Inquisition, witchcraft, accursedness, nuns, lesbian sex: the 1972 movie »Les Démons« by producer Jesús Franco had a lot to offer. Today a rarity among b-movies, it was complimented by a soundtrack just as absurd by Jean-Bernard Raiteaux (an alias of the library music composer Jean-Michel Lorgère), who supported the badly filmed sexploitation-movie with psychedelic tunes. The soundtrack’s first release on Finders Keepers has pretty much made the film and its rather silly illustration of lesbian sex – lots of breast-licking and ass-stroking – superfluous. Because the album »Les Démons« works like a sweaty audio book of horror. Between feverish rattling percussions, stoned soli on the guitar and the organ and funky grooves, the little skits in between create a completely different narrative. The baleful leitmotif (in the style of doom-metal-icons like Pentagram or Black Sabbath) and the effectively interspersed film quotes have inspired Lorgère to create a timeless and exotic space, above which the long arm of Catholicism lingers like the sword of Damocles. Out of a sudden, it is much more about the need to survive than the need for naked skin. Hence, the soundtrack of »Les Démons« successfully manages what the film does not: it creates a spooky atmosphere which doesn’t need to emphasize the sexual foundation nor the discreet horror elements in a pornographic manner. When it comes to the sound design, the score sprinkled with exotic elements such as flutes and hand drums does not fit the vaguely medieval narrative, at all. But that’s what makes it so special. Raiteaux’ great music works even more poignantly without the pictures – instead of burning on a pyre, it smolders slowly and sensually.
Classroom
Classroom
Finders Keepers