The early Eighties saw Jess Franco returning to Spain to take advantage of the newly relaxed censorship that had for so long caused him to pursue his film-making elsewhere. The dreamlike plotting to this is not dissimilar to 'Macumba Sexual (1981)', with Lina Romay playing a character (Irina), who once again comes under the spell of a distant voice calling her. She is sensitive, telepathic, and this forms part of a stage act.
Much use is made of sound in this film. Unless the delirious qualities are alerting me to it more than usual, it seems the incidental music (the usual heady cocktail of jazz and more ethereal 'scapes) and the sound of the sea are meshing to produce something almost hallucinogenic. I also notice musical cues from other films, even Daniel White's pieces for 'Zombie Lake (1981)' reappearing here. White and Franco himself are quoted as providing the music, as well as writing and directing. Franco even has a couple of brief appearances in the film, as Psiquiatra (uncredited). This, and other editing roles, seem to indicate this really was a labour of love for him.
As ever, his choice of locations is exemplary, and his blurring/soft-focus camera habits truly do evoke a trippy atmosphere. In many ways, this film could have been made twenty years earlier. It works hard to draw you in, yet I remained unmoved for a lot of the time, and I'm not sure why. Rather like being the only sober member of an inebriated group, somehow I felt somewhat excluded from the party. Perhaps because, apart from a disembodied voice, there was no palpable threat, at least not one that was revealed until the last five minutes. The finale, in which some explanation is given to events – and the twist – seems rushed.
In all, I preferred the 'easy' seduction of 'Female Vampire (1975)', or the more frightening 'Macumba Sexual'. These films didn't seem to work so hard at being immersive experiences, and yet somehow succeeded in ways 'Night Has a Thousand Desires' doesn't. Not that this isn't enjoyable, especially if you like Franco.
Much use is made of sound in this film. Unless the delirious qualities are alerting me to it more than usual, it seems the incidental music (the usual heady cocktail of jazz and more ethereal 'scapes) and the sound of the sea are meshing to produce something almost hallucinogenic. I also notice musical cues from other films, even Daniel White's pieces for 'Zombie Lake (1981)' reappearing here. White and Franco himself are quoted as providing the music, as well as writing and directing. Franco even has a couple of brief appearances in the film, as Psiquiatra (uncredited). This, and other editing roles, seem to indicate this really was a labour of love for him.
As ever, his choice of locations is exemplary, and his blurring/soft-focus camera habits truly do evoke a trippy atmosphere. In many ways, this film could have been made twenty years earlier. It works hard to draw you in, yet I remained unmoved for a lot of the time, and I'm not sure why. Rather like being the only sober member of an inebriated group, somehow I felt somewhat excluded from the party. Perhaps because, apart from a disembodied voice, there was no palpable threat, at least not one that was revealed until the last five minutes. The finale, in which some explanation is given to events – and the twist – seems rushed.
In all, I preferred the 'easy' seduction of 'Female Vampire (1975)', or the more frightening 'Macumba Sexual'. These films didn't seem to work so hard at being immersive experiences, and yet somehow succeeded in ways 'Night Has a Thousand Desires' doesn't. Not that this isn't enjoyable, especially if you like Franco.
