Rent Devil Hunter (1980)

Stomach-eating, bug-eyed jungle killer steals the show! - Devil Hunter review by NP

The first thing that strikes me about this tropical kidnapping romp is the dubbing, which is probably among the worst I have witnessed. Bored sounding actors drawling terrible, broken dialogue (Jack’s (Antonio Mayans) breakdown deserves a special mention here) amidst a myriad of half-hearted sound effects – the flowing of jungle rivers is represented by what sounds like someone agitating a glass of water.

None of this can be blamed on prolific Spanish Director Jess Franco (credited here as Clifford Brown). And yet this remains one of much-derided director’s most derided films. Much as I would like to disagree, it isn’t difficult to see why. The plot is stretched way beyond interest, and no-one involved seems particularly invested - apart, perhaps from starlet Ursula Buchfellner as Laura. Any of Buchfellner’s acting prowess is well and truly squashed by whoever is voicing her – that, and being given very little to do - but her enthusiasm keeps things afloat. Her natural glamour is a bonus too. Also of note, Muriel Montosse, billed here as Victoria Adams, who would make such an impression as the sexy main character in 1983’s ‘Cecilia’, features briefly as the ‘girl on yacht.’

By far the main point of interest here for me involves a kind of sub-plot involving a bug-eyed jungle murderer. I say ‘kind of’ sub-plot, because he doesn’t really have a story, he is just ‘there’ but his involvement grows as the 102 minutes roll along. Naked and with bloodied, raw, oversized eyes, he makes an impressionable figure, and Franco cannot help but feature him in close-up; this only goes to expose how crude the optical effects are, but it is still a powerful look. His appearance is slowly built up throughout, and accompanied by painful wheezing and groaning sounds. For me, this poor lad is the star of the show.