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Eugenie... The Story Of Her Journey
Into Perversion DVD released: November 2 2002 Approximate running time: 87 minutes Aspect ratio: Anamorphic (2:35:1) Rating: NR Sound: ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Mono FRENCH: Dolby Digital Mono DVD Release: Blue Underground/Image Region Coding: Region 0 NTSC Retail Price: $24.98 Reviewed by: Robert Monell on October 21, 2002 |
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| The Film |
| Given its unavailability since its
theatrical release over thirty years ago, the stunning new Blue
Underground disc presentation of Jess Franco's erotic masterwork
EUGENIE...THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO PERVERSION (what a great,
politically incorrect title!) is a major event for Jess Franco and
Eurocult fans. It immediately registers as THE must have disc of the
season and one of the very best European genre discs of 2002. Eugenie (Marie INGA Liljedahl) is a bored, frustrated young woman who longs for sexual experience. She gets a lot more than she bargained for after she is invited to the private island of the rich, decadent Madame Saint Ange (Maria Rohm). What the innocent girl doesn't realize is that she has been promised to Saint Ange by her corrupt father (Paul Muller) in exchange for the older woman's sexual favors. Based on a story by the infamous Marquis de Sade, Franco and writer-producer Harry Alan Towers have set the story in a the modern world of the psychedelic late 1960s. The characters may drive expensive sports cars and pilot high end motorboats but human nature never changes. At least according to Sade and Franco. This was Franco's second Sade adaptation, after the successful JUSTINE (1968), also available from Blue Underground. That film, though, plays as a relatively "straight" (if that word can be used in connection with ANY Franco film) period piece in comparison. EUGENIE derives much of its shock value not only from the depiction of the corruption of an innocent, but also from just how well Sade's vision carries over into a very different era. Things start to get really strange in the very first shots of a red tinted rite where Dolmance (Lee) recites Sade while standing at a lecturn. Behind him a human sacrifice is taking place as the camera pans over the masked visages of strange cultists. Lee's commanding voice and presence thrust us immediately into the private hell of Sade's vision. The tinting and the slightly out of focus cinematography here give the impression of entering another dimension, a dimesion of Sin and Damnation. This opening ritual reminded me a lot of the perverse orgy seen toward the end of THE SHORT NIGHT OF GLASS DOLLS, where the young and beautiful were preyed upon by sinister forces slightly beyond our comprehension. Scenes of lesbian seduction, group sex, sadomaschism, sexual torture and rape follow in quick succession. Eugenie is drugged by Saint Ange's sadistic brother and lover, Mirvel (Jack Taylor). When she awakens she finds that she can no longer discern between fantasy and reality, being awake and being in a nightmare. Her life has become a living Hell. Events reveal that things are not as they appear, though, and the victimizers will become victims to a Sadean cult led by Dolmance. Just when the nightmare seems to be ending another one is about to begin. There will be no peace for Eugenie, ever, and the wicked will once again triumph. Sadomasochistic rituals abound throughout the film's runtime, acted out with a chilling gusto by the period attired cultists, including the hawk-faced Herbert Fux. Lee parades around in a very loud crimson smoking jacket intoning the forbidden words of Sade. The hallucinations of a deranged mind blur with the twisted agenda of the rich and wicked. Franco's direction is consistently stylish and inventive, and there's very few, if any, of his trademark zooms. For instance, he places his camera on top of a mountain to coolly observe the path of Eugenie's motorboat to the island, giving the scene a subtle menace and, at the same time, an epic quality. Eugenie's nude flight through some strangely shaped sand dunes has the feeling of an erotic fever dream set in a lunar landscape. Manuel Merino's cinematography ranges from the crystal clear to the badly out of focus but it moves with assurance in, out and around the action. Along with THE AWFUL DR. ORLOF, THE DIABOLICAL DR Z and SUCCUBUS, EUGENIE is one of the most visually arresting of Franco's 1960s films. The cast is a Eurocultist dream. Marie Liljedahl is perfect as the luscious and corruptible title character, the dark side of her character in Joe Sarno's INGA (1967). Maria Rohm delivers a subtle portrait in sexual hypocrisy as the manipulative Saint Ange, while Jack Taylor's Mirvel is another of his expert depictions of moral and physical sadism. Best of all, in my opinion, is Lee's truly creepy Dolmance, our well appointed host whose heart stopping diction and overwhelmingly evil presence saturates every scene he appears in. That fine character actor Paul Muller manages to create a credible study in moral coward in the few scenes he has a Eugenie's heartless father. Muller also impressed in Franco's 1970 EUGENIE DE SADE opposite Soledad Miranda, and that title compliments this film perfectly. It's all set to Bruno Nicolai's groundbreaking score, which swings from lounge to jazz to dreamy female vocals. It's alternately upbeat and tragic, haunting and exhilarating. Some of the memorable cues can be heard in such later films as EUGENIE DE SADE and THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE. |
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| Video | 4/5 | |
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| Audio | 3/5 | |
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| The mono soundtrack sounds is on par with the video. Dialogue is clean- -- Nicolai's score is alone worth the price of the disc. |
| Extras | 4/5 | |
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| The extras package not only add to the enjoyment of the film but expand our understanding of it. Franco speaks in fluent French about his intent in filming Towers script, which he openly admires, and never comes off as anything less than the serious, though completely unpretentious, artist that he is. His comments are contrasted with the stellar presence of Christopher Lee, who pays profound tribute to the director and defends him against his many detractors. Lee also humorously describes his own dismay when he realized the kind of film he had just appeared in. Lee's presence in the documentary, as well as in the film, lends the presentation an appropriate sense of gravity. The charming, and still beautiful, Marie Liljedahl speaks of her apprehensions in approach the role until she finally gave in and trusted Franco. The actress is also shown living her normal life at her estate. |
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| Overall | 4/5 | |
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| Featuring a cast of Eurocult legends, a great musical score by Nicolai, sophisticated, innovative direction by the legendary Jess Franco of this Sadean tale of amorality result in one of the director's very best works. Blue Underground has served this rarity up with respect and care, supported by an impressive array of pertinent extras. It doesn't get any better than this. |
| Film Rating | DVD Rating | |||
| Director: | Jess Franco |
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| Writers: | Jesus Franco, Erich Kröhnke, & Harry Alan Towers |
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| Released: | 1969 |
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| Cast: | Marie Liljedahl, Maria Rohm, Christopher Lee |
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