Succubus
a.k.a. Necronomicon – Geträumte Sünden
1968 · Directed by Jess Franco · West Germany
The poster promises “a psycho-sexual drama” and “a sex fantasy that aspires to a kind of crazy surreal literacy”. What Franco delivers is certainly surreal, with a protagonist who may be a vessel for the Devil or just a dancer with a penchant for word association. I am not sure if Franco had a screenplay or just made it up as he went. After watching it, I am still unclear what it is all about.
This is Franco’s first film shot outside Spain. As he grappled with the country’s censorship he sought German backing, hence the Berlin location for the third act of the film. It doesn’t rank as one of the better films I have seen from Franco, but I am sure there are probably worse from him to come my way.
