Carmen Montes in Jesus Franco's "Paula-Paula" [2010 Spain]

Let's be naughty for a change - this is not exactly mainstream, what the heck, it is not even cinema, it is Jesus Franco's (oh, don't we all remember him!) latest video film, "Paula-Paula - An audiovisual experience".

An audiovisual experience - hmmm - it's an experience alright, and an endurance too if I might add. This must definitely be Franco's lowest-budgeted film - it helps I suppose if you're the writer, director and the editor as well. But even then, this is a poorly finished film by his standards. The film's run-time is 66 minutes, but I bet the actual footage used could be less than half that. The film is prolonged using slow-motion, that too applied during post-production, and using the laziest methods. I think he just desperately needed to get a film out. More than the 'film', I found the DVD extras more interesting which included a candid interview with Franco where he talks about cinema in general and his personal experiences as the maker of 200-odd films.

As far I can see, the only merit in the film is its old-school piano jazz composition which he mixes up with some modern flamenco, funk and some classical western. The reason for my post however, is Carmen Montes, a natural beauty with a typical Spanish figure, save the needlessly shaved nether regions. I'm sure she'd look guapa even when fully clothed, and I dearly wish someone uses her for other than these kind of flicks - she's capable of more.

Okay, the story - Paula is interrogated by detectives after the murder of her friend, an other Paula. That's it!




Scene 1:
Paula is questioned by a couple of detectives - the older lady is none other than the legendary Lina Romay - doesn't time fly, plus you get to see a lot of the voluptuous curves of Carmen Montes - the best of the two scenes posted here, and in DVD quality too.








Scene 2:
Paula and Paula together, and a recollection of what happened by the evil namesake, Carmen Montes. The other Paula is played by Paula Davis. I've done you guys a favour by speeding up this scene by 300% - and having viewed the result a few times, I still think this is better than the original. And I removed some of the ridiculous special effects appearing in between their sapphic play - leaving just one instance to let you guys judge for yourself. But even then, this is one tedious scene. I wonder if Franco was trying to re-enact a famous lesbian scene shot in slowmotion from an earlier era, the Italian film, "Alla Ricerca del Piacere", where Rosalba Neri and Barbara Bouchet give an awesome show, helped by Teo Usuelli's groovy soundtrack. This one has good music too, but it doesn't work for me.





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