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Immoral Tales: European Sex and Horror Movies, 1956-1984
European cinema has always excelled when it comes to "bad" movies. When continental moviemakers combined horror with sex, they unleashed a tidal wave of celluloid strangeness that lasted nearly thirty years. From sexy thrillers to pulp surrealism, from decadent erotica to blood-soaked vampire epics, nothing could go too far. Immoral Tales tells the fascinating story of this unique period, peeking into the kaleidoscope of visceral horror, maverick directors, and erotic invention.
272 pages, Paperback
First published October 27, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 29, 2020
Excellent overview of this peculiar realm of cinema, organized into sections for specific countries, followed by extensive career biographies of select film-makers. The vast majority of these films are extremely difficult to get hold of, and with places like Vulcan Video dying, even more difficult here in Austin. It's truly staggering just how much weird film has been created, and under such extremely difficult circumstances. Highly recommended book for anyone into bizarre, surreal, and transgressive movies.
November 11, 2009
The review from "Detour" Magazine quoted on the back claims that this book is "the definitive erotic horror reference." Given the book's admitted limitations, the claim nevertheless holds some truth. As the subtitle predicts, the authors are only interested in films from Europe (not including the British Isles) from a period of less than three decades, but this time and place does seem to have been definitive of the concept of erotic horror.
The book is a fascinating read, with beautiful and lurid illustrations of stills and posters (including a sizable section of color prints)interviews with some of the industry's most fascinating personalities and insights into production and audience reaction (including censorship). As a reference, its organizational style leaves much to be desired, although indexes in the back to film titles and names make it somewhat more accessible. As a film history, however, it is fantastic. Sections on German, Italian, French, and Spanish films give us a viewpoint on the national-specific cinema, but the point is made clearly that Eurosmut was at its best an international endeavor, usually involving international crews and casts. Sections on filmmakers range from the well-known (Jess Franco and Jean Rollin) to the unusual (Jose Larraz and Jose Benezeraf) to the obscure (Walerian Borowczyk and Alain Robbe-Grillet).
Those familiar with the names listed above will realize that horror, while well-represented, is not the sole focus of thsi book. The Write-up of German national cinema, for example, includes a discussion of the famous "schoolgirl reports" which are simple pornography (if generally well-done) while Jorg Buttgereit's work is only mentioned in passing, as it falls outside the scope of the period under study. The emphasis here is on the bizarre and perverse, not strictly the horrific. Any fan of obscure film will find much of interest, however, and no doubt be introduced to dozens if not hundreds of new titles to search for.
The book is a fascinating read, with beautiful and lurid illustrations of stills and posters (including a sizable section of color prints)interviews with some of the industry's most fascinating personalities and insights into production and audience reaction (including censorship). As a reference, its organizational style leaves much to be desired, although indexes in the back to film titles and names make it somewhat more accessible. As a film history, however, it is fantastic. Sections on German, Italian, French, and Spanish films give us a viewpoint on the national-specific cinema, but the point is made clearly that Eurosmut was at its best an international endeavor, usually involving international crews and casts. Sections on filmmakers range from the well-known (Jess Franco and Jean Rollin) to the unusual (Jose Larraz and Jose Benezeraf) to the obscure (Walerian Borowczyk and Alain Robbe-Grillet).
Those familiar with the names listed above will realize that horror, while well-represented, is not the sole focus of thsi book. The Write-up of German national cinema, for example, includes a discussion of the famous "schoolgirl reports" which are simple pornography (if generally well-done) while Jorg Buttgereit's work is only mentioned in passing, as it falls outside the scope of the period under study. The emphasis here is on the bizarre and perverse, not strictly the horrific. Any fan of obscure film will find much of interest, however, and no doubt be introduced to dozens if not hundreds of new titles to search for.
July 22, 2015
This is a sort of retroactive ur text. It groups all the films I like, but it took me years to finally read. As a text, it has little insight or critical engagement, and the authors & I like the films for different reasons (which is fine, and almost always the case). What was really striking, was how each of these filmmakers feel about CINEMA.
As peripheral figures that straddled lines between genres and types, and peripheral genres and types at that, the uncertainty or the obsession of each is striking. Maybe this is why I like these figures, because when you're on the outside you've got the privilege of looking in...
As peripheral figures that straddled lines between genres and types, and peripheral genres and types at that, the uncertainty or the obsession of each is striking. Maybe this is why I like these figures, because when you're on the outside you've got the privilege of looking in...
September 20, 2008
Easily the best book on euro-trash cinema I have ever read. If you're even half interested in the subject I highly recommend., if even just for the images.
August 16, 2019
IMMORAL TALES is an overview of European sex and horror movies made from 1956 to 1984. Its main focus is in the filmmakers, but it also includes other resources such as writers, painters, producers, publishers, and comic book artists. It is a wild and giddy ride, and one filled with many photographs.
Not nearly at the comprehensive level of Jonathan Rigby’s excellent, EURO GOTHIC, it still provides insight into the circumstances behind these film endeavors, especially the political situations and public censors. Indeed, some films were so heavily edited with offensive material either removed or added (depending on the market, and each market had different definitions of “offensive” and promotional needs) that determining the “definitive” version is often very difficult.
Following a general history, the book has larger sections dedicated to specific filmmakers. These are Jess Franco, Jean Rollin, Jose Larraz, Jose Benazeraf, Walerian Borowczyk, and Alain Robbe-Grillet. Of these, I’ve never had much appreciation for the films of Jess Franco and Jean Rollin. Their work often seems improvised with film techniques that try my patience. Despite the writers’ positive overview, I read nothing to change my opinion about them. (They did convince me to add the Larraz film, SYMPTOMS, to my collection.)
On the whole, it was engrossing to discover the challenges these filmmakers faced. Also, considering society’s changing opinions, I wonder how many of them would be able to make their films today.
A nice feature was an extensive Appendix that provided brief introductions to many “key players” of the period. I was surprised that some names did not receive more of a deluxe treatment over the ones that had been chosen (Mario Bava comes readily to mind). Yet, that didn’t diminish the overall value.
Ultimately, IMMORAL TALES isn’t a “starter” book for those who are entirely unfamiliar with the topic. The writers, at times, assume the Reader has some knowledge of some of the films and filmmakers. And even though I had disagreements with their opinions, I still learned things that I had not known before.
Not nearly at the comprehensive level of Jonathan Rigby’s excellent, EURO GOTHIC, it still provides insight into the circumstances behind these film endeavors, especially the political situations and public censors. Indeed, some films were so heavily edited with offensive material either removed or added (depending on the market, and each market had different definitions of “offensive” and promotional needs) that determining the “definitive” version is often very difficult.
Following a general history, the book has larger sections dedicated to specific filmmakers. These are Jess Franco, Jean Rollin, Jose Larraz, Jose Benazeraf, Walerian Borowczyk, and Alain Robbe-Grillet. Of these, I’ve never had much appreciation for the films of Jess Franco and Jean Rollin. Their work often seems improvised with film techniques that try my patience. Despite the writers’ positive overview, I read nothing to change my opinion about them. (They did convince me to add the Larraz film, SYMPTOMS, to my collection.)
On the whole, it was engrossing to discover the challenges these filmmakers faced. Also, considering society’s changing opinions, I wonder how many of them would be able to make their films today.
A nice feature was an extensive Appendix that provided brief introductions to many “key players” of the period. I was surprised that some names did not receive more of a deluxe treatment over the ones that had been chosen (Mario Bava comes readily to mind). Yet, that didn’t diminish the overall value.
Ultimately, IMMORAL TALES isn’t a “starter” book for those who are entirely unfamiliar with the topic. The writers, at times, assume the Reader has some knowledge of some of the films and filmmakers. And even though I had disagreements with their opinions, I still learned things that I had not known before.
September 29, 2024
Here you get an excellent overview on every film you might never have heard of: dreamers and decadents, sex, cinema and surgery, Italian styles, great movie posters and stills (e.g. Nekromantik, Gwendoline, Spermula), sorcery, witchcraft (with sexy witches from hell), tons of nude girls, sex and the vampire, cover girls... well, don't deliver us from the evil I can only sum it up here. Great material, extremely insightful and exciting. Highly recommended!
November 5, 2023
Jess Franco, Jean Rollin ve ötesinde B filmlere meraklıysanız, sizin için dilimize nadir çevrilmiş kaynaklardan biri. Sonlarda Klaus Kinski'den Udo Kier'e, Fantomas'tan Sylvia Kristel'e, oyuncuların ve karakterlerin ansiklopedik metinleri de uzunca sıralanmış. Kitabın ucuz görünümlü baskısı ona daha bir "pulp" havası vermiş. Kardeşi için bkz: Fantastik Filmler@Pete Tombs.
January 8, 2008
Cuts wide across the Art and Euro-trash ends of the horror genre spectrum during this two decade period, with extensive chapters on the life and filmographies of Jess Franco and Ken Russel in particular. Though it almost completely ignores the giallo phenomenon, and skirts past the more mainstream European horror directors such as Bava, Fulci and Argento, there are some fascinating looking films covered here. It was because of this book that I first saw The Awful Dr. Orloff (so-so) and Mill of the Stone Women (pretty awesome). Included are great black & white photos and stills, but near the chronological end of the book (late 70s) it becomes hard to read in public, due to the large spreads of buck-naked vampire chicks rolling around in satin sheets with blood on their tits, and various other examples of full-frontal nudity.
November 1, 2012
Essential reading for adventurous film fans, and a wonderful overview of a genre the book itself helped define. If you love weird, crazy, over-the-top movies, and think you've seen a lot of them, but the names Jean Rollin, Jess Franco, and Walerian Borowczyk are not familiar to you, get this book and hold onto your hat. I read this cover to cover when it came out and have returned to it many times since. FYI co-author Pete Tombs is the guy behind the Mondo Macabro video label.
December 28, 2013
As is usual with such books, many more questions are raised than are answered. I'd like a whole lot more context along with the facts. This is, otherwise, an good place to begin learning about a whole lot of sleazy film that I could never make myself sit through.
September 17, 2008
Great for the pics and posters if for nothing else.
April 30, 2013
If you like horror movies
January 6, 2015
I think this might be called... soft... coffeetable porn? Interesting in that it doesn't delve too deeply in the subject matter to become tedious - but that's also a kind of drawback.
July 13, 2015
It doesn't get any better than this. IMMORAL TALES cemented a sub-genre of film fandom as a truly significant movement. A masterpiece beyond words ...
December 12, 2016
Loved this book. I read it twenty years ago and spent a small fortune buying the tapes and DVDs.
January 1, 2017
Absolutely essential! Incredibly informative!
July 29, 2008
Along with the Psychotronic magazine/books indispensable for cult movies.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews