Succubus (1968)

Interesting facts

Succubus is a 1968 West German erotic horror film directed by Jesús Franco and starring Janine Reynaud, Jack Taylor, Adrian Hoven, and Michel Lemoine. It follows Lorna Green, a performer at a Lisbon nightclub who performs fictionalized acts that involve erotically charged sadomasochistic murders. As she begins to suffer violent, surreal nightmares, it is suggested that Lorna may be under mind control by a man who may be Satan incarnate.

Production

After working on several productions in Spain, director Jesús Franco sought out financial backing in Germany. Franco became frustrated with the production rules and censorship in Spain, stating that even if he had an entirely Spanish crew, he would have to film in Spain to receive the co-production funding, and that for Succubus, "the censors had taken their red pen and crossed everything out, even the title".

After finishing work on his film Lucky, the Inscrutable, he went to production manager Karl-Heinz Mannchen with an eight-page script for Succubus. After securing funding, model Janine Reynaud was cast in the film after being introduced to Franco by her husband, actor Michel Lemoine.

The film was shot in Lisbon and West Berlin. While filming was in progress, the German financial backers pulled out of the film. Producer Adrian Hoven contacted Pier A. Caminnecci, who took an interest in actress Reynaud and agreed to finance the film. An affair later occurred between the two.

The film features a jazz score by Friedrich Gulda. Franco claimed in interviews that he wrote the screenplay for this film, and edited it with Adrian Hoven.

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