It’s always the perfect time to showcase another Jess Franco release. There seem to be one or two releases a month, and I don’t want to miss out. Voodoo Passion (1977) comes courtesy of Full Moon Features. The film pairs Franco with frequent collaborator Erwin Dietrich in a tale of sex, voodoo, and murder.
As most of you know, Franco’s resume is either hit or miss, but I enjoyed this one for what it’s worth. Voodoo Passion is a loose remake of his 1970 feature Nightmares Come at Night. With every release, my appreciation for the sleaze auteur continues to grow, regardless of how good or bad his work can be.
Susan (Ada Tauler) moves to Haiti to be with her husband, Jack (Jack Taylor). He has a very disturbing relationship with his sister Olga (Karine Gambier), which may be incestuous. Susan begins to have very vivid sexual dreams, eventually driving her into the world of black magic. With her sexual lust growing and her recent macabre obsessions, she finds herself smack dab in the middle of bloody voodoo rituals that are close to driving her over the edge.
Franco was always a proponent of Jazz music, and this soundtrack really leans into that, combining it with ritualistic drums. Legendary composer Walter Baumgartner handles the score and delivers it beautifully. He was a frequent collaborator to Franco, delivering soundtracks for films like Caged Women (1980), Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun (1977), and Women in Cellblock 9 (1978). The music drives the movie, but the story plays things simple with the focus being on the sex.
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Many people might consider Voodoo Passion to be a miss, but there’s something about it I dig. The film looks better than many of Franco’s films, and most locations are breathtaking. The cast is solid, with Vicky Adams giving a stand-out performance.
Full Moon can sometimes release titles without giving proper attention to the transfer, but this one looks great. It could use a little punch-up regarding grain, but the colors pop well enough, so this release should satisfy most fans. There’s a handful of bonus features: Franco, Bloody Franco: an audio interview with Jess Franco (French w/English subtitles), a rare photo slideshow, a German trailer, and a vintage Franco trailer reel. All in all, it’s a solid release.
It may not be Franco’s masterpiece, but it is much better than most deem it.
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