Jess Franco

Is this high art or just pure trash? Does anyone actually enjoy his work?
Also, where can I find his films? Aside from Amazon and similar sites, is there any way to get NTSC DVDs shipped over from the States?😢

Daughter of Dracula (1972)

On her deathbed, Dracula's mother reveals the truth about Louise's vampire heritage. After visiting the family crypt, Louise discovers a shock: an ancient vampire relative is still alive and hungry. From there, Louise begins spreading the vampiric infection through a small town.

It’s a slow burn—honestly, pretty tedious at times—featuring some rather wooden acting. Sure, you get the occasional gorgeous exterior shot or decent interior set, but they’re overshadowed by boring piano music and sloppy editing. Franco directs this one himself, and it marks the first appearance of Lina Romay.

Fetish elements: boots, nylon stockings, sheer lingerie, stripteases, and lesbian themes. 😍

The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein (1972) la maldición de Frankenstein

Dr. Frankenstein doesn't get much time to celebrate bringing his monster back to life before a gorgeous vampire bites him. Turns out she’s working for Count Cagliostro, who's planning to take control of everyone.

It was filmed at the same location as Daughter of Dracula and uses a lot of the same cast, so it feels like a spiritual sequel. The soundtrack is actually decent, but there’s no sex or nudity—which is a real shame given how great the setting looks. It’s also Lina Romay’s first big role, though she feels like she was just edited in from a completely different movie.

Fetish stuff: women in chains, high boots, whips.

The old deviant Franca 😍

He left behind a legacy of over a hundred films spanning just about every genre imaginable—Westerns, B-movie action, horror, and those gritty exploitation gems you can't look away from. Most were packed with explicit scenes... he was really a one-of-a-kind phenomenon in this industry.

Vampyros Lesbos (1971) 😍

EDIT: And yeah, he might have been the only director besides Werner Herzog who actually had the guts to rein in Klaus Kinskog on set.