Cultpix Radio Ep.67 - The French Director Too Sexy For France, with Lucas Balbo

Django Nudo reports live from sunny California, while the Smutpeddler sits in the cold north of Sweden, discussing with Luca Balbo, in the hopefully sunny Paris!

We celebrate our second anniversary, and discuss how the value for money only increases, great news in this world of recession.

Cultpix is forming new relationships with amazing rights holders and DVD companies all over the place. Recently we’ve had films from Japanese Kadokawa, US Deaf Crocodile, the German label Rapid Eye Movies and this week’s theme week partner – French company Le chat qui fume.

The theme week consists of 10 French erotic classics from the Seventies. Django Nudo and the Smutpeddler discuss four of them, especially enjoying the title "Love Brides of the Blood Mummy" (1973)!

But this episode’s main course is the great, knowledgeable author Lucas Balbo, who’s written among other things about Jess Franco and the French VHS era, but foremost – for this episode of Cultpix Radio – about the French auteur Michel Lemoine (1922-2013), in the book “Michel Lemoine: gentleman de l'étrange” (2020).

Lemoine liked to speak in riddles and keep people guessing about his age, when interviewed. Lucas had the chance to meet the director and to talk to him at length.
Lemoine lead an interesting life, starting out as a theatre actor, then some French films, until he became big in genre films in Italy, Spain and Germany, for favorite directors like Antonio Margheriti, Mario Bava and Jess Franco. Coming back to France he redefined himself as a screenwriter, producer and director, occasionally also acting in his own movies.

Lucas Balbo talks about the many aspects and faces of Michel Lemoine, and goes into detail about the six Lemoine films on Cultpix.

"Les désaxées" (1972) -  Michel Lemoine 's first official film, filmed in 1972, in the midst of sexual liberation, Les Désaxées takes a look at free love, fulfillment in sexuality and the mores of the bourgeoisie. Lemoine’s wife Janine Reynaud came back in The Bitches, The Erotic Confidences of a Bed too Inviting and Don’t Rip My Tights.

"Les chiennes" (1973) - Erotic drama against a background of decadent bourgeoisie. 

"Les confidences érotiques d'un lit trop accueillant/Les Frôleuses" (1973) - Sexy bed stories anthology.

"Les petites saintes y touchent/Jeunes filles en extase" (1974) -  Sexy omnibus film.

"Les weekends malefiques du Comte Zaroff" (1976) - Lemoine’s only horror film, initially banned by the board of censors in France.

"Tire pas sur mon collant" (1978) - Innocent holiday comedy about seduction.

French erotica also on Cultpix, but not by Lemoine:

"La révélation" (1973)

"Le sang des autres" (1973)

"Les mantes religieuses/Les garces" (1973)

"Et avec les oreilles qu'est-ce que vous faites?" (1974)