The Girl from Rio (1961) (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray REVIEW)Director: Jess Franco
Director: Jess Franco
Starring: Shirley Eaton, Richard Stapley
RATED: UR/REGION 0/1:66/2160p/NUMBER OF DISCS 2
AVAILABLE FROM Blue Underground
How many movies did Jess Franco direct anyway? Regardless, the 1961 film “The Girl from Rio” directed by the man in question is a sleazy and exquisite piece of cinema that showcases the genius, rounchy ways, and vision of its director. Set in the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro, this movie takes viewers on a thrilling journey filled with exotic locations, grindhouse style, and sexy characters. One of the notable strengths of “The Girl from Rio” lies in its vivid portrayal of the city itself. Rio de Janeiro is brought to life through Franco’s skilled direction, immersing the audience in its vibrant culture, stunning landscapes, and pulsating atmosphere. The film beautifully captures the spirit of this iconic city, adding an extra layer. I mean how can a movie about a woman wanting to lead her gang of women to inslave the whole male population not grab your attention at least a little bit. And to it’s credit, it does deliver the good in some areas.
While the film’s pacing may be leisurely at times, it only serves to build anticipation and create a sense of intrigue or perhaps at times even just pure confusion. The Girl from Rio is a film that requires patience from its audience, rewarding them with the weird and key lime pie-ish cinematic nature that about any of the Jess Franco movies out there do. And pretty much any of his seemingly hundreds of movies he’s directed does. The main thing perhaps to keep in mind with this release from Blue Underground is that if you are already a Franco man, then you won’t be disappointed with what you get here. We got a whole list of extras and we got a great transfer. If you’ve not seen any other Franco films them this just MIGHT be a good starting point.
Extras
– Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) and HD Blu-ray (1080p) – – Widescreen 1.66:1 feature presentations
– Audio: 1.0 DTS-HD MA (English)
– Subtitles: English SDH, Francais, Espanol
– NEW! Audio Commentary with Film Historians Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth
– NEW! Rocking in Rio – Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of “Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco”
– Rolling in Rio – Interviews with Director Jess Franco, Producer Harry Alan Towers and Star Shirley Eaton
– NEW! Additional Scenes from German Version
– Trim Reel
– Poster & Still Gallery
– NEW! RiffTrax Edition – THE GIRL FROM RIO Riffed by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (78 Mins.)
