'Les Emmerdeuses' is a crazy movie. Shot mostly in Estoril, Lisbon, in the Palacio dos Duques de Bragança en Guimarães and numerous Portuguese hotel rooms in the Summer of 1974, Jess Franco obviously had the opportunity to go completely bonkers with this one.
In the beginning the Duo Golden Panther (similar to Francos Red Lips-Duo) speaks directly to the viewer, wanting to tell and show us the naked truth of how they became Interpol Agents. Previouly they were just thieves. And it's a crazy story. It would be wrong to assume that Jess Franco had no script, because there are too many references and entanglements to other films for that, mostly his own. Nonetheless the acting and dialogues appear to be improvised.
The 89-minute runtime offers a complicated and interwoven story which is told in a charmingly lighthearted way. Lina Romay is ready to play and that doesn't just apply to her role. She is in the best possible mood in her numerous softcore scenes with Pamela Stanford. In fact, sometimes the viewer could get the impression that Pamela Stanford is trying to calm her down. There are also amusing dialogues, such as 'Don't show too much, otherwise the censor will cut it anyway' so the madness of the action does not forget to take the moviegoer along.
The music of André Bénichou (including archive tracks) which could be described as Jazz Rock is also remarkable. In addition to some new pieces (such as the title theme) there are variations of well-known tracks from Jess Francos 'Obscene Mirror' (Al otro lado del espejo, 1973), 'The Sex Playboy' (Le jouisseur, 1975) and 'Les Gloutonnes' aka 'Maciste et les Gloutonnes' (1975).
Lina Romay looks absolutely gorgeous in this film, young, slim, intense dark eyes, seductive smile. Pamela Stanford seems disoriented at times due to her bad eye sight. Stanford has a nice role here, she's playful and shows a good sense for comedy.
The strangest role in 'Les Emmerdeuses' stars Monica Swinn. The Golden Panthers learned from an informant that the diamonds are in South America with a carpet dealer named Kashfi who is said to have hidden the jewels in his penis.
This causes astonishment and disbelief but is accepted by the Golden Panthers for the time being. Tina then tries to seduce the man who looks like a woman and is therefore mistaken for a cross-dresser by Pina. In fact, it's a woman disguising herself as a man, the penis is not real, but the diamonds are in it anyway.
Using Kashfi's method as an example the Golden Panthers are hiding the jewels in their vaginas to ship them from South America to Portugal. Franco doesn't fail his audience by keeping the camera close to their vaginas during this. But let's jump forward. In the finale, Franco gets the opportunity to incorporate a bit of torture and sexual violence. But when the visibly excited Radeck has Pina raped by the Durenstein Monster, she takes over the lead and can persuade the monster to protect her.
In this wild final scene there's quite a lot of action: Pina and Tina, Radeck and his Asian assistant, the dashing Lola, the stupid Interpol agents and the Durenstein monster, everybody is after everybody.
A crazy film but lot's of fun. Jess Franco has a brief appearance as the Interpol Chief, but the actors of the Asian and the disfigured Durenstein Monster reamain unknown.
In the beginning the Duo Golden Panther (similar to Francos Red Lips-Duo) speaks directly to the viewer, wanting to tell and show us the naked truth of how they became Interpol Agents. Previouly they were just thieves. And it's a crazy story. It would be wrong to assume that Jess Franco had no script, because there are too many references and entanglements to other films for that, mostly his own. Nonetheless the acting and dialogues appear to be improvised.
The 89-minute runtime offers a complicated and interwoven story which is told in a charmingly lighthearted way. Lina Romay is ready to play and that doesn't just apply to her role. She is in the best possible mood in her numerous softcore scenes with Pamela Stanford. In fact, sometimes the viewer could get the impression that Pamela Stanford is trying to calm her down. There are also amusing dialogues, such as 'Don't show too much, otherwise the censor will cut it anyway' so the madness of the action does not forget to take the moviegoer along.
The music of André Bénichou (including archive tracks) which could be described as Jazz Rock is also remarkable. In addition to some new pieces (such as the title theme) there are variations of well-known tracks from Jess Francos 'Obscene Mirror' (Al otro lado del espejo, 1973), 'The Sex Playboy' (Le jouisseur, 1975) and 'Les Gloutonnes' aka 'Maciste et les Gloutonnes' (1975).
Lina Romay looks absolutely gorgeous in this film, young, slim, intense dark eyes, seductive smile. Pamela Stanford seems disoriented at times due to her bad eye sight. Stanford has a nice role here, she's playful and shows a good sense for comedy.
The strangest role in 'Les Emmerdeuses' stars Monica Swinn. The Golden Panthers learned from an informant that the diamonds are in South America with a carpet dealer named Kashfi who is said to have hidden the jewels in his penis.
This causes astonishment and disbelief but is accepted by the Golden Panthers for the time being. Tina then tries to seduce the man who looks like a woman and is therefore mistaken for a cross-dresser by Pina. In fact, it's a woman disguising herself as a man, the penis is not real, but the diamonds are in it anyway.
Using Kashfi's method as an example the Golden Panthers are hiding the jewels in their vaginas to ship them from South America to Portugal. Franco doesn't fail his audience by keeping the camera close to their vaginas during this. But let's jump forward. In the finale, Franco gets the opportunity to incorporate a bit of torture and sexual violence. But when the visibly excited Radeck has Pina raped by the Durenstein Monster, she takes over the lead and can persuade the monster to protect her.
In this wild final scene there's quite a lot of action: Pina and Tina, Radeck and his Asian assistant, the dashing Lola, the stupid Interpol agents and the Durenstein monster, everybody is after everybody.
A crazy film but lot's of fun. Jess Franco has a brief appearance as the Interpol Chief, but the actors of the Asian and the disfigured Durenstein Monster reamain unknown.
