FRANCO FEBRUARY: THE SADIST OF NOTRE DAME (1980) ** ½

For The Sadist of Notre Dame, Uncle Jess took scenes from his flick Exorcism (and its porno version, Sexorcismes) and added new footage of himself as an ex-priest-turned-serial killer and voila!  We have a new movie!  Jess wanders around Notre Dame murdering hookers and/or women he deems whorish.  (“This iron blade will purify your body and soul!”)  He also writes about his killings in hopes his stories will be published in a sleazy magazine owned by Pierre (Pierre Taylou).  He eventually learns from a hooker than a Count likes to hold orgies and black mass rituals in a nearby castle, and Jess is pleased to learn that Pierre’s sexy secretary (Lina Romay) is a frequent attendee.  

Jess spends a lot of the movie wandering around the streets where extras around him stare directly into the camera.  (These scenes are reminiscent of a Ray Dennis Steckler movie.)  Other times, he peeps on people fucking, but it’s just scenes of him reacting to scenes from Exorcism and edited to make it look like he’s in the same room or looking through a nearby window.  (Again, like a Ray Dennis Steckler movie.)  

Franco overacts gamely and the close-ups of his bulging eyeballs are moderately effective.  I especially liked the scenes where he begs a priest to absolve him of his sins.  Romay looks as fetching as always, but unfortunately, she isn’t given a whole lot to do in the new footage.

The additional scenes of Franco murdering women aren’t particularly graphic, but they get the job done.  The old footage is mostly nude and sex scenes from Exorcism.  I’d usually be upset by a director padding out a movie with old footage from his other films, but since this footage features Lina Romay in a sexy S & M get-up, I have no qualms whatsoever about Franco cutting corners here.  

I’ve seen both The Sadist of Notre Dame and Exorcism.  If I had to pick, I would give Sadist the slight edge.  If you’ve seen it, there’s no real reason to see Exorcism, unless you want to see a little more S & M and sex scenes.  (And frankly, I wouldn’t blame you.)

Now let’s move onto the Franco February round-up:  Among the Franco signatures on display are the repurposing of old footage, taking a derogatory view of the Catholic Church, and slow camera pans and zooms to nothing of particular importance.  Of his stock company players, the principal faces are Franco, Romay, and Olivier Mathot (who plays a police inspector).  

AKA:  The Demoniac.