06-03-2020, 05:54 PM
While attending a small party (one of those wine-sipping mini-corncob munching affairs where French people flock when they're not getting all existential at some outdoor cafe), Frederick spots a photograph of an old seaside castle that triggers a long-suppressed memory. He vaguely recalls getting lost there as a boy of 12, and how a mysterious girl dressed in white gave him shelter for the night. That's all he remembers; he doesn't even know where the old castle is.
Inquiring about the photograph, he gets the photographer's name and tracks her down, but she says she was paid not to reveal the location. Still, she sort of likes him (hinted at when she strips nude, parades about in front of him, kisses him), and arranges to meet him later that night, promising to tell him more.
What follows is a lot of atmospheric wandering about at night in intriguing locales, brilliantly shot as always by Rollin, with several vampire ladies soon gracing the screen in diaphanous gowns. This haunting dreamlike atmosphere is the strength of the film. As Frederick has encounters with these vampires, it becomes apparent that there's a deeper drama unfolding.
The film contains a couple of explicit nude scenes that seem a bit gratuitous (and trust me, I'm the last person to call something gratuitous), likely spillover from the porn version of the movie that Rollin was forced to shoot at the same time (in order to be allowed to make this). But it's the lady vampires stalking the night in their diaphanous gowns that works best for me. Are some of the fangs silly-looking? Well, yeah. Are some of the women's expressions not quite right? Perhaps. But it makes these vampire ladies more individualistic and lends an air of authenticity to their numbers.
To be perfectly honest, I got dozy in the later goings and missed a few things, and had to look them up later on wikipedia. All in all, a quirky take on vampires (which most of Rollin's are), and worth a gawk, if you don't mind taking a step back from action.
Inquiring about the photograph, he gets the photographer's name and tracks her down, but she says she was paid not to reveal the location. Still, she sort of likes him (hinted at when she strips nude, parades about in front of him, kisses him), and arranges to meet him later that night, promising to tell him more.
What follows is a lot of atmospheric wandering about at night in intriguing locales, brilliantly shot as always by Rollin, with several vampire ladies soon gracing the screen in diaphanous gowns. This haunting dreamlike atmosphere is the strength of the film. As Frederick has encounters with these vampires, it becomes apparent that there's a deeper drama unfolding.
The film contains a couple of explicit nude scenes that seem a bit gratuitous (and trust me, I'm the last person to call something gratuitous), likely spillover from the porn version of the movie that Rollin was forced to shoot at the same time (in order to be allowed to make this). But it's the lady vampires stalking the night in their diaphanous gowns that works best for me. Are some of the fangs silly-looking? Well, yeah. Are some of the women's expressions not quite right? Perhaps. But it makes these vampire ladies more individualistic and lends an air of authenticity to their numbers.
To be perfectly honest, I got dozy in the later goings and missed a few things, and had to look them up later on wikipedia. All in all, a quirky take on vampires (which most of Rollin's are), and worth a gawk, if you don't mind taking a step back from action.
I'm nobody's pony.
![[Image: MV5BMjI2Nzc4MzQzN15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTM0...00_AL_.jpg]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjI2Nzc4MzQzN15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTM0NDkwMzE@._V1_UY1200_CR110,0,630,1200_AL_.jpg)