Faceless 4K 1987 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

A model named Barbara Hallen disappears... Her father hires private detective Sam Morgan and sends him to find his daughter. Barbra's trail leads to Dr. Flaman's plastic surgery clinic. The detective's investigation slowly uncovers the terrible secret behind the plastic surgeon's fine reputation. The blood and organs of kidnapped young women... The closer Morgan gets in his unraveling, the more witnesses die gruesome deaths...

Review 4K Movie

It is still a mystery to me why I wanted to write a review of this film, putting aside all urgent matters and sacrificing the opportunity to write reviews of more original and objectively talented works.

I knew nothing about Jesus Franco until I decided to see this film, which I came across in Helmut Berger's meager late filmography. After becoming interested in the director's specific name, I learned that this Spaniard is as specific as his name: in his 80-odd years of life, he has made more than 250 films, most of which either balance on the edge of erotica and pornography, or fall hopelessly short of the latter. I've also learned that many regard this film as one of the best of his career, or at least one of the few watchable.

It is worth noting that I am completely inexperienced and unsophisticated with horror films and thrillers. I assume that true connoisseurs of this genre could not forgive this film for its primitiveness. I, on the other hand, see in it not the flatness of a lowbrow erotic thriller, but the unambiguity and unambiguity of a scary, brutal tale, with all the necessary characters.

The story of a plastic surgeon obsessed with helping his disfigured beloved sister through a complete face transplant of a living person is deliberately unrealistic and conventional. It is the tale of a king who dreams, with the help of an evil wizard, of restoring beauty to his beloved sister. The King (Dr. Flaman), played by Helmut Berger, one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, the god of decadence, is cruel, ruthless, detached from the world, devoted to one man and one dream. The role of the captive princess is not so straightforward. Formally, it is the unimpressive, lecherous model Barbara who pretends to play in the film, especially since the same unimpressive and boring prince (a private detective hired by her father and in love with her) is sent to rescue her. Although, in terms of the impression she gives, Florence Guerin's character, touching in her sincerity, trustworthiness and impulsiveness, is more suited to the role of the delicate and fragile princess. She at least evokes sympathy.

It's hard to say anything about the acting. The first impression is of Helmut Berger surrounded by porn actresses. Except, however, for the brilliant French actress and muse of Claude Chabrol, Stephane Audran in a cameo role and Anton Diffring. Brigitte Lahe impressed. Her Nathalie - for me personally - is an exceptionally interesting example of a completely flat character, such a dog in the guise of a man, outside of any moral choice, capable only of faithful obedience to commands. I can't think of a more vivid example of a human being with an animal consciousness in cinema.

As for the directing, I found it ambiguous, but interesting and fascinating in its own way. The spectacularly constructed hermetic space, the deliberate disregard for verisimilitude, the rather high-quality black humor make the film entertaining, and in places it is also cloyingly specific.

I can't help but give this brutal tale, in which there is no happy ending for anyone, with the brilliant, incredibly bright and sexy (even sexier than in his dazzling youth) Helmut Berger in the title role.