Exorcism (1979) - Thiller (erotic?)

Exocism (L'éventreur de Notre-Dame) (1979) - Jesus Franco is renown for euro-erotica and here he does not disappoint with a tale of religious murder and erotic performance art. Stepping into the role of Father Mathis Vogel he is a psychopathic killer who prays on sinners in the harshest terms.When the order was put in I was doing a lot of exorcism movies, and added this to the queue by the name "Exorcism" only not knowing anything about the film. It is the story of a lesbian couple who do pseudo black masses, erotic bondage art show pieces while the audience feel each other up.
Mistaken as a real black mass Father Vogel looks to exorcise the demons from those participating. Working his way from local participating prostitute to main or secondary characters he kills several lovely cast members, Lina Romay, Catherine Lafferiere, Nadine Pascal and Monica Swinn are all subject to his demented religious fanaticism. When the inept police finally catch up to him there is quite a body count.
There is a strange mix of religious dogma and erotic lifestyles in this with Vogel often needing the female victims nude before saving their souls by taking their lives. He is disturbed and is played well by Franco. Being a sleaze-fest we see lesbian love scenes, bondage erotic performance art, a group orgy which is a bunch of hairy people rubbing each others legs.
The treatment of women by the killer is degrading and the women barely resist. Men are unable to stop him with the police a full couple steps behind the killer. It was amazing how many times the killer just walks into a house without being seen. As a thriller it does not really work since there does not seem to be a sense that the police are ever closing in on the killer. Nor does the killer ever worry about being caught, lost in his own delusional world where he is turned on and repelled by sexuality.
Rating (4.3) 5 + are recommended, in the Zombiegrrlz system I would say Skip It!