Unfinished Franco

Some rare images from two unfinished Jesus Franco film. These appeared in a lengthy article on the director in the French Vampirella, issue nr. 13. The first two are from El Misterio del Castillo Rojo (1972), Franco's first production for his own company, Manacoa Films. Often listed as completed, the film was never finished. The last three are from the tantalisingly titled, Le Manoir du Pendu (1973). This was shot back-to-back with La Noche de los Asesinos and would feature the ubiquitous Lina Romay alongside Antonio Mayans, Alberto Dalbes, Susan Swan and Dan Van Hussen. Sadly, it wasn't always sunny in Manacoa...

Eurostarlets #021: Julie Ege

Norwegian starlet Julie Ege on the cover of Stars System (issue #9 - January 1977). Apart from appearing as the Scandinavian Bond Girl in On her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), the former Miss Norway, Miss Universe and Penhouse pet was a regular feature in early 1970s UK horrors such as Creatures the World Forgot (1971), The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1973), Craze (1973), The Final Programme (1973) and The Mutations (1973).

Sex Stars System was a French film magazine dedicated to the nude and erotic aspects of generally non-mainstream cinema. 18 monthly issues were released between 1975 and 1976 (the scheduled release of issue #19 is unconfirmed). In December 1976, the magazine's name was changed to Stars System, starting with a new enumeration. On the editorial board one finds Jean-Pierre Bouyxou, film critic, filmmaker, actor, writer and editor in chief (for 30 issues between 1978 and 1986) of the vintage erotica magazine, Fascination. Bouyxou also wrote, amongst others, for the French issues of Vampirella (the French issues focused on genre films between the regular comics) and Ciné-Girl which is similar in style to Sex Stars System. As a writer/actor Bouyxou also worked with Alain Payet, Jesus Franco and Jean Rollin. The style and mood of Rollin's 1979 film, Fascination was influenced by Bouyxou's erotica magazine of the same name.

El Mexico y el Sexo

Apparently discovered in a warehouse vault of the Calderon family, the elusive El Vampiro y el Sexo (1968), the export version of Santo en el Tesoro de Dracula, containing 12 minutes of alternate nude footage, has as of yet to turn up in any form. Here are some images from a French Vampirella issue. This French version of the famous comic, unlike most English language issues I have encountered, divides its pages with the traditional comics on one hand, and a gorgeous variety of horror movie articles and images on the other. As pointed out by the magazine, the nude version was released in France under the title of Le Trésor de Dracula. It is also worth noting that David Pirie's excellent book, The Vampire Cinema (1977), also contains a few images from the nude version of this film.

A common practice in Mexico at the time to create more daring and nude version of their film for export purposes to more tolerant markets, only a handful are now know: Los Leprosos y el Sexo is the export version of the western style adventure, Santo contra los Jinetes del Terror (1970), which was released in France as Les Cavaliers de la Terreur; El Asesino Loco y el Sexo is the nude alternative for Las Luchadoras vs el Robot Asesino (1969), and most famously, Horror y Sexo, the considerably sleazed up, and in fact, most common version of El Horripilante Bestia Humana (1969).

Oddly, the James Bond inspired Santo adventure, Operación 67 (1967), contains a strip act in a seedy bar, with a girl, draped in a long cape, dancing on a stage. As she slides down the cape, it is revealed that she is wearing an exceedingly skimpy and risqué costume, her breasts covered with small pasties. Surprisingly, for this is the Mexican version and not some alternate cut, she then proceeds to remove the pasties to dance topless for a considerable length of time, giving us a nice view of her pert bum as well.