Obsessive Cinema!


I didn't even know it was Jess Franco's birthday until I saw it on Tim Lucas' Video Watchdog blog. Lucas pretty much sums up my feelings about Franco, and his obsession with the cinema. I too didn't think much of the filmmaker until I saw Franco's "VENUS IN FURS". There are several other Franco films that I've liked but their names escape me at the moment. His films are so numerous and have been re-titled, and/or re-edited that it is hard to get an appreciation of his films, but with the advent of DVD a new generation can find out how truly gifted Franco is as a filmmaker. Also we can re-discover his films in a new light as more and more films are un-earthed minus the cuts Franco never intended. Some distributors have even begun to try and re-assemble some of Franco's films as per his original design. Maybe then when more and more audiences have seen his work in it's original cut they will show more of an appreciation to Franco and his work. Well anyway I'm no expert on Franco, yet I share an appreciation of his work as a filmmaker and human-being. I mean come on. Having over 180 films to your filmography? That's a feat unto it's self. So Happy belated birthday Senor Franco, and may you have many more.

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