Written by: Michael Den Boer on March 27th, 2010
Theatrical Release Dates: France, 1971 (The Sadist With Red Teeth), France, 1969 (Forbidden Paris)
Director: Jean-Louis van Belle
Cast: Albert Simono, Jane Clayton, Daniel Moosman (The Sadist With Red Teeth), Ben-Ghou-Bey, Charles Buhr, Jean-Noël Delamare, Jacques Lacourie, Nathalie Perrey, Maelle Pertuzo, Albert Simono, Jean-Louis van Belle (Forbidden Paris)
DVD released: March 30th, 2010
Approximate running times: 79 minutes (The Sadist With Red Teeth), 82 minutes (Forbidden Paris)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono French
Subtitles: English
DVD Release: Mondo Macabro
Region Coding: Region 0 NTSC
Retail Price: $29.95
The Sadist With Red Teeth: The plot revolves a young man named Daniel who starts to believe that he may be a vampire. When the film begins he is being released from a mental hospital. He had been there since he crashed his car. Waiting for Daniel outside the hospital is his girlfriend Jane. Is Daniel ready to leave the hospital or will his obsession with vampires lead to his demise?
Besides this initial set up there really is not that much more to the plot with the remainder of the film spent follow Daniel around who wanders aimlessly around Paris. At first his doctor and the doctor’s assistant follow him around. Then when some vampire like attacks happen the police start to keep an eye on Daniel. With everything culminating at a costume party.
The plot is often slow moving with very little that happens and when something like a vampire attack happens these brief surges are not enough to build any momentum. Two areas where this film is at its best is its strong visual style and unique twist on vampires. Even though the performances are lacking, at least the film’s leading lady Jane Clayton is a looker.
Forbidden Paris a Mondo style documentary that covers a wide variety of bizarre subjects like a woman who drives nude as part of a bet, a family who prepares for nuclear fallout, a man who pierces various parts of his body with needles, housewives being taught how to striptease, a mortician barber, transsexual marriage ceremonies, a ballet club for cripples, Hitler impersonators, a vampire that drinks animal blood, a religious man with healing powers and cults are just some of the subjects covered in this documentary. There is nothing that is really that shocking about any of the content. With a few of the scenes verging in the grotesque. When compared to other Mondo style documentaries, Forbidden Paris at best is an average take on this genre.
The DVD:
Both film’s are presented in an anamorphic widescreen that preserves their original aspect ratio’s. Both transfer have been flagged for progressive playback, colors look vibrant, flesh tones look natural, black levels look good and details look crisp throughout.
Each film comes with one audio option a Dolby Digital mono mix in French and removable English subtitles have been provided. The audio mix for The Sadist With Red Teeth sounds clear and balanced throughout. The audio mix for Forbidden Paris has some minor instances of background noise.
Extras on disc one include a introduction with director Jean-Louis van Belle for The Sadist With Red Teeth (2 minutes 40 seconds – anamorphic widescreen, in French with English subtitles), text related extra about Jean-Louis van Belle, a documentary about Jean-Louis van Belle (30 minutes 14 seconds – in French with English subtitles) and the Mondo Macabro preview trailer which includes clips from titles they have currently released or about to release.
Extras on disc two include a introduction with director Jean-Louis van Belle for Forgotten Paris (3 minutes 20 seconds – anamorphic widescreen, in French with English subtitles). Overall this is another exceptional double feature release from Mondo Macabro.