Lorna, the Exorcist / Les possédées du diable (1974) [ReUp]

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Lorna, the Exorcist / Les possédées du diable (1974) [ReUp]

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No, this is not another European cash-in on "The Exorcist", unlike what it's title may suggest. It is, however, the most disturbing and shocking Jess Franco film I've seen. Hell, it is one of the most disturbing horrors I've seen, which is surprising considering this is a virtually bloodless film. It's horror relies, instead, in it's totally demented instances of psychosexual hysteria that can also be found in works such as "Possession" or "Dr. Jekyll and his Women". Franco haters tend to dismiss his work as amateurish and crude, and this criticism can be applied, in a way, to this film in particular. However, in this case, it works in favor of the film, coming across as making it's raw, gritty atmosphere all the more authentic. André Bénichou's haunting, experimental score also adds a lot to it. And for those who think Lina Romay has little to do in the director's works other than having to masturbate in close-ups, her performance here is a truly stunning tour-de-force that has to be seen to be believed, up there with other portrayals of sexually frustrated women in horror films, such as Catherine Denueve in "Repulsion" or Mimsy Farmer in "The Perfume of the Lady in Black". Her sex scenes with the equally bewildering Pamela Stanford (the titular villain), though graphic, are anything but sexy, and her final, extended "intimate" sequence is bound to make your jaw drop to the floor, not only because of what is shown, but also because of it's context. And that's not even the film's most shocking bit to begin with (anyone who's seen the film know about THE particular scene I'm referring to, and I dare not spoil it for those who haven't seen it). "Lorna the Exorcist" seems to have some kind of popularity with Franco haters, so I beg you to give it a shot. Even if you don't like it at all, one can't deny it will haunt you for days to follow.

IMDB Reviewer

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Lorna, the Exorcist / Les possédées du diable (1974) [ReUp]

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Extras:
- "Fear & Desire" Stephen Thrower on the cinematic currents of Jess Franco (17:21)
- Gerard Kikoine on "Nesle, Jess and me" (14:44)
- Stephen Thrower on "Lorna" (12:40)
- 2 Extended Scenes
- Biographies of cast: Pamela Stanford, Guy Delorme, Lina Romay, Jaqueline Laurent, Howard Vernon and Andre Benichou
- Trailers