Director: Jean Rollin
Script: Jean Rollin
Cast: Marie-Pierre Castel, Mireille Dargent, Phillipe Gaste, Loise Dhour, Dominque, Michel Delesalle
Running time: 95 minutes
Year: 1971
Certificate: 18

Rollins’ fourth sex-vampire film in a row is one of his better offerings, although the story, such as it is, is slight, without much substance to it. The story sees two women (played by Marie-Pierre Castel (The Shiver of the Vampires) and Mireille Dargent (Lips of Blood)) on the run, following a New Year’s Eve party that, allegedly, went wrong, although we never see what happened. In fact, the film opens with a car chase, involving a shoot-out, of sorts, on some back country roads. Their driver is killed and the girls run off into the surrounding countryside, dressed like mimes/clowns. Err, don’t ask!

They end up in an eerie graveyard, where one of them falls into an open grave and gets buried alive – temporarily – by the two most unobservant gravediggers that ever were. They eventually escape the graveyard and end up at an old chateau where they seek shelter. However, if they thought that they were already having a bad start to the year, the worst is still yet to come, since they quickly fall prey to a sadistic vampire, who offers them eternal life in order to continue his bloodline.

As usual for a Jean Rollin flick, the film is ultra-low budget, but Rollin always managed to make good use of his locations and props, and this film is no different, what with its dank graveyard, weird hooded skeletons, and aging chateau full of bizarre rooms and some very random objects. But Rollin has always been about the visuals; in fact there’s very little actual dialogue in this film. Cinematographer, Renan Pollès, does a great job in giving the film a poetic feel to it and the striking visuals are ably accompanied by an eccentric free-rock score by composer Pierre Raph (The Iron RoseThe Demoniacs), which just about holds everything together.

As usual romantic Rollin’s usual tropes are there to be seen in Requiem; namely the two young women in some sort of peril, lots of erotic imagery (often featuring said lead women), vivid landscapes – in particular the director’s favourite beach at Dieppe, crumbling staircases, decaying old buildings, ominous skies, dungeons, eccentric costuming and, of course, vampires with very pronounced canines. In fact, the vampires in Rollins films, including this one, don’t tend to be scary, but rather just ancient, sad and somewhat pitiful.

I guess the most impressive thing about Rollin’s films, in general, is the thought taken over the production design and general mise en scene – I’m allowed to use that phrase on this occasion since it is a French film, after all.

Summing up, if you’re looking for a film with a nice, safe linear storyline then it’s best to look elsewhere, but if you want to immerse yourself in more random cinematic waters, then Rollin can satisfy parts in the viewer that other filmmakers can’t reach. He’s an acquired taste, for sure, and, rather like donor kebabs, I occasionally, rather guiltily, acquire that taste, for my sins!

Not only does the new 4K HDR restoration from the original negative look amazing but, as per usual, Powerhouse has put together a great boxed set on their Indicator label with some excellent special features including:

Two presentations of the film: Requiem pour un vampire, Jean Rollin’s original French-language version; and Requiem for a Vampire, the English-language version, both with their original mono soundtracks.

Audio commentary with film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson (2024) – This is a solid commentary by two experts who know what they’re talking about.

Selected scenes with audio commentary by Jean Rollin – These were recorded back in 2005 and provide valuable insight into the writer/director’s thought processes.

Jean Rollin Introduces ‘Requiem for a Vampire’ (5 mins) – A short and sweet introduction to the film, from 1998.

In a Silent Way (8 mins) – A newly edited archival interview with Rollin, in which he discusses Requiem for a Vampire, a personal favourite of his own films.

Queen of the Underworld (9 mins) – A newly edited archival interview with actor Louise Dhour;

A Pastoral Dalliance (4 mins) – A newly edited archival interview with actor Paul Bisciglia, which is interesting.

Les Frissons d’un requiem (40 mins) – An in-depth documentary on the making of Requiem for a Vampire by Rollin’s personal assistant, Daniel Gouyette, featuring interviews with key Rollin associates Jean-Noël Delamarre and Natalie Perrey, and film expert Daniel Bird. This is probably the most comprehensive extra on the disc, barring the commentary.

The Poetry of Strangeness (8 mins) – A critical appreciation by author and film historian Virginie Sélavy;

The Last Book (9 mins) – A newly edited archival interview with Rollin, in which he talks about his work as an author and reads from one of his short stories. It’s nice to see a different side to the man.

Alternative ‘clothed’ sequences – Err, why? I guess it was for the US/Japan markets…

Original theatrical trailers – It’s always interesting to see how they marketed Rollins films – often trying to make them out to be something they’re not!

 

Requiem for a Vampire (aka Caged Virgins; Virgins and Vampires)
Justin Richards reviews Jean Rollin's 'Requiem for a Vampire'.
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4.0Overall Score
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About The Author

After a lengthy stint as a print journalist, Justin now works as a TV and film producer for Bazooka Bunny. He's always been interested in genre films and TV and has continued to work in that area in his new day-job. His written work has appeared in the darker recesses of the internet and in various niche publications, including ITNOW, The Darkside, Is it Uncut?, Impact and Deranged. When he’s not running around on set, or sat hunched over a sticky, crumb-laden keyboard, he’s paying good money to have people in pyjamas try and kick him repeatedly in the face.

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