Franco's films are always cheap, quick, and easy- and yet the gorgeous cinematography always elevates them to the next level and makes them into art. Imagine if he actually put time and effort into creating an emotionally impactful story with good pacing. Anyway, his films always have a sense of absolute abandon and true passion to them that really allows you to get lost in them. You can tell they really believe in what they're doing, and even if it is a cheap movie they aren't just cash ins, they are his personal artistic vision- although that vision really is mainly about carnal pleasure and transgression. This one, like many of Franco's films, is based on a work by De Sade. I wish I knew which one, I enjoy De Sade and I think his works are funny, satirical, philosphical, gleeful in their transgression of social codes but biting in their wit and obvious in their playful nature. Much like Franco. These aren't works of cold, hard violence and torture. They're erotic works of humor that defy society and morality with violence and torture. And Sex. And that's different... in my opinion.
I wish there was a bit more plot here, as there's more sex scenes than there is scenes which advance the story, but maybe that's true to De Sade as well. Maybe not though, as De Sade's stories are usually littered with lengthy philosophical monologues.
That's not to say the plot is nonexistent, there is a plot and it's quite interesting, it's just that the majority of the movie doesn't actually involve it.
Anyway, an absolutely wonderful display of libertinage, elevated by decadent camerawork. Classic Jesus Franco.
