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Synopsis: Eurocult icon Paul Naschy (Frankenstein’s Bloody Terror) stars as a criminal gang leader who undergoes a radical surgery in Juan Fortuny’s 1973 thriller CRIMSON. When a jewel heist goes awry, Jack Surnett (Naschy) and his fellow thieves take shelter at the home of a scientist experimenting in brain replacement. Through the surgical finesse of the doctor’s wife (Silvia Solar), Surnett is restored to health, but suffers irresistible pangs of bloodlust—and conventional lust as well—after the brain of a criminal known as “The Sadist” (Roberto Mauri) is grafted onto his own. This Redemption edition includes both the U.S. release version (English dubbed) as well as the extended international version (French with optional English subtitles), which features additional (sexually provocative) footage.
Special Features: Mastered in HD from the original 35mm film elements, Standard 89-minute version and the complete, more sexually explicit 98-minute version, Audio commentary by horror film historian Richard Harland Smith
What we have here is an example of what happens when a crime film meets horror - it's a bungled heist, and the result is not jail time or dead gang members, but a transplanted head! Yep, that's the premise of Juan Fortuny's weird little horror film that features the talents of the ever-popular Paul Naschy as the lucky recipient of a radical new operation. Obviously the major inspiration for this film is Mary Shelly's all-time classic horror story 'Frankenstein' as we've got a mad scientist, a 'monster' and some new medical breakthrough. The main story focuses on the fortune of Jack Surnett, played by Paul Naschy. He and his gang decide to pull a jewel heist, but when one of them cocks up, the alarms start ringing and the cops turn up. This is bad news for Jack as he gets shot in the head and it looks like his time may be up. However, his gang aren't ready to just sit back and watch him die so they take him to their own doctor and soon it transpires that the only way to save him is a brain transplant, and the only brain available used to belong to "The Sadist"...
It's probably obvious from the plot summary, but Crimson really is a bizarre film. Quite how anyone thought these elements could come together well is beyond me, but actually the result isn't as bad as thought it might be; although it's not really as fun either. It's clear that this film was never really meant to be taken seriously and it's a good job it doesn't take itself seriously. The best thing about most of Paul Naschy's films is Paul Naschy, although that's not really the case here as he spends most of the film lying in bed. However, when he finally does get up the film really takes a turn for the better as we get to watch Naschy with a bandage round his head running all over the countryside getting up to no good. The film isn't especially gory, but there's a fair bit of that cheap looking bright crimson blood to keep horror fans happy. It's clear that the film is never really going to go anywhere, and it really doesn't...but I only saw this for a fun time and it just about delivers that much. I wont call this brilliant or a must see, but its decent stuff and I can recommend it.
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