Vampyros
Lesbos
(1971/Severin Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B Extras: B+ Film: B+
Severin
pulls out all the stops and what may be two of the most exciting
releases to come to Blu-ray so far this year. Jess Franco's cult
masterpieces Vampyros
Lesbos
and She
Killed In Ecstasy
for the first time in high definition, with gorgeous slipcase
packaging, multiple discs, and extras that are very factual and
feature some of Franco's last onscreen interviews before he passed.
Please note that this edition is limited to only 7,500 units.
If
you are a fan of cult films as I am, I hold Vampyros
Lesbos
in a very high regard. This film is not only erotic but artfully
made with beautiful camerawork, an incredible performance by the late
Soledad Miranda, and an infamous score by Manfred Hubler and
Siegfriend Shwag that has gone down in history as being one of the
greatest psychedelic scores of all time. If you haven't seen this
film and you enjoy vampire films, this is a must. Is it Eurotrash
Cinema? Absolutely, but done in the best possible way.
What's
great is that Severin thought to include a CD with She
Killed In Ecstasy
that highlights three scores for Jess Franco films, including
excerpts of some of the best tracks featured in Vampyros
Lesbos.
Once you hear this soundtrack, trust me in saying that you will want
to seek it out and listen to it solo.
In
Istanbul, the lawyer of Simpson & Simpson, Linda Westinghouse,
has erotic dreams with a strange woman every night and her analyst
Dr. Alwin Seward suggests her to find another lover. Linda is
assigned to resolve an inheritance issue with the Hungarian Countess
Nadine Oskudar that has inherited a real estate from Count Dracula.
Linda
leaves her boyfriend Omar in the Istanbul Hilton and travels to the
Kadidados Island. While waiting for transportation in the continent,
Linda is advised by a local that the island would be a place of death
and insanity and she should not travel to there. However, she does
not pay attention to the man and meets Countess Oskudar that is a
lesbian vampire fascinated by Linda.
The
Countess drinks the blood of Linda and she has amnesia and is sent to
a mental institution where Dr. Steiner, who is also a vampire expert,
treats her and puts an advertisement in the newspapers. Omar finds
Linda and Dr. Steiner teaches her how to kill a vampire. Linda has
to be very powerful to resist the spell of Countess Oskudar that has
a crush on her and destroy the vampire.
Restored
in high definition in its original 1.66:1 widescreen aspect ratio,
the film has never looked or sounded better than it does here, even
of minor age flaws show up as expected. I really can't commend
Severin enough on this crisp transfer. The audio is a crisp PCM 2.0
German Stereo track as originally recorded. English subtitles as
well.
Extras
include:
Vampyros
Jesus: Interview featurette with Director Jess Franco
Sublime
Soledad: Interview with Soledad Miranda Historian Amy Brown
Stephen
Thrower on Vampyros Lesbos: Interview with Author of 'Murderous
Passions'
The
Delirious Cinema Of Jess Franco
Jess
Is Yoda Clip
Alternate
German Opening Title Sequence
Dracula's
Heiress - German Trailer
The
second disc is a DVD that contains Las
Vampiras,
which is the alternate Spanish Language VHS Version With Optional
English Subtitles and a presentation in standard definition.
-
James Harland Lockhart V
www.facebook.com/jhl5films
