(281) TRANSSEXUAL (1977) Paul Naschy rarity with Agata Lys
4952DVD
original
Spanish title: EL TRANSEXUAL [The Transsexual]]
director: Jose Jara
starring: Agata Lys · Paul Naschy · Vincente Parra · José Nieto
· Sandra Alberti · Eva Robin
This
is easily the strangest movie in Paul Naschy's prolific filmography. Although
it's not the rarest [that distinction belongs to his shot-on-camcorder
SHADOWS
OF BLOOD], the film is quite elusive and almost impossible to
find uncut. Yet, here it is. A movie made during the pinnacle of Naschy's
meteoric success, yet different from anything else he ever did. Not only
does he star, but he's also co-scripter with Juan José Porto [they
had previous worked together writing CROSS
OF THE DEVIL]. Naschy had brought the idea to the table after
learning of Lorena Capelli, a transsexual who died during an illegal
sex-change operation [all sex-change operations were illegal and dangerous
in the restrictive Spanish culture of the '70s].
Here
is a detailed look at drag queen Lorna, a cabaret singer performing at
the Gay Club. She was born a man but longs to be a woman. Lorna meets
a man. They date and fall in love, but she is unable to disclose the truth
about herself. Instead, Lorna decides to undergo an operation to become
a real woman. Meanwhile, a reporter named Sergio is looking for a big
story and sets his sights on an expose about transsexuals. Lorna is providing
him with all the inside dirt. But before he can get the information needed
for his article, Lorna is missing. Sergio goes looking for her in the
seedy underworld.
Paul
Naschy (born Jacinto Molina) is best known for playing his werewolf character,
Waldemar Daninsky, through a series of films that began with MARK
OF THE WOLFMAN (1968) and ended with WEREWOLF
IN THE AMAZON in 2005. However, during his long half-century career,
he would make over 100 movies, from the obscure early entries [under the
alias David Molba] DYING
IS A CRIME and FURY
OF JOHNNY KIDto his jungle actioners KILMA:
VIRGIN OF THE JUNGLE and TARZAN
IN THE MINES OF KING SOLOMON. He also directed many films including
the critically acclaimed FRENCHMAN'S
GARDEN and his final movie, the female-vampire infestedEMPUSA.
Paul Naschy died of pancreatic cancer at age 75 in 2009.
A Spanish
film with optional English subtitles; fullscreen format, 88 minutes,
DVD encoded for ALL REGION NTSC WORLD FORMAT. Extras include theatrical
trailers.
Sexual
Themes/Violence/Sexual Brutality
for Mature Audiences
