Another Great Film Starring Lina Romay For “Shocktober!“
I’ve posted about this iconic European Actress before – who starred in dozens of films, mostly for her longtime partner and film Director Jess Franco.
She had great screen presence – like this scene from “Night Has A Thousand Desires” – a hauntingly framed shot of her staring off into space – lost in the midst of her own madness – the shot lasting for almost a minute…
She commands the screen, baring her soul in so many movies like this one from the early 80’s.
Bravo to Mondo Macabro for releasing “Night Has A Thousand Desires” in such a beautifully remastered presentation – check out the trailer:
Bravo to Mondo Macabro for releasing this lavish blu-ray special edition of the film, which I own…it’s a moody, atmospheric thriller.
For exploitation film buffs, to know Jess Franco is to love him – everything from his meandering storytelling, his love of “tentative zooms” – and his love of his wife’s body – yes, his longtime partner and ultimately wife Lina Romay starred in dozens of his movies, and was always VERY VERY naked!
Romay is actually nude for more screen time in “Desires” than she is clothed, always willing to give a raw portrayal.
The plot of “Thousand Desires” is simple: Lina stars as a clairvoyant, working with a partner in a lounge act – when she begins being hypnotized – and while in this trance, she is murdering people! Or is she really doing it?
What is real, and what is fantasy? Lina dreams of sexual encounters and murder – but is it really happening?
Well, as the film progresses, the dream sequences become more erotic and lurid, culminating in a group sex scene that leaves little to the imagination.
Franco frames his shots from above and lets his cast get into the action before cutting to many closeups of sexual activity of all kinds – while this isn’t XXX-rated, it comes close:
Director Franco was working in Spain at the time, after the era of General Franco’s regime had ended, and he was given license to do anything he wanted – as long as there was sex and nudity in the movie – and boy, did he deliver!
Eurotika!
Mondo Macabro’s terrific Blu-ray release includes an episode of a show called “Eurotika!” which profiles Franco and includes great interview material with him. Was he the world’s most prolific Director?
Franco has small parts in many of his films, including “Desires” – and the TV episode makes a compelling case that Franco may have been the world’s most prolific Director – he directed more than two hundred films!
Both Franco and Romay have died, but thanks to great film companies, we get to experience their greatest work – like this!
This is another wild Romay / Franco collaboration, with a new blu-ray that has the “notorious banana scene” in it – check it out here:
You can't take the Scotland out of a girl... Reel entertainment reviews and more from that Darlin Husband’s Scottish, square-eyed and film-mad wife living in Finland.
johnrieber 
She has a great face and an amazing mouth. The film looks pretty sexy too!
Good call, John. One to look out for.
Best wishes, Pete.
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My blu-ray includes a 40-min episode of a european TV show called “Eurotika” – a great look at Franco and his “alway naked” wife!
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