thrower visiting the film's locations and his collaborators. Also of particular interest is an interview with Oscar winning filmmaker Sean Baker, enthusing at length on Franco and Soledad Miranda and the film's many influences, stylistic and otherwise, on his own smash hit, award winning ANORA.
Baker likens Franco’s directorial style to improvisational jazz. While such a statement could turn as many people away as draw them in, it is a fitting one. The film's loose nature may not be to everyone's taste but its defiantly non-traditional take on the vampirism legend cannot be denied. Influential in its own right, it stands out as a prime slice of Euro-horror erotica. While it may not be as highbrow as Harry Kumel’s highly regarded DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS, released at almost the same time, it still deserves to be seen as a singular film. Expertly presented in every way, this is a definitive release that has much to recommend it for both longtime admirers and for newcomers, not just to this particular film but Franco’s eccentric and singular body of work.
Iain MacLeod