header
April 2019




  

Blood Hunger:
The Films of Jose Larraz
Arrow Films/MVD
Blu-ray Review By: Jaime Pina



Director Jose Larraz is best known for his unforgettable female bloodsucker film Vampyres. Originally from Spain, he started his film career in England and then 6 years later started working in his native country. He crossed genres but his films are known for being incredibly sexy and veering on soft porn while having a cinematic style that was above your average exploitation film. This box set features 3 of his films from the 70’s.

Whirlpool, his first film released in 1970, is an erotic murder thriller involving a photographer who shoots naked pictures and his schemes with a young girl who goes through much sexual degradation. It is a rare release and Arrow has restored the film for the first time.

Disc two features his classic Vampyres. Previously released by Anchor Bay and Blue Underground this new version features some nice new extras. Not your standard vampire film, it is incredibly erotic due to the performance of the brunette bloodsucker played by British actress Marianne Morris. It skews vampire lore by having the two female vampires appear during the day, seeking men to seduce and then prey upon. It is an exceptional film in many regards and worth the upgrade.

The third and final disc features a film from 1978 originally titled The Violation Of The Bitch but the cover and onscreen title declare it as The Coming Of Sin. It involves a dark skinned young girl who comes to live with a blonde artist while having violent, sexual visions of a naked man on horseback. The two ladies develop a sexual relationship and lo and behold, the naked man appears for real. The scene where the artist admires herself in front of a mirror is a textbook exercise in eroticism.

All the films look great with some speckling during a few of the darker scenes. As usual with Arrow there is a treasure trove of extras.