Customer Reviews

Succubus

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Succubus" invites repeat viewings, if only because your first thought upon reaching the final scene will be: What the hell? But that just makes it a perfect '60s Eurotrash time capsule. The beautiful Janine Reynaud (in the book "Sleazoid Express," she's aptly described as a "Gallic Dyanne Thorne") stars as a nightclub performer who has a successful S&M stage show and a hot romance with her manager. She also has dreams that take her to a castle where she wears fabulous Karl Lagerfeld gowns and indulges in pretentious verbal sparring matches that lead to nudity and suggested sex, then murder. But maybe they're not dreams at all. Maybe she does know that mysterious stranger that keeps popping up periodically throught the film. And maybe she is indeed possessed by the devil. And maybe someone wants to kill her. Or, possibly, she's just attended one LSD orgy (complete with a drag queen, a dwarf and a dog puppet) too many. Nevermind. Once you accept the fact that the movie has no plans on becoming coherent, "Succubus" is a lot of fun to watch, the celluloid equivalent of hallucinogenic drugs. Director Jess Franco keeps us entertained by heaping on plenty of atmosphere and artsy camera work while star Reynaud helps out with her screen presence. Though the movie was rated X when first released, it would barely get an R today with its nudity, mostly of the T&A variety, and sex scenes that show the seduction or afterglow but bypass the act itself. The only true sex scene is filmed through a fish tank. Groovy.

Succubus (aka Necronomicon) is actually one of Jess Franco's better films, which means it's still pretty problematic. On the negative side, it's indifferently paced, unevenly photographed, and laughably pretentious. On the postitive side, it's imaginative, short, surreal, often beautifully photograped, and laughably pretentious. Hey, Fritz Lang loved it, so it can't be all bad. Plot, what there is of one, concerns a stripper whose act ends with her "killing" her fellow, tied down, performers. Increasingly she begins to lose grip on reality, and to its credit, so does the film. You're never quite sure if what you see is part of the plot or one of her elaborate fantasies. This is nicely done, although it often leads to absurd interior monologues and sub-Godard "arty" dialogue, often with gratuitous name dropping (Stockhausen, Kafka, Camus, DeSade, you get the picture). It's not often clear if Franco is lampooning this sort of self-consciously highbrow talk, or actively indulging in it, although I'm inclined towards the former. Somewhat predictably for the period, the film features drugs, a drag queen, people barking like dogs, and a dwarf. Oh, she might be an agent of Satan, but that's not quite clear. Like a great many Euro Trash titles, Succubus improves upon repeat viewings, so give this one time. There's a great scene involving mannequins which may, or may not, be attacking a woman. That alone is worth the price of admission. This (along with Diabolical Dr. Z, Kiss Me, Monster, and Awful Dr. Orloff) definitely shows that Franco had a great deal of potential in the Sixties, most of which seemed to evaporate in the Seventies. Still, his "resources be damned, it's my God given right to make movies" attitude has to be admired. I'm glad he exists, but I'd still rather watch Baba Yaga any day.

The DVD is not faded out as suggested. Dream sequences were filmed using a filter in order to create a soft lighting effect.

Jess Franco, Spanish cinema's enfant terrible, has made some laughably bad films over the years, but Succubus (Necronomicon) is probably better than most. It's a delirious romp through an exotic night club performer's dementia. Although there's no actual sex in the film, it is fairly kinky and features an acid-fueled "love in", with a midget and a cross dresser. The film is by turns mesmerizing and ridiculous. It's a good party movie.

Loved this Franco flick. LOVED it. After watching the original Anchor Bay version a few years back, and didn't think much of it - this new Blue Underground transfer is a whole new experience of cheesy 60's psychedalia from the master of Spanish sleaze, and more than worth the double-dip for Franco fans.

I wonder who Jess Franco was trying to appeal to with this movie. Supposedly, it is a horror movie about a women who may or may not be possessed by the devil, but it isn't really scary. It might have been a sex film, as we see copious amounts of Janine Reynaud's breasts and bum, but it wasn't really erotic. It might have been an art film, but it wasn't really good enough.

Janine Reynaud plays Lorna Green, a stripper who is disengaged from reality. Her boyfriend William seems to understand something of her sinister existence, but it is not revealed what he really understands. Together, William and Lorna (it might not be her real name, it is left ambiguous in the movie) go to bizarre parties (complete with midgets, dog masks, and drunk cross dressers), Lorna's S&M show, and so on... But, at night it seems that Lorna seduces people and kills them inside a seaside mansion.

What is really going on is never explained... it doesn't really have to be. Reality and fantasy are completely interchangable, and both of them move at more or less the same pace and have more or less the same feel to them. Some scenes move slower than others, but all of them are filled with a slew of imagery and symbolism, which seem almost pretentious on Jess Franco's part. He constantly goes through names of writers and film makers and has characters provide a one word description for them... Most people would be lost with all the references, showing that Franco was aiming for a better read audience.

Yet, at the same time, Franco could be losing that very same audience. The voice overs that narrate each characters thoughts are painful. Jack Taylor's (William) acting is perfectly one dimensional, seldom changing... even when his life is in incredible danger. Perhaps Jess Franco wanted it that way... but it certainly was not impressive. So the people that are familiar with the people that he mentioned (most notably Lang, Bunuel and Godard) would be more accustomed to the more refined styles of the aformentioned directors and see this movie as B-grade tripe.

This movie seemed to defy categorization and at the same time defy every potential viewer. Everyone can find something in this movie that they do not like, but not everyone can find something that they do. I did. I thought that the movie presented interesting ideas and as pretentious as it was the symbolism was entertaining to identify and deconstruct.

Be warned that the colors in this dvd are exceptionally bright and washed out. The movie itself is great, in an Ed Wood mimics softcore Godard ala Bava sort of way. But if you're expecting a quality dvd image, think again. The transfer is acceptable, but the print is as faded as a hippy's blue jeans.

"Succubus" is incoherent, confusing, and, above all, very very boring. I mean i like weird, surreal movies, movies when it's very hard for the viewer to separate the reality from the dream, but this movie sucks big time!!
And even though i thought it will be at least a horror movie, well i was wrong! In fact "Succubus" is NOT a horror movie at all.
My advice is: Avoid this at all coasts!!!! Only recommended for those who suffer from insomnia!!!!

This movie is very pathetic! It is confusing, boring and..... boring. It isn't scary at all, in fact this can't be called a
"horror movie", it would be a terrible mistake!!!!!
During the movie i fell asleep for a few times and my father waked me up!
You can buy any other movie instead of it and you will be satisfied with your choice!