Ilsa, the Wicked Warden (Replacement Disc) – Kino Korber (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Switzerland/West Germany/Canada, 1977
Director: Jesús Franco
Writers: Jesús Franco, Erwin C. Dietrich
Cast: Dyanne Thorne, Lina Romay, Angela Ritschard, Peggy Markoff, Esther Studer, Howard Maurer, Eric Falk, Tania Busselier

Release Date: April 28th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 11 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $44.95

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative."

Ilsa, the Wicked Warden comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 67.2 GB

Feature: 65.7 GB

Kino Lorber has resolved the incorrect color space issue, resulting in a significantly improved image. In addition to fixing the color space problem, this new disc is also a slightly smaller file compared to the original disc.

Ilsa, the Wicked Warden comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray. 

Disc Size: 42.9 GB

Feature: 26.9 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Although the track sounds clean and clear because of its overdubbing, there is an unevenness when it comes to range. That said, dialogue always comes through clear enough to follow.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an archival audio commentary with actress Dyanne Thorne and actor Howard Maurer, moderated by humorist Martin Lewis and an audio commentary with film critic Troy Howarth.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 42 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), a gallery of artwork and stills with music from the film playing in the background, a vintage promotional short featuring interviews with director Jess Franco and producer Erwin C. Dietrich (11 minutes 27 seconds, DTS-HD stereo German and English with non-removable English subtitles), Uh-Oh... It's ILSA! Part two of a sidebar conversation with novelist and critic Tim Lucas and author and critic Stephen R. Bissette (70 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Stephen Thrower, author of Flowers of Perversion: The Delirious Cinema of Jesús Franco titled A Thorne by Any Other Name (41 minutes 29 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Dyanne Thorne, Howard Maurer, and Martin Lewis, and an audio commentary with Troy Howarth.

Other extras include reversible art and an O-card slipcase (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

A woman trying to locate her missing sister gets a doctor to commit her to a psychiatric hospital for women, the last place her sister was seen. Once inside, she experiences brutality and depravity at the hands of the patients and those in charge.

Although labeled as an Isla film, Ilsa, the Wicked Warden is a sequel only in name. Outside of the U.S., the film is also known as Greta, House Without Men, and this renaming is likely due to its leading lady, Dyanne Thorne, who starred in three Ilsa films. Ilsa, the Wicked Warden, marks Jess Franco's return to the women-in-prison subgenre, a genre he initially explored with 99 Women.

Ilsa, the Wicked Warden, was made in response to another Jess Franco film, Barbed Wire Dolls, an early success in his 18-film collaboration with producer Erwin Dietrich. While Ilsa, the Wicked Warden, fulfills the typical elements of the women-in-prison genre, including a significant amount of nudity and scenes of torture, it ultimately falls short of being Jess Franco's finest entry in this category. That said, when it comes to pushing the boundaries of depravity, this is an area where Ilsa, the Wicked Warden, beats all of Jess Franco’s other woman in prison films.

When it comes to the performances, the entire cast, especially Dyanne Thorne in the role of the wicked warden, delivers an enthusiastic performance that embraces the camp aspects of her character. Another performance of note is Jess Franco’s muse, Lina Romay, who delivers a scene-stealing performance as one of the patients. Her character is undoubtedly the most depraved, and in one particular scene, she forces another patient to use her mouth as toilet paper after having gone to the bathroom.

When it comes to pacing, things move at a deliberate pace that anyone familiar with Jess Franco has become accustomed to. While some backstory and exposition are included, Jess Franco primarily focuses on scenes of degradation. He also takes every opportunity to display the female cast in the nude, featuring several shower scenes, including a catfight that occurs in one of them. As mentioned before, the English dub is awkward, and there are many instances where the dialogue is unintentionally funny. Ultimately, Ilsa, the Wicked Warden, is a down-and-dirty exploitation film whose mob justice finale serves as a perfect climax.

Ilsa, the Wicked Warden gets a solid release from Kino Korber that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of informative extras. Recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

                                                                Correct Color Space.

                                                               Wrong Color Space.

                                                                 Correct Color Space.

                                                                 Wrong Color Space.

                                                                 Correct Color Space.

Wrong Color Space.

                                                                   Correct Color Space.

                                                                  Wrong Color Space.

                                                                Correct Color Space.

                                                                 Wrong Color Space.

Written by Michael Den Boer

What Have You Done to Solange? – Severin Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/West Germany/UK, 1972
Director: Massimo Dallamano
Writers: Bruno Di Geronimo, Massimo Dallamano
Cast: Fabio Testi, Karin Baal, Cristina Galbó, Joachim Fuchsberger, Günther Stoll, Claudia Butenuth, Camille Keaton, Pilar Castel

Release Date: October 20th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 107 Minutes 48 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region Free (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $49.95

"When a series of brutal sex murders rocks an all-girls Catholic college, suspicion falls on a philandering professor (Fabio Testi of CONTRABAND) whose own investigation will uncover a conspiracy of depravity." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "now scanned in 4K from the original camera negative."

What Have You Done to Solange? comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61 GB

Feature: 60 GB

The source looks excellent; it is a noticeable improvement over Arrow Video’s 2015 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, contrast, black levels, image clarity, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic appearance.

What Have You Done to Solange? comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.9 GB

Feature: 32.4 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and Ennio Morricone’s score sounds appropriately robust. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian-language track and removable English SDH for the English-language track.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with film critics Alan Jones and Kim Newman, and an audio commentary with Dr. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, author of Rape-Revenge Films: A Critical Study.

Extras on Blu-ray disc one include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Alan Jones and Kim Newman, and an audio commentary with Dr. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas.

Extras on Blu-ray disc two include an alternate trailer for What Have You Done to Solange under the title The Rah Rah Girls (33 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Fabio Testi titled Dallamano and the Others (21 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival conversation with actress Camille Keaton titled My Dinner With Solange (11 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with cinematographer Aristide Massaccesi titled The Light of Joe D'Amato (9 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with producer Fulvio Lucisano titled Echoes of Solange (10 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Pilar Castel titled What Have You Done To Pilar? (24 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Karin Baal titled What Have You Done To Decency? (13 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo German with removable English subtitles), an interview with editor Antonio Siciliano titled A Cut For Solange (22 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an archival video essay by crime fiction author Michael Mackenzie titled Innocence Lost: Solange and The “Schoolgirls In Peril” Trilogy (29 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

What Have You Done to Solange? was co-written and directed by Massimo Dallamano, who would only direct a total of twelve films before his untimely death at the age of fifty-nine. His most notable films as a director include What Have You Done to Solange? and What Have They Done to Your Daughters?. Before making the transition to directing, Massimo Dallamano was one of the most in-demand cinematographers. Some of his more notable films as a cinematographer included Gunfight at Red Sands, A Fistful of Dollars, Bullets Don’t Argue and For a Few Dollars More.

When discussing What Have You Done to Solange? There are two key collaborators to whom this film owes a great debt: The first of these two key collaborators is cinematographer Joe D’Amato, a filmmaker in his own right, who is most remembered for his collaborations with actress Laura Gemser. The most notable of these films include Emanuelle in America, Emanuelle Around the World, and Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals. The second of these two key collaborators is Ennio Morricone, whose diverse filmography includes The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Danger: Diabolik, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, and The Untouchables.

The thing that immediately draws you in while watching What Have You Done to Solange? is Ennio Morricone’s extraordinary score. It is a score that evokes themes of innocence lost, and nowhere is this more evident than during the deceptive opening credits, which depict a group of girls having the time of their lives while riding their bikes. From there, the film further establishes its menacing tone with a murder set piece during its opening scene. And though this moment of carnage is brief, its impact is far-reaching due to the gruesome nature of the kill. The killer stabs its victim, a young girl, in her vagina with a large knife. When it comes to murder set pieces, this film never shies away from their brutality.

Content-wise, What Have You Done to Solange? contains all of the components that one would want or expect from a Giallo! The narrative is well constructed, and there are an ample number of red herrings along the way to keep things interesting. And the characters are well defined and their motivations are clear. Other strengths of What Have You Done to Solange? include Massimo Dallamano’s restrained direction, which keeps most of the excessive violence off-screen by implying it instead of showing it. Fortunately, this restraint does not extend to all content, as there is a fair share of sleaze and never a shortage of naked school girls. And cinematographer Joe D’Amato’s rock-solid visuals elevate this film above a generic Giallo clone.

If there is one area where What Have You Done to Solange? goes against the grain when compared to its contemporaries, and that is in regard to casting. With its most glaring choice being Fabio Testi (The Big Racket,) in the lead male role, a schoolteacher named Enrico Rosseni, who is having an affair with one of the schoolgirls. He gives a dry performance that is virtually devoid of emotion, and his only saving grace is his psychic presence. Other notable performances include Cristina Galbó (Let Sleeping Corpses Lie) in the role of Elizabeth Seccles, the student who is having an affair with Rosseni, and Karin Baal (Dead Eyes of London) in the role of Rosseni’s wife, Herta. Last but not least, in the role of Solange, Camille Keaton (I Spit on Your Grave) delivers a powerful performance. Her character is spoken of for the majority of the film, and it is not until the final act that she really gets an ample amount of screen time. Having said that, despite her limited screen time, she gives one of the most memorable performances.

Without a doubt, What Have You Done to Solange?'s greatest strength is how it forges an identity all its own. Instead of going down the all-too-familiar route treaded by its contemporaries, mimicking Dario Argento’s distinctive visual style or trying to capitalize on what was trendy at the time, Ultimately, What Have You Done to Solange? is a film that is in a class all of its own as one of the best examples of what the Giallo genre has to offer.

What Have You Done to Solange? gets an excellent release from Severin Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of informative extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Survive Style 5+: Limited Edition – Third Window Films (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 2004
Director: Gen Sekiguchi
Writer: Taku Tada
Cast: Tadanobu Asano, Reika Hashimoto, Pierre Taki, Kyōko Koizumi, Asumi Miwa, Hiroshi Abe, Ittoku Kishibe, Yumi Asō, Shihori Kanjiya, Ryūnosuke Kamiki, Kanji Tsuda, Yoshiyuki Morishita, Jai West, Vinnie Jones as Jimmy Funky Knife, Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Tae Kimura, Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba, Tomokazu Miura

Release Date: October 19th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 119 Minutes 58 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 HDR10
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese/English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK)

"Five bizarre stories with no apparent connection to one another eventually become intertwined, resulting in surreal circumstances." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new director approved 4K transfer."

Survive Style 5+ comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 88 GB

Feature: 71.4 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors look appropriately vivid, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic appearance.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Japanese/English with removable English subtitles. The track sounds excellent; dialogue comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival Making of featurette (28 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Taku Tada (30 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an interview with director Gen Sekiguchi (13 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), a 0-Ring slipcover (limited to 2000 units), and a 12-page booklet (limited to 2000 units) with archival material and an essay titled Viva Friends! Ways of Seeing and Coping in Survive Style 5+ written by Simon Abrams.

Summary:

The narrative follows five paths: a man who keeps killing his wife only for her to return from the dead, a hypnotist who transforms a father into a chicken, a trio of friends who break into homes, an advertising executive who makes outlandish commercials that only she understands, and a British hitman and his Japanese translator. The narrative initially weaves between these characters' stories, which eventually become intertwined by the finale.

Right from the start, it’s evident that Survive Style 5+ is unlike anything that has come before or since. The opening scene—a man burying his wife—immediately captures attention. The first indication that Survive Style 5+ is a unique cinema experience occurs when the wife returns from the dead for the first time. From that point, the narrative shifts seamlessly from one character's story to the next, effectively building tension as it approaches the finale.

All around, the cast are excellent in their roles, as their performances fully embrace the madness that unfolds. Notable cast members are Tadanobu Asano (Ichi the Killer), who portrays the husband who continually kills his wife; Vinnie Jones (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), who portrays a hitman; and Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba (The Street Fighter), who portrays a CEO. While it is always cool to see Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba in a film, his role is very minor and only encompasses one scene.

Although Survive Style 5+ delves into darker subjects such as killing, it is primarily a comedy film, with humor that often leans toward the outlandish. The most humorous moments are scenes where Yoko's absurd commercial ideas come to life. Another strength of Survive Style 5+ is its use of pop culture references. Ultimately, Survive Style 5+ is a highly entertaining black comedy that's infused with style that greatly heightens the mood.

Survive Style 5+ gets an exceptional release from Third Window Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Women in Cellblock 9 – Delirium Home Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Switzerland, 1978
Director: Jesús Franco
Writer: Jesús Franco
Cast: Susan Hemingway, Karine Gambier, Howard Vernon, Cesar Anahory, Dora Doll, Aida Gouveia, Esther Studer

Release Date: September 30th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 77 Minutes 49 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Mono German, DTS-HD 5.1 German
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $41.98

"From the fevered, wonderfully perverted minds of Spanish filmmaker Jess Franco and Swiss producer Erwin C. Dietrich comes the notorious women-in-prison shocker Women in Cellblock 9 (aka Frauen für Zellenblock 9 and Tropical Inferno). The film stars Franco regulars Susan Hemingway (Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun), Howard Vernon (Faceless) and Karine Gambier (Satanic Sisters) and tells the tale of a gaggle of female freedom-fighters who are taken to a secluded women’s jungle prison where they endure all manner of violent and sexual humiliations." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Women in Cellblock 9 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.4 GB

Feature: 25.1 GB

Outside of some very minor print debris, the bulk of the transfer looks excellent. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity is solid, black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono German), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD 5.1 German)

This release comes with four audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English, a DTS-HD mono mix in German, and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in German. All tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. The differences between the mono and 5.1 tracks are minimal. Included are removable English SDH for the English-language tracks.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 2 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with author and film historian Troy Howarth, trailers for Barbed Wire Dolls, Doriana Gray, Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun, Love Camp, Satanic Sisters, and Rolls Royce Baby, and a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 2,000 units).

Summary:

Women in Cellblock 9 was one of eighteen films that Jess Franco made with producer Erwin Dietrich over a three-year period. Their collaboration began with Downtown and ended with Girls After Midnight.

Smugglers transporting women are caught at a military checkpoint. The captured women are taken to a notorious prison known for torture.

Women in Cellblock 9 is one of four women-in-prison films that Jess Franco made for producer Erwin C. Dietrich. The other three films are Barbed Wire Dolls, Ilsa, the Wicked Warden, and Love Camp. Barbed Wire Dolls and Ilsa, the Wicked Warden, are among the best examples out of these four films, while Love Camp is easily the weakest. Although I had many of the same problems with Women in Cellblock 9 that I did with Love Camp, Women in Cellblock 9 is still a better film in everyway.

The opening setup does an excellent job setting the foundation. From there, the narrative is very effective at building momentum to a prison break finale. Although the narrative has more exposition than most Jess Franco films from this era, it is still just enough to move things along.

Two familiar faces from Jess Franco’s cinema universe, Susan Hemingway (Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun) and Karine Gambier (Satanic Sisters), are cast in the roles of the prisoners. The standout performances are Dora Doll (Touchez pas au grisbi) in the role of the warden and Howard Vernon (She Killed in Ecstasy) in the role of a sadistic interrogator. Howard Vernon is a delight to watch in any Jess Franco film, as he fully immerses himself in his character, enhancing the overall quality of the movie.

Although there is an abundance of nudity, notably naked women in chains, there is nothing remotely erotic in Women in Cellblock 9. While Women in Cellblock 9 features a significant amount of nudity, particularly depicting women in chains, it is the film's torture scenes that stand out the most. These scenes involve methods such as electroshock and the use of sharp objects, which inflict the greatest harm. The most memorable moment is a scene where classical music is used while a prisoner is forced to degrade themselves, providing a perfect contrast. Ultimately, Women in Cellblock 9 has all of the elements one would want from a women-in-prison film, making it a must-see for fans of this genre.

Women in Cellblock 9 gets a first-rate release from Delirium Home Video that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and an informative extra. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Satanic Sisters – Delirium Home Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Switzerland, 1977
Director: Jesús Franco
Writer: Erwin C. Dietrich
Cast: Pamela Stanford, Karine Gambier, Jack Taylor, Esther Moser, Kurt Meinicke, Marianne Graf, Eric Falk, Walter Baumgartner, Jesús Franco, Mike Montana

Release Date: April 28th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 86 Minutes 53 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $41.98

"The comely Pamela Stanford stars as Countess Edna Van Stein, a predatory woman who prowls the streets at night to bring back men for her and her disturbed, sexually insatiable sister Milly (Karine Gambier) to sleep with. As the lurid encounters continue, reality and fantasy collide and the truth about these ""Sexy Sisters"" is revealed. " - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.25/5

Satanic Sisters comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.6 GB

Feature: 23.1 GB

No information is provided about the source. While the source mostly looks great, black levels for darker scenes are not always convincing. Flesh tones look healthy, image clarity is strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction. That said, colors often look muted.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both tracks sound clear and balanced, and they are satisfactory range-wise. That said, their differences are minimal. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a photo gallery (17 images—poster/stills), the official theatrical trailer (1 minute 4 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a German theatrical trailer (3 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital mono German, no subtitles), an interview with Stephen Thrower, author of Flowers of Perversion: The Delirious Cinema of Jesús Franco, titled Twins of Evil (22 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with author and film historian Dennis Daniel, trailers for Barbed Wire Dolls, Doriana Gray, Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun, and Love Camp, and a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 2,000 units).

Summary:

Satanic Sisters was one of eighteen films that Jess Franco made with producer Erwin Dietrich over a three-year period. Their collaboration began with Downtown and ended with Girls After Midnight.

A woman, with the help of her doctor lover, tries to convince the courts that her sister is insane before she comes of age and claims the family's fortune.

Although Satanic Sisters has an interesting premise, its sex-heavy opening setup does not do it any favors. It is not until almost 25 minutes in that any worthwhile exposition occurs. Fortunately, once the older sisters' plan is laid out, things pick up considerably as the narrative finds a better balance between erotica and exposition.

A common complaint about Jess Franco’s films is their languid pacing. Although Satanic Sisters moves at a deliberate pace that seems eager to reach its destination, the film ultimately features many flourishes that are sure to please fans of Jess Franco. That said, Jess Franco’s films are more about mood than conventional storytelling, and Satanic Sisters does a superb job in this regard.

The most memorable performance is Pamela Stanford’s (Lorna . . . the Exorcist) portrayal of Edna, the greedy stepsister who will do anything to steal the family fortune. Another performance of note is Karine Gambier (Women in Cellblock 9) in the role of Milicent, a younger sister who’s being driven to madness. Cast members of note are Jack Taylor (Succubus) and Eric Falk (Mad Foxes).

While the narrative is padded with erotica, it does feature some well-played twists. Another strength of the narrative is its use of a flashback that fills in details about a childhood trauma. Visually, Jess Franco never wastes an opportunity to showcase the female cast members who spend a lot of time in the nude. The most Jess Franco moment is a nightclub dance sequence that opens the film. Ultimately, Satanic Sisters is a mid-tier Jess Franco film where the positives outweigh its negatives.

Although the audio/video presentation of Satanic Sisters is not as strong as that of Delirium Home Video’s other Jess Franco release, Stephen Thrower’s interview makes this release a worthwhile purchase.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer