Jean Rollin

This French director is one of the most consistently bizarre creators out there. Although his career spanning three decades has caused barely a ripple outside of art-house and porn theaters, his largely neglected works have a charm that few, if any, can achieve on a shoe and a string budget the way he does. Most recently, his films have been released in stunning new transfers on DVD by UK's Redemption Films (distributed this side of the pond by Image Entertainment). These are most recommended.
Here's the list of Rollin films in my collection.
Jean Rollin

The Films

Although for Rollin films it does not matter at all whether one knows the ending beforehand, if you dislike spoilers, avoid the full-length reviews until after seeing the film.

The Rape of the Vampire (1968): The first Rollin film, shot in glorious black and white, this strange tale of four vampire sisters and an attempt to cure them from their illness develops into a bizarre story involving a lesbian Vampire Queen, a revolt by vampires dissatisfied with her rule, and plenty of sadism. An inexplicable mess that is visually stunning and strangely alluring. Rated: 7/10.
The Shiver of the Vampires (1970): The beautiful Sandra Julien arrives with her new husband at her cousin's castle only to find that they are supposedly dead. However, she soon finds out that they have become vampires, and must choose whether she wants to join them in this new life. Perhaps the most visually stunning Rollin film, this one is not to be missed. Rated: 10/10.
Requiem for a Vampire (1971): Two girl fugitives seek shelter in an abandoned castle which turns out to be the site for a coven of a vampiric cult. As their leader prepares to initiate the two virgins, they must deliver fresh victims. Nearly silent, the film is loaded with beautiful shots and politically incorrect treatment of women. Rated: 8/10.
Bacchanales Sexuelles (1973): Credited to Michel Gentil, this repellent mess stars the gorgeous Joëlle Cœur but even her nakedness cannot compensate for the atrocious aspects of this flick. A soft-core porn outing that has some measly story about a girl mistakenly kidnapped by a sex-crazed coven, this anti-erotic film is best avoided. Rated: 1/10.
The Demoniacs (1974): Four pirates rape and brutalize two shipwrecked girls, who then trade their bodies for some supernatural powers so that they can wreak vengeance on their abusers. Very minimalist and expressionist, loaded with full-frontal nudity, especially by the lovely Joëlle Cœur. Some consider this to be one of the best Rollin films. Rated 7/10.
Lips of Blood (1975): Upon seeing a picture of a ruined castle, Frederic begins to regain some memories of his childhood, bringing to life an apparition from his past. As he searches for a mysterious woman, he unwittingly frees four vampires who wreak havoc as they protect him on his journey. Less explicit and violent than many of his other films, this one is untypically linear. Rated 5/10.
The Grapes of Death (1978): A pesticide unleashes a plague in a rural wine-making region of France, causing villagers to go on a murderous rampage even as their bodies rot. Elizabeth is on her way to her fiancee when she finds herself in a fight for survival in this exceedingly gory, but nevertheless moody, French entry in the walking dead genre. Rated: 6/10.
Fascination (1979): A common man on the run from a gang of thieves he has conned holds two aristocratic women hostage only to discover that he has been manipulated into remaining at their house for a special night gathering with their friends who indulge in drinking human blood. Perhaps one of my two favorite Rollin films. Rated 9/10.
The Night of the Hunted (1980): Several people are slowly losing their brain cells due to accidental exposure to radiation. Kept under lock and key by the government, they descend into memory-less oblivion punctured by the occasional explosion of violence. They attempt to find comfort and solace in each other's physical presence even as they gradually slip from reality. Rated: 7/10.
The Living Dead Girl (1982): The dead Catherine is revived by a toxic spill and discovers that she needs human flesh and blood in order to survive. Her childhood friend Helene decides to help her by luring unsuspecting victims to their chateau. While the zombie journeys toward humanity, the living woman descends into bestial existence. Among the best Rollin films. Rated: 8/10.
The Sidewalks of Bangkok (1984): An utterly dim story about a young Asian girl who gets smuggled out of Thailand by an evil syndicate in order to obtain a vial of a deadly substance she is thought to have from a French Secret Service agent. Plenty of off-putting nudity, some S&M abuse, and enough bad acting, directing, and thinking to make Ed Wood proud. Avoid. Rated: 2/10.
Two Orphan Vampires (1997): Two teenage girls are blind by day but can see at night. They also happen to be vampires who are reborn after each time they get murdered. Ostensibly a plodding entry in the vampire genre, the film is a lyrical meditation on fantasy and magic in our modern lives harried by rationality. Set in the customary gothic and surreal landscapes, but without the usual lesbianism. Rated: 5/10.
Fianceé of Dracula (2002): A meddling professor and his assistant unleash supernatural havoc when they attempt to use Isabelle who is betrothed to Dracula to find him and kill him. Sinful nuns, an ogress, a she-wolf, a vampire, and a love-sick dwarf get into the struggle. Poetic, artful, beautifully shot, this is one of his top. Rated: 8/10.

Jean Rollin

The Films

Further Reading