As someone who makes a point of attempting to see every Jess Franco horror film, there comes a time when it becomes clear that the horror takes a very distant backseat to the erotica. Regular Jack Taylor - looking much better without his moustache - is only on screen for a few moments before he gets stuck in.
As is often the case, the locations - Zurich and stock footage conveying persuasively the beauty of Haitii - are beautifully shot (some tropical Portuguese locations were previously used to even greater effect in 1971's 'Christine, Princess of Eroticism/Virgin Among the Living Dead'). The music, too, a percussive, tribal, jazz-infused dirge by Walter Baumgartner, is hallucinogenic and powerful.
Olga (Karine Gambier), a bleach blonde, brightly-lipped, eyebrow-less tease is introduced as Jack's sister. {SPOILER} When it is revealed that she is in fact his lover, his wife Susan Haus (Ada Tauler) is the only one remotely surprised, such is their flirtatious relationship.
Voodoo dolls, hypnotism, night clubs, nudity, mirrors and a deceptively sunny atmosphere where every little problem can be addressed with a nice bit of graphic - but not quite hard-core - sex; it's far from Franco's most rewarding production, but it is directed very cleanly and contains none of the frenzied zooms typical of his output at this time.
As is often the case, the locations - Zurich and stock footage conveying persuasively the beauty of Haitii - are beautifully shot (some tropical Portuguese locations were previously used to even greater effect in 1971's 'Christine, Princess of Eroticism/Virgin Among the Living Dead'). The music, too, a percussive, tribal, jazz-infused dirge by Walter Baumgartner, is hallucinogenic and powerful.
Olga (Karine Gambier), a bleach blonde, brightly-lipped, eyebrow-less tease is introduced as Jack's sister. {SPOILER} When it is revealed that she is in fact his lover, his wife Susan Haus (Ada Tauler) is the only one remotely surprised, such is their flirtatious relationship.
Voodoo dolls, hypnotism, night clubs, nudity, mirrors and a deceptively sunny atmosphere where every little problem can be addressed with a nice bit of graphic - but not quite hard-core - sex; it's far from Franco's most rewarding production, but it is directed very cleanly and contains none of the frenzied zooms typical of his output at this time.