Cover Gallery for JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY

 

New Release - EXORCISMO: DEFYING A DICTATOR & RAISING HELL IN POST-FRANCO SPAIN

We are very happy to have been a small part of the generous extras on this amazing set! Robert Monell and I collaborated on a track for the brilliant A BELL FROM HELL and Troy Guinn and I Naschycast-ed our way through THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE DARK. But there are so many great films in this set it is mind-bending, including several that have only been viewable in horribly degraded copies for decades. Cinema fans are living in wonderful times!

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EXORCISMO: DEFYING A DICTATOR & RAISING HELL IN POST-FRANCO SPAIN

Order Link: https://severinfilms.com/.../exorcismo-defying-a-dictator...

SEVERIN FILMS ILLUMINATES FRANCO-ERA/POST-FRANCO SPANISH GENRE CINEMA WITH EXORCISMO COLLECTION

This Release Showcases 19 Feature Films Including Award-Winning Documentary, Plus New 168-Page Book & 21+ Combined Hours of Bonus Features

Having endured decades of strict censorship laws under General Franco’s authoritarian rule, Spain’s entertainment industry fought to liberate cinematic expression before and after the dictator's death in 1975. Faced with an opportunity to subvert the regime’s values and protest the Catholic Church’s rigid restrictions, Spanish filmmakers began to defiantly explore banned themes such as sex, violence and horror. With the post-Franco Clasificada “S” rating, which restricted these films to audiences over 18, this active rebellion marked a shift in the nation and audiences considered this period of cinema to be a cultural ‘exorcismo.’ Honoring the art of resistance-by-cinema, EXORCISMO: DEFYING A DICTATOR & RAISING HELL IN POST-FRANCO SPAIN spotlights 18 films that launched a celluloid revolution, including infamous features directed by Eloy de la Iglesia, León Klimovsky, Javier Aguirre and Eugenio Martín. 

Also included is writer/producer/director Alberto Sedano’s acclaimed 2024 documentary EXORCISMO: THE TRANSGRESSIVE LEGACY OF CLASIFICADA “S”, which explores the history behind the notorious rating that rocked Spanish culture, changed the face of genre films and left its mark on global cinema forever. The 168-page EXORCI“S”MO! features new essays by Alberto Sedano, Alejandro Melero, Álex Mendíbil, Shelagh Rowan-Legg and Daniel Kowalski, plus poster/stills galleries and more. The majority of the titles in this unprecedented collection are Worldwide Blu-ray Premieres scanned in 4K from original camera negatives, with over 21 combined hours of new and archival Special Features.

 

Disc 1: Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada "S" / Far from the Trees (Lejos de los árboles)

Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada "S" Special Feature:

● Trailer 

Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada "S" Disc Specs:

Runtime: 123 mins

Audio: Spanish / English 5.1, Spanish / English Stereo

Subtitles: English For Spanish Audio, English For All Audio

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Far from the Trees Disc Specs:

Runtime: 103 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Disc 2: The Bell from Hell (La campana del infierno) / Creation of the Damned (El refugio del miedo)

The Bell from Hell Special Features:

● Audio Commentary With Kat Ellinger, Author Of Daughters Of Darkness

● Audio Commentary With Rod Barnett, Film Historian And Co-Host Of NaschyCast, And Robert Monell, Writer And Editor Of I'm In A Jess Franco State Of Mind

● Censorship And Curses – Film Scholar Dr. Álex Mendíbil On THE BELL FROM HELL

● Trailer

● LUCIANO (1965) – Short Film Co-Written/Directed By Claudio Guerín, Director Of THE BELL FROM HELL 

The Bell from Hell Disc Specs:

Runtime: 97 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono, English Mono

Subtitles: English, English SDH

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Creation of the Damned Special Features:

● Audio Commentary With Antonio Lázaro-Reboll, Author Of Spanish Horror Film

● I'm Proud Of My Films – Interview With Director José Ulloa

● Being There – Interview With Camera Assistant Paco Marín

● Trailer

● Still Gallery 

Creation of the Damned Disc Specs:

Runtime: 96 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono, English Mono

Subtitles: English, English SDH

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Disc 3: The Devil's Exorcist (El juego del diablo) / After... Part One: Can't You Be Left Alone? (Después de... Primera parte: No se os puede dejar solos?)

The Devil’s Exorcist Special Features:

● Play Film With Alternate Opening

● Audio Commentary With Shelagh Rowan-Legg, Author Of The Spanish Fantastic, And Film Critic/Educator Simon Laperrière

● A Daring Film – Interview With Actor Jack Taylor

● Horror Comes From The Church – Interview With Cinematographer José Luis Alcaine

● Sound Experiments – Interview With Composer José Nieto

● Trailer 

The Devil’s Exorcist Disc Specs:

Runtime: 84 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono, English Mono

Subtitles: English, English SDH

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

After... Part One: Can't You Be Left Alone? Disc Specs:

Runtime: 94 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Disc 4: The People Who Own the Dark (Último deseo)

The People Who Own the Dark Special Features:

● Audio Commentary With Rod Barnett And Troy Guinn, Film Historians/Co-Hosts Of NaschyCast (Spanish Cut Only)

● Joking On Set – Interview With Actor Antonio Mayans

● A Unique Iconography In Spanish Terror – Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival, On THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE DARK

● Trailer

 

The People Who Own the Dark Disc Specs:

Runtime: 100 mins (Spanish Cut) / 83 mins (U.S. Cut)

Audio: Spanish Mono (Spanish Cut Only) / English Mono (U.S. Cut Only)

Subtitles: English (Spanish Cut Only) / English SDH (U.S. Cut Only)

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 (Spanish Cut Only) / 1.85:1 (U.S. Cut Only)

Disc 5: Battered Flesh (Carne apaleada) / The Priest (El sacerdote)

Battered Flesh Special Features:

● Audio Commentary With Shelagh Rowan-Legg, Author Of The Spanish Fantastic, And Spanish Cinema Professor/Scholar Alejandro Melero

● A Spain To Break – Interview With Actress Sandra Alberti 

Battered Flesh Disc Specs:

Runtime: 99 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

The Priest Special Features:

● The Socialist Priest – Interview With Actor Emilio Gutiérrez Caba

● A Provocative Filmmaker – Interview With Actor Martín Garrido Ramis

● EL OTRO LUIS (1975) – Short Film By Eloy De La Iglesia’s Friend And Collaborator Alejo Loren

 

The Priest Disc Specs:

Runtime: 100 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Disc 6: Sins of a Nympho (Bacanal en directo) / Dimorfo

Sins of a Nympho Special Features:

● I Regret Nothing – Interview With Assistant Director Alejo Loren

● Trailer 

Sins of a Nympho Disc Specs:

Runtime: 85 mins

Audio: Spanish Stereo

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Dimorfo Special Features:

● The Haunted Cartoonist – Spanish Film Scholar Dr. Álex Mendíbil On The Films Of Rodjara

● Alternate Credit Sequences

 

Dimorfo Disc Specs:

Runtime: 95 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Disc 7: Bloody Sex (Sexo sangriento) / Morbus

Bloody Sex Special Features:

● Audio Commentary With David Flint, Author Of Babylon Blue: An Illustrated History Of Adult Cinema

● A Bohemian Life – Interview With Producer Gloria Sancho

● Lobby Card Gallery 

Bloody Sex Disc Specs:

Runtime: 82 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Morbus Special Features:

● Sex And Horror – Interview With Director Ignasi P. Ferré

● A Well-Deserved Recognition – Interview With Actress Carmen Serret

● THE EVIL FACES OF VĺCTOR ISRAEL (2010) – Archival Documentary 

Morbus Disc Specs:

Runtime: 87 mins

Audio: Catalan Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Disc 8: Faces (Rostros) / Triangle of Lust (Desnuda ante el espejo)

Faces Special Features:

● An Unclassifiable Movie – Ángel Sala, Head Of Programming At The Sitges Film Festival, On FACES

● Trailer 

Faces Disc Specs:

Runtime: 93 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Triangle of Lust Special Features:

● Audio Commentary With David Flint, Author Of Babylon Blue: An Illustrated History Of Adult Cinema

● Extended/Alternate Scenes 

Triangle of Lust Disc Specs:

Runtime: 91 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono, English Mono

Subtitles: English, English SDH

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Disc 9: That House in the Outskirts (Aquella casa en las afueras) / Supernatural (Sobrenatural)

That House in the Outskirts Special Features:

● A Very Strong Character – Interview With Actress Silvia Aguilar

● Trailer 

That House in the Outskirts Disc Specs:

Runtime: 101 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Supernatural Special Features:

● Audio Commentary With David Flint, Editor Of Desperate Living

● Supernatural Effects – Interview With Actor Máximo Valverde

● English Title Sequence

● Trailer

● TV Spot

 

Supernatural Disc Specs:

Runtime: 90 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono, English Mono

Subtitles: English, English SDH

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Disc 10: Poppers / After... Part Two: Tied Up and Tied Up Well (Después de... Segunda parte: Atado y bien atado)

Poppers Special Features:

● A Bold And Delirious Movie – Interview With Art Director Javier Fernández

● A Film Like No Other – Interview With Assistant Director Eduardo Campoy

● Trailer

 

Poppers Disc Specs:

Runtime: 83 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

After... Part Two: Tied Up and Tied Up Well Disc Specs:

Runtime: 103 mins

Audio: Spanish Mono

Subtitles: English

Region Free

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

 

Beyond Naschy #38 - SUCCUBUS (1968)

The Naschycast returns to the world of Jess Franco for an erotic ramble through late 1960’s Lisbon and Berlin. Bob Sargent joins Troy and I to examine SUCCUBUS (1968) because Bob wanted to rewatch the film. Two of us had not watched it in years and the third had never even seen it before! We turned this into a trip to the unwatched DVD pile again to take a look at the starting point for a certain type of Franco cinema. Your tolerance for the director’s sense of humor and the absurd will determine your level of enjoyment.

We use Stephen Thrower’s excellent book on the work of Franco to guide us and to provide a brief synopsis of the film. We waffle through a discussion touching on the cast connections to Paul Naschy but mostly talk about our reactions to the often surrealistic events involving S & M stage performer Lorna (Janine Reynaud). She seems to be navigating a strange period in her life with reoccurring visions of a different life impinging on her supposed reality. We see her interact with various romantic partners who end up dead at her hands - or is that really what is happening? Along the way we get striking images, amusing commentary on arthouse pretentions and philosophical silliness draped in an encroaching ennui that seems to define Lorna’s confused life. Can cinema be therapy? 

Along the way we are reminded to always fear mannequins but we also take heart from the Algernon Charles Swinburne poem Faustine that seems to have been a major influence on the film.  Of course, we all wish a for a Blu-Ray release complete with multiple versions of this important effort. It clearly signposted many future Jess Franco films that fans laud to this day.

 If you have and comments naschycast@gmail.com is the place to send them. Thank you for listening and we’ll be back soon. 

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