Only Jess Franco would concoct a lustful cautionary tale using Citizen Kane as a reference. Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac new to Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber’s newest label Kino Cult.
The Film
Note: The film depicts graphic sexual acts shown in graphic detail. Additionally, they do include sexual assault.
For a film about a Nymphomaniac, this particular Jess Franco film is interesting in the way that it shows behavior with some really forward-thinking ideas. Yes, there are copious amounts of graphic sex. There is a sense of voyeuristic fetishization to it all as much was the case with Franco’s work. Where Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac differs is the judgment that Franco’s films lay at the feet of the men.
There is more to the strange apparent suicide of Linda (Montserrat Prous). She has killed herself in a way that frames the apparent stranger (Manuel Pereiro). The man’s wife (Jacqueline Laurent) at the pleading of the “innocent” man begins to investigate herself after the police call it an open-and-shut case. Where here investigation leads give way to what is complicity, a woman’s rights, a woman’s trauma, and much more.
Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac is unequivocally one of writer/director Franco’s best works. The way the story ties with the sexuality that ties to the psychology and themes of the film were never as in sync as they were here. Either by default or happenstance, Franco has made a movie about the way men feel justified in their mistreatment of all women but specifically the ones that are sexually forward and the cycle of abuse that never ends. Wrapping everything in a mystery, but one that’s solved rather quickly, the film becomes an investigation into the behavior of men.
Franco’s work here is accomplished in a way that many would think an X/NC-17-rated film can never be (though they never think of Shame or Midnight Cowboy). Everything including the acting is on par with most genre films of the era. Montserrat Prous as Linda the Nymphomaniac of the title work here is accomplished and sad in a way that forty years later the actresses in Von Trier’s Nymphomaniac were. That is to say, Prous is allowed to show the trauma caused by her assaulters, and the way that she reacts never feels like it’s playing towards a male-centric gaze.
Yes, exploitative in nature Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac takes those clichés and wraps them with a modern sensibility that feels more like something out of the 2020s than the 1970s. If given the chance a more liberal mind may see this as more than just a simple piece of sex grindhouse entry – which the film is definitely not.
The Transfer
The transfer is a beautiful representation of the film and indicative of what the Kino Cult label produces in its initial run. There are none of the issues that appeared in Lorna… The Exorcist with huge degradation in quality. In fact, this film from beginning to end is nearly flawless. The image is consistently beautiful, clean, and sharp. A wonderful patina of film grain gives the look of a beautifully persevered film print. Bravo to Kino for providing us with another wonderful transfer.
The Extras
They include the following;
- NEW Audio Commentary by Novelist and Critic Tim Lucas
- Interview with Actress Jacqueline Laurent
- Interview with Actress Anne Libert
- Interview with Editor Gérard Kikoïne
- Interview with Stephen Thrower
- Includes Both English and French Audio Tracks
The all-new Audio Commentary by Novelist and Critic Tim Lucas begins with his credentials and his writings about Jess Franco before diving into this arresting film. Some of the details include the dates of production, the release in Europe, and American release; where Jess Franco was within his filmography – having directed 42 films in 14 years; a discussion of the films music and compositions – a great deal which is “library” music; the title and the origins of that title with a look at a history of the use of the word “confession” or “confidential”; the work here and at large and personal history of Montserrat Prous – the reasons why she did not continue work with Franco though her work here is excellent; the references to Orson Welles – to which Franco said was his biggest inspiration; the work of Jacqueline Laurent – include the trouble that her work here and within other films caused recently; a larger discussion of the various crew Franco worked with here and throughout his career; a larger discussion of the various sets, and locations that the film was shot; a larger discussion throughout the commentary track about the various actors and their work here and throughout their career; and much more. Lucas delivers another deeply researched and informative track about Jess Franco’s work here. Lucas does reference Stephen Thrower’s research and writings on Franco as well. If one is interested in Franco after watching this will do well to listen to this track as it is
Interview with Actress Jacqueline Laurent (23:03) – recorded in 2018 this archival interview discusses the actress’s career and its discordance. Some of the details include her experience making her first film Coup de Grace; her work in Canada and her transition to France and working in France in her career; a discussion specifically about the work she did that required nudity – including the films that she appeared in; working with Jess Franco including how she got parts, filming in Spain, his directorial style, her personal and professional relationships with him; a discussion about working on Sinner; and much more. In French with English Subtitles.
Interview with Actress Anne Libert (20:52) – another archival interview with the actress about how she began as an artist and eventually transitioned to acting in a Roger Vadim film with Catherine Deneuve. Some of the other details include after the Vadim film she quit school to begin her career acting; how her father reacted to being in Vadim’s film and quitting school; her career both as a day player and working actor with speaking parts after the Vadim film; what lead her to work with Jess Franco; working with Franco, her thoughts on him which are less than complimentary as Laurent was – including a few great anecdotes about the man; and much more. In French with English Subtitles.
Interview with Editor Gérard Kikoïne (20:05) – this archival interview, which is a continuation of the interview from Lorna begins with how a film like Sinner was put together and sold (very cheaply) by distributors but required “hardcore inserts”. The interview is done with Kikoïne watching the film with Lucas Balbo as he recalls the film. It is fun and amusing the way they censor the screen as the hardcore moments show up. Additionally, Kikoïne discusses the discussion of the various locations, Franco shooting the films, and experience of seeing various nude moments on a giant screen, and much more. In French with English Subtitles.
Interview with Stephen Thrower (27:36) – in this archival interview Thrower discusses how Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac came to be. Thrower does an amazing job of giving us the context of where Franco was at the time both professionally and personally. Discussion of the terms at which Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac comes to the audience and how it differs from other films in Franco’s filmography. The darker nature of how the men are portrayed in the film, the way that it differs from other films dealing with “nymphomania”, the use of musical compositions in the film (and in all Franco’s films), how he came to become interested in Franco, the films that he saw that he was drawn to, and much more. Anyone who loves Franco, already knows that Thrower always manages to give us an intelligent and thoughtful dissection of this very important work in the director’s career.
The Final Thought
If this is the quality that Kino Cult is going to approach Jess Franco’s filmography we are in for truly excellent sets in the future. Recommended!
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Only Jess Franco would concoct a lustful cautionary tale using Citizen Kane as a reference. Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac new to Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber’s newest label Kino Cult.
The Film
Note: The film depicts graphic sexual acts shown in graphic detail. Additionally, they do include sexual assault.
For a film about a Nymphomaniac, this particular Jess Franco film is interesting in the way that it shows behavior with some really forward-thinking ideas. Yes, there are copious amounts of graphic sex. There is a sense of voyeuristic fetishization to it all as much was the case with Franco’s work. Where Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac differs is the judgment that Franco’s films lay at the feet of the men.
There is more to the strange apparent suicide of Linda (Montserrat Prous). She has killed herself in a way that frames the apparent stranger (Manuel Pereiro). The man’s wife (Jacqueline Laurent) at the pleading of the “innocent” man begins to investigate herself after the police call it an open-and-shut case. Where here investigation leads give way to what is complicity, a woman’s rights, a woman’s trauma, and much more.
Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac is unequivocally one of writer/director Franco’s best works. The way the story ties with the sexuality that ties to the psychology and themes of the film were never as in sync as they were here. Either by default or happenstance, Franco has made a movie about the way men feel justified in their mistreatment of all women but specifically the ones that are sexually forward and the cycle of abuse that never ends. Wrapping everything in a mystery, but one that’s solved rather quickly, the film becomes an investigation into the behavior of men.
Franco’s work here is accomplished in a way that many would think an X/NC-17-rated film can never be (though they never think of Shame or Midnight Cowboy). Everything including the acting is on par with most genre films of the era. Montserrat Prous as Linda the Nymphomaniac of the title work here is accomplished and sad in a way that forty years later the actresses in Von Trier’s Nymphomaniac were. That is to say, Prous is allowed to show the trauma caused by her assaulters, and the way that she reacts never feels like it’s playing towards a male-centric gaze.
Yes, exploitative in nature Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac takes those clichés and wraps them with a modern sensibility that feels more like something out of the 2020s than the 1970s. If given the chance a more liberal mind may see this as more than just a simple piece of sex grindhouse entry – which the film is definitely not.
The Transfer
The transfer is a beautiful representation of the film and indicative of what the Kino Cult label produces in its initial run. There are none of the issues that appeared in Lorna… The Exorcist with huge degradation in quality. In fact, this film from beginning to end is nearly flawless. The image is consistently beautiful, clean, and sharp. A wonderful patina of film grain gives the look of a beautifully persevered film print. Bravo to Kino for providing us with another wonderful transfer.
The Extras
They include the following;
The all-new Audio Commentary by Novelist and Critic Tim Lucas begins with his credentials and his writings about Jess Franco before diving into this arresting film. Some of the details include the dates of production, the release in Europe, and American release; where Jess Franco was within his filmography – having directed 42 films in 14 years; a discussion of the films music and compositions – a great deal which is “library” music; the title and the origins of that title with a look at a history of the use of the word “confession” or “confidential”; the work here and at large and personal history of Montserrat Prous – the reasons why she did not continue work with Franco though her work here is excellent; the references to Orson Welles – to which Franco said was his biggest inspiration; the work of Jacqueline Laurent – include the trouble that her work here and within other films caused recently; a larger discussion of the various crew Franco worked with here and throughout his career; a larger discussion of the various sets, and locations that the film was shot; a larger discussion throughout the commentary track about the various actors and their work here and throughout their career; and much more. Lucas delivers another deeply researched and informative track about Jess Franco’s work here. Lucas does reference Stephen Thrower’s research and writings on Franco as well. If one is interested in Franco after watching this will do well to listen to this track as it is
Interview with Actress Jacqueline Laurent (23:03) – recorded in 2018 this archival interview discusses the actress’s career and its discordance. Some of the details include her experience making her first film Coup de Grace; her work in Canada and her transition to France and working in France in her career; a discussion specifically about the work she did that required nudity – including the films that she appeared in; working with Jess Franco including how she got parts, filming in Spain, his directorial style, her personal and professional relationships with him; a discussion about working on Sinner; and much more. In French with English Subtitles.
Interview with Actress Anne Libert (20:52) – another archival interview with the actress about how she began as an artist and eventually transitioned to acting in a Roger Vadim film with Catherine Deneuve. Some of the other details include after the Vadim film she quit school to begin her career acting; how her father reacted to being in Vadim’s film and quitting school; her career both as a day player and working actor with speaking parts after the Vadim film; what lead her to work with Jess Franco; working with Franco, her thoughts on him which are less than complimentary as Laurent was – including a few great anecdotes about the man; and much more. In French with English Subtitles.
Interview with Editor Gérard Kikoïne (20:05) – this archival interview, which is a continuation of the interview from Lorna begins with how a film like Sinner was put together and sold (very cheaply) by distributors but required “hardcore inserts”. The interview is done with Kikoïne watching the film with Lucas Balbo as he recalls the film. It is fun and amusing the way they censor the screen as the hardcore moments show up. Additionally, Kikoïne discusses the discussion of the various locations, Franco shooting the films, and experience of seeing various nude moments on a giant screen, and much more. In French with English Subtitles.
Interview with Stephen Thrower (27:36) – in this archival interview Thrower discusses how Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac came to be. Thrower does an amazing job of giving us the context of where Franco was at the time both professionally and personally. Discussion of the terms at which Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac comes to the audience and how it differs from other films in Franco’s filmography. The darker nature of how the men are portrayed in the film, the way that it differs from other films dealing with “nymphomania”, the use of musical compositions in the film (and in all Franco’s films), how he came to become interested in Franco, the films that he saw that he was drawn to, and much more. Anyone who loves Franco, already knows that Thrower always manages to give us an intelligent and thoughtful dissection of this very important work in the director’s career.
The Final Thought
If this is the quality that Kino Cult is going to approach Jess Franco’s filmography we are in for truly excellent sets in the future. Recommended!
Kino Cult’s Blu-Ray edition of Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac is out now.
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