This One Shot Production appears to be once again shot on digital video, which robs the sumptuous scenery of depth. And yet it is true to say also that the rawness of video heightens the colours, and the almost dazzling contrast between them. As a result, scenes look stylised, but stylish too.
This partial reimagining of 'Vampyros Lesbos (1971)' – one of Director Jess Franco's most highly regarded productions – is my favourite One Shot Production. Technically, it is on a par with 'Blind Target (2000)', but benefits from a far more interesting, although stretched-out, storyline. Uncle Jess's belief on the DVD packaging that 'Snakewoman is among the most sincere and creative films of my career' is admirably enthusiastic.
The 'Snakewoman' is played by Carmen Montes, complete with fangs and a body-straddling snake tattoo. Her nakedness beneath a black cloak recalls 'Female Vampire (1975)', or even Brigitte Lahaie in Jean Rollin's 'Fascination (1979)'; it is a memorable and effective look. There's even a 'Renfield' character in the form of Christie Levin's very effective Alpha, who glides from being a victim to being pretty unnerving in her own right. In fact, the acting is uniformly impressive. A fully clothed Lina Romay makes a couple of fleeting appearances (her character's name appears to be Van Helsing), and looking elegant and dapper, Franco regular Antonio Mayans – or Robert Foster as he's sometimes credited – plays the doctor, or 'Nostradamus!' Of course, you would expect plenty of skin and elongated sex scenes, and you wouldn't be disappointed - often to the sound of jazzy piano music and some fairly copious amounts of bright red blood. Some scenes are seen from the victim's point-of-view, with blood falling from the attacker's lips onto the camera lens. A simple but effective trick, used by Chris Alexander in his 2012 'Blood for Irina' to great, and gross, effect.
Not a classic, but many steps up from other One Shot Productions, and one of Franco's more stylish and enjoyable latter-day offerings.
This partial reimagining of 'Vampyros Lesbos (1971)' – one of Director Jess Franco's most highly regarded productions – is my favourite One Shot Production. Technically, it is on a par with 'Blind Target (2000)', but benefits from a far more interesting, although stretched-out, storyline. Uncle Jess's belief on the DVD packaging that 'Snakewoman is among the most sincere and creative films of my career' is admirably enthusiastic.
The 'Snakewoman' is played by Carmen Montes, complete with fangs and a body-straddling snake tattoo. Her nakedness beneath a black cloak recalls 'Female Vampire (1975)', or even Brigitte Lahaie in Jean Rollin's 'Fascination (1979)'; it is a memorable and effective look. There's even a 'Renfield' character in the form of Christie Levin's very effective Alpha, who glides from being a victim to being pretty unnerving in her own right. In fact, the acting is uniformly impressive. A fully clothed Lina Romay makes a couple of fleeting appearances (her character's name appears to be Van Helsing), and looking elegant and dapper, Franco regular Antonio Mayans – or Robert Foster as he's sometimes credited – plays the doctor, or 'Nostradamus!' Of course, you would expect plenty of skin and elongated sex scenes, and you wouldn't be disappointed - often to the sound of jazzy piano music and some fairly copious amounts of bright red blood. Some scenes are seen from the victim's point-of-view, with blood falling from the attacker's lips onto the camera lens. A simple but effective trick, used by Chris Alexander in his 2012 'Blood for Irina' to great, and gross, effect.
Not a classic, but many steps up from other One Shot Productions, and one of Franco's more stylish and enjoyable latter-day offerings.