Eyes Without a Face (film)

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In 1960, director Georges Franju released the horror film *Eyes Without a Face* (original French title: *Les yeux sans visage*). The movie stars Pierre Brasseur, Alida Valli, Juliette Mayniel, and Édith Scob. The story, based on a 1959 novel by Jean Redon (who also helped write the screenplay), follows a plastic surgeon obsessed with grafting a new face onto his daughter after a car crash left her disfigured. The project was a joint effort between France's Champs-Élysées Productions and Italy's Lux Film. Filming took place in Paris, its suburbs, and at Boulogne Studios. During production, the filmmakers kept gore to a minimum to satisfy European censorship standards. Although censors approved the film, its European release still sparked debate, with critics reacting with everything from admiration to revulsion.

The movie did not receive strong positive reviews at first, but later theatrical runs and home video releases improved its standing. Modern critics value it for its poetic take on horror and for its influence on other directors. It is now widely considered one of the greatest and most influential horror films ever made. In the United States, it was released on March 28, 1962, under the title *The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus*, paired on a double bill with the 1959 Japanese film *The Manster*.

**Plot**

Outside Paris, a woman dumps a body into a river. The corpse is identified by Dr. Génessier as his daughter Christiane, who was reported missing after a car crash disfigured her face. In truth, Christiane is still alive, living in her father's mansion next to his private clinic, which is guarded by large dogs. The body belonged to a young woman whose facial skin Génessier removed and unsuccessfully tried to graft onto his daughter. After her father leaves, promising to restore her face, Christiane—wearing a mask to hide her disfigurement—calls her fiancé, Jacques Vernon, who works as Génessier's assistant, but hangs up without speaking.

Génessier's next target is Edna Grüber. Louise, his assistant, befriends Edna and lures her to the mansion with the offer of a room for rent. Génessier sedates Edna with chloroform, and he and Louise carry her to the lab, where Christiane secretly watches. He removes Edna's facial skin and grafts it onto Christiane.