Night of the Eagles

Director - Jess Franco (Revenge in the House of Usher, Night of Open Sex)

Starring - Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man, Taste the Blood of Dracula), Ramon Estevez (Alligator II: The Mutation, The Dead Zone), and Mark Hamill (The Guyver, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope)

Release Date - 1989

Genre - War/Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's been a few months but here I am back reviewing another Jess Franco flick.  Franco is one of the most prolific cult filmmaker at all time with over 200 films under his belt.  It's safe to say that with that many films in his catalogue that it would be impossible to like them all.  Franco and I have a strained relationship.  I like some of his films and I dislike just as many.  He's a very inconsistent filmmaker but you can't deny his passion for cinema.  When I saw that Full Moon was releasing two more Franco films on blu I was quick to reach out to MVD for review copies. 

     The film follows two German men who are fighting for the affection of a wealthy banker's daughter. One is already a ranking officer in the Nazi army while the other enlists to impress her.  However, she has higher ambitions and enlists in the Nazi army as well in hopes of entertaining the soldiers as a singer.  Things take a dark turn when her train is attacked and she finds herself in the middle of the war.

     Most of the Franco films I've reviewed in the past were sexploitation flicks with very little story and a lot of skin...and bush.  Franco loves his ladies young and energetic which is reflected in his films.  However, I've never seen a World War II film from Franco so I was very interested in that.  The fact that the film had Mark Hamill and Christopher Lee in starring roles made it even more appealing to me.  The film did not disappoint but I do believe Franco left a lot on the table with this one.  It could have been so much more especially if he would have added his own spin to the story.  The acting in this one is pretty solid but I do feel that it was a little underwhelming at time.  Mark Hamill is world famous for his role in Star Wars but he will always be Max Reed from The Guyver and the Joker.  With that being said, he doesn't really deliver a memorable performance here.  He gets into character and goes through the motions.  Hell, the same can even be said about the legend that is Christopher Lee.  They are committed to their roles but there is no energy and it's strange watching a film with Lee in it and not see his iconic intensity.  The story for this one is a bit unusual in many ways but still entertaining.  When it comes to World War II films, especially those coming out of America, we always see the movie from the point of view of the Allied powers.  It's rare to get a film from the Nazi's point of view.  It does allow certain opportunities with the story that you would not expect to see from an Allied centered film.  However, Franco's Night of the Eagles focuses on a love triangle in a war epic that is void of his sleaziness.  It's clear he was a hired gun in this one and had little to say in the writing process but it's still a fun war drama.  However, if you go into this expecting the bush and artistic visions Franco is known for you will be very disappointed.  Finally, the film is not a bloody one.  We have some gun fights here and there but don't expect to see amazing practical effects and bloodshed.  Overall, Night of the Eagles is a solid film if you are into war drama but if you are going into this one expecting the standard Franco fair then you are barking up the wrong tree.  Honestly, I enjoyed it but it did catch me by surprise.  The blu from Full Moon looks great but I do wish they would add some special features to these releases.