Faceless Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

Faceless Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 1, 2022

In one of several excellent supplements included with this release, a typically ebullient Kim Newman guides viewers through a perhaps surprising number of films which feature demented plastic surgeons disfiguring various people, albeit in some cases for supposedly noble reasons. There are most definitely not honorable intentions afoot in The Raven*, one of the earliest films Newman cites, and one which proffered Bela Lugosi on a mission to remake Boris Karloff's face, though in what might be considered the "flip side" of the famous pronouncement at the head of The Six Million Dollar Man's episodes, to make him "worse than he was". Things are perhaps a bit more ambiguous with regard to Faceless, a film whose English language title is kind of disparaged in another supplement featuring Stephen Thrower, but whose original title Predators of the Night might indicate that one way or the other there are foul doings aplenty in the film.

*Note that the link points to a UK Blu-ray, since that's the release I reviewed.

A mere listing of this film's, um, eclectic cast may be enough to pique the interest of cult film fans, this aside and apart from any prurient interest which may be generated by the name of Jess Franco in the director's chair. Helmut Berger portrays a plastic surgeon named Frank Flamand, whose sister Ingrid (Christiane Jean) is horribly disfigured by a face full of acid thrown at her by a customer unhappy with Flamand's surgical skills. There's an undeniable whiff of incest that enters the fray between the siblings, despite the fact of some hinted subtext of a more than professional relationship between Flamand and his nurse Nathalie (Brigitte Lahaie), all while Flamand attempts what amounts to a face transplant to save his sister. But it's in an almost insane number of sidebar plot additions that the casting gets truly weird and/or inspired, depending on your point of view.

In their mad attempt to aid Ingrid, Flamand and Nathalie start kidnapping women as potential face donors, with the first being Barbara Hallen (Caroline Munro). Her disappearance understandably freaks out her father Terry (Telly Savalas), who hires private detective Sam Morgan (Chris Mitchum) to find out what happened to her. Meanwhile (there's a lot of "meanwhile" in this absolutely Byzantine plot), a wealthy French elder named Mrs. Sherman (Stéphane Audran , and are you understanding that "eclectic" comment yet?) is looking to have a little work done, though Flamand and Nathalie are off for help with their mad face transplant scheme, which brings in two more (ostensible?) doctors, Orloff (Howard Vernon) and your everyday ex-Nazi, Karl Heinz Mozer (Anton Diffring).

Have I mentioned the mad Igor like assistant named Gordon (Gérard Zalcberg) who lurks in the quasi-catacombs where Flamand keeps his imprisoned women, or the flamboyantly gay photographer friend of Barbara named Maxence (Marcel Philippot)? Consider them mentioned now, though the sheer number of subplots Franco tries to stuff into this outing is undeniably comical after a while. That aspect may actually deflect from what has become one of the more memorable elements for cult film lovers about Faceless, namely its supposedly over the top gore. Stephen Thrower in particular gets into what was evidently Franco's hatred of the time and effort special effects took, since, you know, Franco pretty much wanted to wrap up shooting in a day or two (that's a bit of a joke, but perhaps not stretching it that much). That may account for some decidedly silly practical effects, including faces being removed from obvious robotic devices, but some of the actual makeup effects are really quite impressive and help to give a suitably unsettling air to the proceedings.

As undeniably over the top as Faceless is, it seems pretty evident everyone had a sense of humor about it all, and in fact one of the supplements is a funny parody that this film's producer René Chateau evidently had done expressly to run before the film during its French theatrical exhibition, which would suggest that no one was taking things very seriously.

Faceless Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Faceless is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.67:1. There's not a ton of technical information available on this release, other than a generic pronouncement on the back cover stating "now scanned for the first time in 4K from the original negative". Severin continues to offer generally very impressive transfers of little remembered cult items, and this 1080 presentation has a number of strengths, along with perhaps a couple of minor quibbles. The 1080 presentation looked at least slightly warmer to my eyes than Severin's simultaneous 4K UHD version, which frankly I personally preferred. There's a bit more of a reddish hue on display here than in the cooler 4K UHD version, something that can make some of the bright pops of vivid crimsons (as in blood, though not necessarily limited to that) quite memorable. There are some passing changes in color temperature here that I didn't find quite as prevalent (or noticeable) in the 4K UHD version. Detail levels are quite strong in the more brightly lit moments, but when combined with a pretty heavy, even chunky at times, grain field, fine detail at least can falter a bit in some of the more dimly lit interior scenes in particular. While there really aren't any major compression issues of note, grain is very heavy a lot of the time, and tends to attain a clumpy, yellowish quality. There is some minor damage on display that the eagle eyed videophile may notice, but it tends to be in very brief passing instances of flecks or small nicks. My score is 4.25.

Faceless Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Faceless features DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 audio options in either English or French, and in toggling between them, I really didn't notice any huge differences in terms of general amplitude or mixing choices. The film has an insanely memorable theme song which will plant an ear worm in many, especially if they spend time on the supplements, where it serves as opening and closing credits music. Dialogue, score and effects are presented without any problems. Optional English subtitles are available.

Faceless Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Director Jess Franco and Actress Lina Romay is accessible under either the Bonus or Setup Menus and is in French with optional English subtitles.


• The Female Predator (HD; 16:07) is a fun interview with actress Brigitte Lahaie. In French with English subtitles.


• Facial Recognition (HD; 20:27) is subtitled Cinema's Plastic Surgery Nightmares and features the reliably informative and interesting Kim Newman.


• Parisian Encounters (HD; 25:55) is an interesting interview with actress Caroline Munro.


• Predators of the Night (HD; 26:08) offers Stephen Thrower's thoughts on Franco and the film and comes with a spoiler warning.


• EPK Interviews with Actors Helmut Berger, Chris Mitchum and Telly Savalas (HD; 8:34)


• Archival Interview with Director Jess Franco (HD; 18:15) is called The Brain Behind Faceless and also contains a spoiler warning. Subtitled in English.


• Archival Interview with Actor Chris Mitchum (HD; 14:10) also comes with a spoiler warning.


• Selected Scene Commentary with Chris Mitchum (HD; 27:16)


• Therese II: The Mission (1987) (HD; 3:31) is a parody short starring Brigitte Lahaie which was produced for the French theatrical release of Faceless in June 1988 as a preliminary piece shown before the main feature.


• French Trailer (HD; 1:49)


• English Trailer (HD; 1:50)

Faceless Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Faceless is just flat out goofy a lot of the time, and with a cast that kind of has to be seen to be believed (and maybe not even then), this has the expected amount of Franco-esque titillation combined with occasional bursts of Grand Guignol weirdness and the occasional immolation of an eyeball (not to mention the removal of an occasional face). Severin provides a release with generally solid technical merits and some outstanding supplements. For the brave of heart or those already properly indoctrinated into the world of Jess Franco, Recommended.