She Killed in Ecstasy (1971) (4K Ultra HD Review)
DIRECTED BY: Jess Franco
STARRING: Soledad Miranda, Fred Williams, Paul Muller
RATED: UR/Region: O/1:85/2160P/NUMBER OF DISCS 2
AVAILABLE FROM Severin Films
If you’ve ever dipped a toe into the wild, foggy, and occasionally “did someone forget to finish this scene?” world of Jess Franco, you already know what you’re in for: vibes over logic, style over structure, and a whole lot of lingering camera work. So walking into She Killed in Ecstasy, expectations should be… adjusted accordingly.
Now, full disclosure—I’ve never exactly been president of the Franco fan club. His films tend to feel like they were shot on a dare, edited during a nap, and scored by whatever record was closest to the turntable. That said, even I have to admit this is widely considered one of his better efforts, and—brace yourself—it’s actually pretty enjoyable.
The film leans hard into its dreamy revenge tale, with Soledad Miranda gliding through scenes like an avenging angel who wandered in from a much more coherent movie. Franco’s usual indulgences are still here (yes, the camera will stare longer than necessary), but there’s a surprising sense of mood and cohesion holding it all together. It’s not exactly tight storytelling, but by Franco standards, this is practically a Christopher Nolan film.
And then there’s the 4K release from Severin Films, which honestly feels like giving a cult oddity the royal treatment it never knew it needed. We’ve seen this film released before—Severin themselves have taken a crack at it—but this upgrade is no joke. The transfer looks fantastic, with colors and detail that make you wonder if Franco accidentally shot this thing better than intended. It’s easily the best the film has ever looked, which is both impressive and slightly hilarious considering its grindhouse roots.
The extras are nothing to scoff at either. You get a solid batch of interviews and plenty of deep-dive material on Franco and the film itself—perfect for fans who want to unpack the madness or newcomers trying to understand why any of this works at all.
So yeah, while I’m still not fully converted to the Church of Franco, She Killed in Ecstasy is a strong argument for why he has such a devoted following. It’s stylish, strange, a little self-indulgent (okay, very), but ultimately a pretty good time—especially when presented in a 4K package this polished. Even skeptics might find themselves begrudgingly impressed… or at least pleasantly confused.
Extras
DISC ONE – 4K BLU-RAY
- NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE IN 1.66:1 RATIO
- HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
- Original German trailer
- Original German audio, with English subtitles
DISC TWO – BLU-RAY
- NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE IN 1.66:1 RATIO
- Ecstasy In Rage – Interview With Stephen Thrower, Author Of Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema Of Jesús Franco
- In The Land Of Franco Part 13
- Jess Killed In Ecstasy – Interview With Writer/Director Jess Franco
- Sublime Soledad – Interview With Soledad Miranda Historian Amy Brown
- Paul Muller On Jess Franco – Interview With Frequent Franco Star
- Original German trailer
- Original German audio, with English subtitles
