The Nude Vampire

Following a strange encounter with a young woman, Pierre (Olivier Martin) begins snooping around the location where he last saw her and quickly uncovers a mystery leading all the way to his own father. See, Pierre's dad has kidnapped this vampire girl and is using his company in order to try to find out the secret to her immortality. This is director Jean Rollin's second vampire film but the first one that I've witnessed. I'm not sure it is entirely successful, but it clearly establishes some Rollin motifs. I did enjoy the dream-like staging even if it has a slumber-like pace at only 81 minutes long. As always, Rollin has a keen eye for the ladies and everyone here is downright gorgeous. Especially of note are the twin servants, played by real life twins Marie-Pierre & Catherine Castel. Rollin also has an equally good eye at catching some great images and the final half hour set in a picturesque château in the country features some really striking bits. Of course, you know he is going to work that beach in there too and the last few minutes feature that famous location (plus a dimensional jump and twist that reminded me a bit of PHANTASM).

Nude Vampire, The (1970)

** (out of 4)

Strange film from French director Rollin has a young man coming across a nude woman who he witnesses shot dead minutes later. The man decides to investigate, which leads him to a strange scientist doing experiments with blood and a suicide cult. I've seen quite a few Rollin films over the years and this one here just doesn't work. The film doesn't have many brains but it throws in this wild story and it just never really makes any sense. This is one of those low rent films that tries to be a lot smarter than it actually is but for the most part all of this stuff just leads to boredom. The biggest problem with the film is its slow pace, which is the norm for a Rollin picture. Sometimes this slow pace really helps but often times it hurts and that's the case here. The performances really aren't anything special and even though there's quite a bit of nudity, none of it is ever erotic. The cinematography is quite good as is the music score but that's about the only thing this film has going for it.

From the title and the opening sequence of 'La Vampire Nue' it looks like you're in for a dreamlike erotic nudie vampire flick ala Jess Franco (which is not a bad thing mind you!). Very quickly though it metamorphoses into something more complex, and difficult to categorize. The mysterious and sensual title character played by Caroline Cartier actually has very little to do on screen, but is the key to the mysterious events involving scientists studying immortality, and a surreal suicide cult. A young man discovers his father is somehow involved in a secret society who favour animal masks and (apparent) murder. When he investigates he finds that not everything is as it seems, and that the enigmatic, mute beauty at the centre of it may hold the key to the future of mankind's evolution. A very strange, poetic and unique piece of 60s exploitation, quite unlike any other. I was fascinated by the whole thing. Highly recommended to fans of the offbeat and unusual.

With no dialogue for about the first 8 1/2 minutes, The Nude Vampire begins with a woman being pursued by a bunch of masked cult members. Seeing that she is in distress, a young man tries to assist her with her escape, but to no avail. She is gunned down by a man in a deer mask and carried away. The man helping her flees up a train bridge (in fear for his life), but makes an attempt to follow the men carrying her away.

The young man turns out to be the son of some elite member of the cult. But despite warnings to steer clear...he can't resist.

He tries to get in, but is denied without an invitation. So he mugs someone with an invitation and cons his way in. Now he can find out, first hand, what this odd sect of individuals are up to...

As soon as he gets in, a young woman seems to be randomly chosen...and willingly commits suicide. Bags are put over everyone's heads. Another young woman comes down and drinks blood from the suicide victim.

Little does he suspect that he is next to be chosen... He pretends to go with it, until they give him the gun. Then he kills the unmasked leader and attempts to flee. Luckily for him, some spies on the inside- who have a connection with his family- help him make it out alive and in one piece. After which he is told to report to his father, "where more mysteries await".

Turns out that his father is running a cult based around this vampire chick- who can heal right away as along as her internal organs aren't damaged. His goal is to absorb her immortality for himself. But to do this he needs a vampire of the same blood type- so that he can breed them. In the meantime, he has organized a separate suicide cult in her honour...as means to keep her fed.

There also seems to be another cult working against the boy's father...one trying to free the vampiress from her life of captivity. Other vampires perhaps? Whoever they are, they have chosen him (or he has been destined) to become an initiate. But perhaps not everything is as it seems...

The film concludes on an incredibly philosophic note with a positive message...in another dimension!!! (haha)

I absolutely loved this film! It's certainly not your typical "vampire" story; and the whole cult angle makes it particularly intriguing. Everything is beautifully framed and shot. And, well, if you came here for the tits...there's lots of those too.

However, I enjoyed it most for the gnostic themes revealed in it's final twist.

An underrated gem. Check this one out, especially if you are philosophically inclined.

8.5 of 10

Ahhhh... the title of the film cheapens it so much.

I watched this largely because the BFI endorsed it and I was looking for a cheap, silly 70s horror, much in the vein of Dario Argento. By and large, that's what I got. Great.

I was however, pleasantly surprised, that it tried to be a bit more than just a slasher/vampire film. There was a story to it but unfortunately, that story was a bit incoherent and ill thought through to really appreciate. It had roots but just, didn't exactly sprout.

A film with potential but in the end, I think they just accepted their place among the vast collection of horror B-Movies of the time.

Worth a watch at 1 in the morning but not a main feature film.