La comtesse perverse, directed by Jess Franco, is a film that attempts to blend elements of eroticism, horror, and drama. It tells the story of a countess who indulges in sadistic sexual games with her lovers, leading to a series of mysterious deaths.

The film's cinematography is visually captivating, with its use of shadows and lighting creating a haunting atmosphere. The surreal dream sequences add an intriguing layer to the narrative, making the viewer question what is real and what is not. However, these strengths are often overshadowed by the film's weaknesses.

One of the major issues with La comtesse perverse is its pacing. The story meanders, taking too long to develop and lacking a clear narrative arc. This results in a disjointed viewing experience, which may leave audiences feeling disengaged. Additionally, some of the performances feel stilted and overly dramatic, detracting from the overall impact of the film.

Despite these flaws, there are moments where the film manages to capture the viewer's attention. The exploration of themes such as power dynamics and sexual violence, while controversial, does provoke thought. Furthermore, the film's score, composed by Bruno Nicolai, adds a certain level of tension and suspense.

In conclusion, La comtesse perverse is a mixed bag. While it has its moments of intrigue and visual appeal, these are undermined by its slow pace and inconsistent performances. It may appeal to fans of erotic horror or those interested in exploring unconventional themes, but it falls short of being a truly satisfying cinematic experience.

Sylvia (Lina Romay) is lured to the private island of Count and Countess Zaroff (Howard Vernon and Alice Arno), where she becomes the latest unwilling participant in the aristocrats' sport: hunting humans (and then eating them).

Countess Perverse is The Most Dangerous Game as envisioned by prolific Spanish sleaze merchant Jess Franco. With the hunter and the hunted both women, and both stark naked during the hunt, this could have been a hugely enjoyable slice of exploitative trash, but Franco seems less interested in the battle to the death between humans than he is in gratuitous sex, the majority of his film consisting of long, boring softcore romps, with the action occasionally straying into hardcore territory. There's countless crotch shots, lesbian couplings, and lots of bumping and grinding, with even Franco regular Howard Vernon getting in on the action (not a pleasant sight!) - all shot in Franco's trademark blurry, erratic fashion. Of the 87 minute runtime, at least 70 minutes are wasted on this tedious 'erotica' before we finally get to the hunt, which is just as badly directed as the rest of the film.

As if Countess Perverse wasn't bad enough, Franco tacks on a ridiculous 'it was all a dream' style happy ending that it beyond ridiculous.

2/10 - both points awarded for the interesting architecture. If one can say anything about Franco, it's that he certainly had an eye for an impressive location.

As Harvey Dent said, "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

Lina Romay would agree, as she went from Sylvia, the heroine in this movie, to the bow and arrow carrying villainess of the remake of this movie, Tender Flesh.

Sylvia is on vacation in the south of France and wants to meet up with a guy named Tom who just so happens to work for Count and Countess Zaroff (Howard Vernon and Alice Arno), who like to play games with beautiful young women. Then, they shoot them with bows and arrows and eat them, as you do.

There's also Bob (Robert Woods) and Moira (Tania Busselier), who procure young women for the Zaroff estate and are allowed to partake of the pleasures of the flesh and I don't mean just penetrating it.

There are some astounding locations here, as the house was shot between two Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura-designed structures, Xanadu, which was in She Killed In Ectasy and La Muralla Roja. This adds to the production, as so many of the later shot on video Franco films are missing the lushness of his filmed movies.

There are insert shots in some cuts of this film, but Franco didn't intend for those to be in this movie.

Anyways. This is the kind of movie that Franco could and would and did make over and over again. That said, it works and the basic tale of rich people hunting the lower rungs of society is always one that presents a great framework to hang a movie on.