Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Macumba Sexual Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 17, 2023

Jess Franco's "Macumba Sexual" (1983) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films. The supplemental features on the release include archival program with Jess Franco and Lina Romay as well as archival program with critic Stephen Thrower. In Spanish, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

My first viewing of Jess Franco’s Cries of Pleasure occurred in 2020, shortly after Severin Films’ release of it arrived in my mailbox. Cries of Pleasures is not one of Franco’s greatest films, but by the time its final credits rolled on my screen, I was ready to declare that it is one of his most interesting experimental films. It was not because Cries of Pleasures featured unusual visual tricks or bold and innovative camera work that had suddenly revealed an entirely new side of Franco’s genius. I thought that Cries of Pleasures was a most interesting experimental film because it appeared to me that it was initiated and completed with the liberating power of recreational drugs. I have evidence now that I was right.

The evidence comes from Severin Films’ recent release of Macumba Sexual, which Franco shot at the same time he did Cries of Pleasures and again while working closely with Lina Romay and Antonio Mayans. The only notable addition to Macumba Sexual was the beautiful Ajita Wilson, who had appeared in Franco’s much better-known film Sadomania. Macumba Sexual and Cries of Pleasures were made in the summer of 1983, the former on the Canary Islands, the latter in and around Calpe, Alicante, and Costa Del Sol. Franco has important parts in both films but steps in front of the camera only in Macumba Sexual, where he plays the oddly loopy middle-aged hotel receptionist Juan Cabral. (In Cries of Pleasures, Franco does the narration that provides a structure to the story).

The material with Franco’s receptionist lasts only a few minutes but it is enough to conclude that he has taken a drug and is unable to behave rationally. The rest of the material was likely shot in phases, while Franco was only partially under the influence of the same or another drug, with the actors operating on the same wavelength as well. It is precisely why very large episodes of Macumba Sexual and Cries of Pleasure look and feel like parts of an intimate séance.

In both films, the intimate séance is initiated by a unique story. In Macumba Sexual, real estate agent Alice Brooks (Romay) experiences intense sexual nightmares while vacationing with her overworked lover (Mayans). Initially, Brooks attempts to discard them and simply enjoy the company of her lover, but the Goddess of Unspeakable Lust (Wilson) takes control of her mind and convinces her that she is real. Shortly after, Brooks is asked by her boss to meet Princess Obongo, a new client looking to buy an expensive property in New York, and when she agrees all hell breaks loose.

The most intriguing aspect of the drug-induced intimate séance is the strength of its visuals. It does not just look good, quite often it looks very, very good. For example, when Wilson appears with her slaves and then enters the desert, it feels like Macumba Sexual and The Sheltering Sky begin to overlap, which is odd, to say the least, because Franco is obviously cheating in numerous ways. The erotic material looks oddly spontaneous too, so it is not unreasonable to speculate that Franco must have shot plenty that did not make it in the current version of Macumba Sexual.

Films like Macumba Sexual make me wonder whether Franco could have directed some genuine stunners if he had the luxury to work with big budgets. A part of me is convinced that Franco could have crafted a few magnificent period projects like Caligula and Salon Kitty that would have cemented his reputation as one of the all-time greatest cult directors. But there is another part of me that is unconvinced that Franco and big checks would have been a winning formula. A lot of the surprisingly great material in Franco’s films is a byproduct of his struggle to be creative while working with minuscule budgets. Some of this material, I think, can be seen in Macumba Sexual.

Macumba Sexual Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Macumba Sexual arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films.

The release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master that was struck from the original camera negative. Even though select parts of the film could look a bit uneven, which is not an unusual occurrence in Jess Franco's films, I like the overall quality of the visuals. Detail and clarity range from good to very good, while depth remains pleasing. However, grain exposure is not as even as I hoped it would be, which is why in a few areas you may notice a bit of flattening/smearing. Franco's camera movement hides this shortcoming quite well, but I have to say that a dual-layer disc with some encoding optimizations easily would have eliminated it. Color balance is good. Saturation levels could be a tad better, but the primaries and most supporting nuances look convincing. Image stability is good. I did not notice any large debris, cuts, damage marks, warped or torn frames to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Macumba Sexual Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The dialog is clear and easy to follow. However, as it is usually the case in Jess Franco's films, from time to time there is noticeable unevenness. Sometimes it is in areas where the music becomes prominent, sometimes it is during exchanges. This is how the audio was recorded on many of Franco's films. I did not encounter any serious age-related anomalies to report in our review.

Macumba Sexual Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Voodoo Jess - in this archival program, Jess Franco recalls his decision to return to his native Spain after many decades of working abroad and his commitment to do several films for the local company Golden Films International, S.A., one of which was Macumba Sexual. Franco shot Macumba Sexual on the Canary Islands, which according to him was a very special place with an extraordinary atmosphere. Lina Romay also recalls what it was like to work with Franco and the freedom they enjoyed while shooting together. In English and Spanish, with English subtitles where necessary. (23 min).

• The Mirror of Evil - in this archival program, critic Stephen Thrower discusses the evolution of Jess Franco's work and style, the exact moment in which Macumba Sexual materialized, and its strengths and genre identity. In English, not subtitled. (40 min).

Macumba Sexual Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In the 1980s, Jess Franco returned to Spain and made several films for the local production company Golden Films International, S.A. while enjoying unlimited creative freedom. Some of these films -- Night of Open Sex, Cries of Pleasure, The House of Lost Women, Black Boots, Leather Whip -- have been fully restored and are now out on Blu-ray, and after viewing them I think that at least a few are drug-induced experimental projects. They can be very effective so long as you are comfortable plugging into their ambience, which feels a bit like participating in an intimate seance. Severin Films' release of Macumba Sexual is sourced from a good recent 2K master that was struck from the film's original camera negative. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.