Plot: What’s it about?
At a lush, gorgeous French chateau, a group of beautiful young women are being controlled by an odd voice, one which seems to have no source. As it turns out, the voice belongs to a scruffy landowner and it tells them that they’re vampires, which causes their minds to go into overdrive, as memories flood their little heads. Soon enough, three Parisian visitors arrive and are shocked by what they discover, to say the least. A verbal tirade of nonsense, scientific terms, religious propaganda, and psychology buzzwords follow, as the three attempt to make sense of the chaos they have run into at the chateau. To them, the girls have gone insane and need serious help, to leave the chateau and the landowner that controls them. But in a twist, it turns out the landowner is not behind the schemes, but instead it is a Vampire Queen. This vamp is of course a lesbian and along with her nymph associates, runs the whole freak show. Can this madness be true though, or is some sort of supernatural hijinks underfoot?
If you’re into the films of director Jean Rollin, then you’ve come to expect some strange touches from him, but in The Rape of the Vampire, Rollin made his feature film debut with perhaps his most unusual picture. I’ve now seen this film more than a half a dozen times and I have to admit, most of the content still leaves me baffled, but that doesn’t lessen the experience. No, we don’t have to understand every last moment of motion pictures, especially with films like this one, where that could be damn near impossible. Rollin creates a movie that doesn’t even feel like it was made in this lifetime, as if were made in another era or in some scenes, maybe like it was made in another planet or realm, it is that bizarre at times. In other words, The Rape of the Vampire is often chaos at work, but don’t assume that is bad, as this chaos is often poetic and at the very least, a cinematic experience that never fails to keep your attention. The sheer chaos of the film will drive some viewers off, but if you’re interested in unusual, but very well made pictures, then The Rape of the Vampire is more than recommended.
At the helm here is Jean Rollin, well known in horror cinema circles for his orphan vampires, as well as terrific sense of visuals and atmosphere. This is not one of his better known pictures nor should it be, since it seems to be aimed at a very specific audience and even then, perhaps only a fraction of those viewers will be hooked. As a fan of Rollin’s work, I found this to be an odd addition to his resume, but the film has his usual handiwork and in the end, The Rape of the Vampire is simply too unique to pass up. Rollin’s style had not yet reached its peak since this was his debut feature film, but he does show all the potential of a gifted filmmaker, with nice visuals, an eerie atmosphere, and his own personal, sometimes confusing touches. You can tell this started off life as a short film, but it doesn’t hinder the experience much, just make it a little more offbeat maybe, but still very enjoyable and worthwhile. Other films directed by Rollin include Lips of Blood, The Grapes of Death, Fascination, The Night of the Hunted, and The Living Dead Girl.
Video: How does it look?
The Rape of the Vampire is presented in a 1.66:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. I was quite pleased to see that a good source print was used here, as the image looks much cleaner than expected, though still worn at times. You’ll see some nicks, grain, and marks to be sure, but given the age & nature of this picture, I think the print looks terrific and fans should be delighted here. The black & white image is stark and never too soft, which means all the cool visuals remain intact and fully effective. All in all, a much better visual presentation than I had expected, so kudos to Redemption on this one.
Audio: How does it sound?
The film’s original French soundtrack is preserved via a mono option, which reveals the film’s budget and age, to be sure. The track is rough around the edges, without much separation and some noticeable flaws, but in the end, the audio is still acceptable. It is hard to judge this against most material, even that from the same time period, given the nature of the production, but I think the track is stable, though with some problems. So expect some age & budget related hiccups, but if you’re a frequent viewer of low budget, cult pictures, you know about what you’re in for here. This disc also includes English subtitles, which are nice to have, of course.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some still photos & promotional materials, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
