Greenes
Please don't spend money on this.
Glimmerubro
It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.
Humaira Grant
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Flixer1957
A young doctor experiments with fusing animal and human embryos, which incurs the wrath of the ruling medical board. They humiliate him and banish him; he then goes berserk and kills himself. After a decent interval of mourning, his widow–-played to the sultry hilt by Soledad Miranda–goes all-out for revenge. She's determined to wipe out all those bad doctors–male and female–who did her hubby wrong.Most of the killings involve Miranda using her (considerable) womanly wiles to seduce her victims before slashing or stabbing them. (One scene, however, would have us believe that it only takes 20 seconds to smother someone to death.) Once the slaying starts–about 30 minutes into the movie–things move along at a rapid clip. (Possibly a bad choice of words considering what our Black Widow does to her male victims afterward.) In any case, this rampage gives us many shots of Miranda's beautiful bod. Female viewers, meanwhile, can enjoy the scenes of Jess Franco shirtless and Howard Vernon in the buff. And everybody can amuse themselves by counting the spelling errors in the English subtitles, or relaxing to a music score better suited to a nightclub than a horror movie.The tired old "crime does not pay" ending involves some of the worst deductive reasoning I've heard on-screen. It's also oddly prophetic, considering what happened to Soledad Miranda in real life.
Thorsten_B
For a film directed by Jess Franco (disguised under the alias "Frank Hollmann"), this one has a surprisingly straight forward narrative. Filmed on great locations (both concerning landscapes and architecture) and presented on the DVD in splendid picture quality, Francos delivers a fast-paced and entertaining interpretation of a common theme: the vengeful lady. No doubt much of the film owes to Francois Truffauts "La Mariée était en Noir"; but whereas Truffauts bride aims at revenge only, Francos heroine (as pretty as they usually are) mixes vendetta with arousal. Attention, spoilers ahead: If you ever wanted to see a nude 56year old Howard Vernon (but who would?) this one is the flick to rent. In a particularly bizarre scene Vernons character undresses and goes to bed with what he believes to be a prostitute; before things go further (with Vernon, Francos veteran associate, playing a highly ethical physician demanding to be insulted during the intercourse) comes a prayer... The director has a trademark cameo and so has German cult figure Horst Tappert, playing – as always – the leading policeman. There's also some lesbianism involved (resulting in one girl suffocating the other with a transparent plastic pillow!), but violence is relatively moderate. Some aspects of cadrage are of interest: The picture shows not what the protagonists hands are doing (although these doings are important for the plot), but at first only their faces, then slightly enlarging the view. Of the many films Franco made I own about twenty; of the ones I already saw, this is probably the one with the clearest storyline and the most focused storytelling. Not original, but neatly done, entertaining and still a true Franco.
Michael_Elliott
She Killed in Ecstasy (1971) *** (out of 4) Four doctors humiliate and eventually ban another doctor from practicing medicine, which causes him to commit suicide. A few months pass and the dead doctor's wife (Soledad Miranda) starts seeking revenge. Even though director Franco has nearly two-hundred films under his belt, this one here remains one of his most popular. Even though it isn't connected to Vampyros Lesbos, this film could be called a companion piece as both feature the beautiful Miranda who would sadly die shortly after filming this movie. It goes without saying that she's the main reason to watch this film as her cool and calmness really makes an impact with the viewer and her sleek character really comes off very memorable. It also goes without saying that Miranda was a very beautiful woman and this here also pops off the screen as she displays her sexuality. Supporting players Howard Vernon, Paul Muller and Franco himself also offer up fine performances. With the strange visual style and extremely fine music score, this here rightfully belongs near the top of any Euro title out there. While there are certainly short comings in the film in the end there's no denying that the star of this film was a one of a kind and this here is one of her best roles.
Ky-D
Frano is on again/off again more than probably any director in history. His days with Soledad Miranda were arguably his best, as can be seen in this tasty tale of revenge.Miranda plays a recently widowed woman who seeks out revenge upon the people she blames for her husband's suicide. She first seduces them and then kills them. The preying mantis metaphor is slapped on a little thick, as the later victims know what's going to happen to them, yet do nothing to stop it.The film is played out in a dreamy kind of pacing. Little sound and dialogue, distanced shots, slow camera movements; it's like a lethargic daze echoing the detachment of the lead character. Franco takes his time unfolding the seduction and revenge, and he displays more flair for cinema than many would believe him capable of. The film is far from flawless though; the story is never complex, acting is either too subtle or over stated and the dialogue is pretty simple. Also, the character motivations lack strength all around, which robs the film of most all emotion.Of the MANY Franco films to choose form, I would suggest this one for a view, especially to those unfamiliar with the director.7/10
