Eugenie de Sade AKA Eugenie (1970)

Directed by: Jesus (Jess) Franco

This movie is loosely based on the short story "Eugenie de Franval" by the Marquis de Sade, in which a father seduces and corrupts his daughter.

The film opens with Eugenie (Soledad Miranda billed as Susan Korday) thoughtfully helping a young blond woman to get undressed in a bedroom. The blond takes off her sweater and we are treated to a view of her shapely breasts. Quickly after, Eugenie starts on the pants. The pants come off revealing cute blue panties and then, oh yes, striped tube socks. Eugenie starts to get frisky with the blond. Cut to Jess Franco in some sort of screening room, apparently watching what we are seeing, he lights a cigarette (he's obviously only watching this for research purposes, right...?).

Cut back to Eugenie and the blond on the bed now, Eugenie is not wearing pants and the blond woman is only wearing her, oh yes, striped tube socks. What follows are cuts between lesbian sequences of Eugenie and the blond woman, and Jess Franco looking uncomfortable. During the lesbian scenes, the camera wanders around in a way suggestive of a home movie, but mysteriously not so shaky for a camera of that time. Eugenie appears to take the camera and her step-father, Monsieur de Franval sits on the bed and kisses the blond woman.

Cut to Jess Franco leaning in for a closer look. Cut back to Monsieur de Franval kissing and fondling the blond woman while Eugenie is behind the camera shooting the scene. He indicates to the blond to look at the camera and slips a cravat around her throat. The blond woman's smile fades away and she reaches for her throat. How shocking! Monsieur de Franval is strangling her! What follows is a struggle between the two as the blond woman unsuccessfully tries to free the cravat from around her neck and Monsieur de Franval applies more force to the cravat. The woman eventually succumbs to lack of oxygen and her hands drop. Monsieur de Franval continues to apply pressure. He really means business...

This, folks, is the opening scene. Does it get better from here, in some ways, yes. In other ways, this scene is never really topped in my opinion. Throughout the rest of the movie we are treated to various GIMP scenes, but perpetrated by Eugenie at the behest of her step-father as he watches, takes pictures, etc. Until of course, it's time for him to kill Eugenie. Does she die? I shall not tell, you must watch for yourselves...

Pros - The movie starts off with GIMP + Soledad Miranda (need I say more?). The gratuitous nudity is more seamlessly woven into the characters' behavior than other exploitation movies I've seen (and lots of it). Fab '70's fashion. Great locations. Interesting camera work. I expected worse lighting. Jess Franco acting creepy, as usual, in his own movie.

Cons - The best GIMP scene is right at the beginning and not followed by others of the same caliber. Slightly incoherent plot line (not as bad as others). The GIMP effects could have been better, tighter cravat on neck, etc. , but not so bad that you can't suspend your disbelief.

Overall entertainment: A- (after all, this is Jess Franco's best film)

GIMP rating: C+