Seven Women for Satan
Mondo Macabro, as its name suggests, is devoted to releasing onto DVD long-forgotten horror films from around the world. Their most recent unearthing is Seven Women for Satan (aka Les Weekends Malefiques du Comte Zaroff), made in France in 1974. Starring and directed by Michel Lemoine, it recounts the tale of a Parisian businessman, Count Zaroff, who retreats to his chateau for murder and debauchery on the weekends. He is reluctantly assisted in these pursuits by his servant, played by Howard Vernon (a regular in Jess Franco films throughout the 1970s).
However, as often happens with low-budget films of this era, the plot takes a back seat to the colorful, psychedelic visuals of half-naked women dancing to the film's acid rock score and chased around by the Count on horseback, romping around the chateau clad in nothing but a feather boa, or having champagne licked off them. Once the fun is over, Zaroff has his female visitors dispatched by various methods. All the while, he is haunted by the specter of his dead wife, which seems to contribute to his growing mental illness.
As a result of French legislation regarding the sexual content of films in the 1970s, Seven Women for Satan was never shown in theaters because of the grey area of its softcore / horror combination. Mondo Macabro has, as with all its releases, given this obscure film a luxurious treatment. The most notable of the extras include an interview with Michel Lemoine and an unintentionally hilarious English dubbing track. While this film is not a landmark of European cinema, it is a silly, sexy piece of eye candy for the open-minded.
