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).
34 Reviews
THE NUDE VAMPIRE (Jean Rollin, 1970) **
Bunuel197623 January 2010
The eighth Jean Rollin film I have watched is also possibly the weirdest; the intriguing plot (such as it is) seems initially to be too flimsy to sustain even its trim 84 minutes but it somehow contrives to get inordinately muddled as it goes along! A would-be female vampire (scantily-clad, as promised by the title) is held in captivity inside a remote château and emerges only to 'feast' on the blood of willing victims (who are apparently members of a suicide club) As if unsure where all of this would lead him, the writer-director ultimately has the human villain – actually the blank-faced hero's kinky father – ludicrously revealed as a mutant(?!) from the future! The languorous pace and dream-like atmosphere (the cultists wear hoods and animal masks to hide their features from the sheltered girl) are, of course, typical of both the film-maker (ditto the seashore setting at the {anti}climax) and the "Euro-Cult" style, as are the bevy of nubile beauties on display. Personally, the most enjoyable thing about the whole visually attractive but intellectually vacuous affair was watching familiar character actor Bernard Musson (who appeared in six latter-day Luis Bunuel films) crop up bemusedly through it from time to time!
No nude vampires (for a change).
BA_Harrison5 June 2021
Pierre Radamante (Olivier Rollin) tries to help a beautiful young woman (Caroline Cartier) who is being pursued by people wearing creepy animal masks and brandishing guns. Pierre is unable to save the woman from being shot and captured. He follows the masked people to their headquarters- a club where his father, Georges (Maurice Lemaître), is a member. Pierre sets out to discover what is going on inside, and finds out that his father and his associates are experimenting on the beautiful woman: they believe she is a vampire and that, through her, they will be able to achieve immortality.
Jean Rollin's The Nude Vampire doesn't deliver on its title: she's never actually nude, always draped in one of the director's trademark pieces of coloured chiffon, and she's not even a vampire. What the film does deliver are plenty of seriously strange and surreal sequences, none of which make much sense, but which are so totally bizarre that the film still proves a fairly entertaining experience. The random weirdness includes a woman in a red wig and plastic nipple cones dancing to bongo drums, women with white faces, bindi dots and blue nipples, a pair of twins who dress in identical bizarre outfits, an artist's model who busily fondles her breasts, Georges' bizarre collection of mutilated toy dolls, rituals involving sacks placed over the head, and a suicide cult. But Rollin saves the best for last, the final scene (which takes place on the same beach that is in the majority of his films) involving inter-dimensional mutants who are the next step in human evolution.
The whole film is summed up perfectly by an exchange of dialogue between a couple of Georges' associates: "Do you understand any of this?" says the first guy. "Not really," comes the reply. It makes me suspect that Rollin knew what an incomprehensible mess this really was.
Jean Rollin's The Nude Vampire doesn't deliver on its title: she's never actually nude, always draped in one of the director's trademark pieces of coloured chiffon, and she's not even a vampire. What the film does deliver are plenty of seriously strange and surreal sequences, none of which make much sense, but which are so totally bizarre that the film still proves a fairly entertaining experience. The random weirdness includes a woman in a red wig and plastic nipple cones dancing to bongo drums, women with white faces, bindi dots and blue nipples, a pair of twins who dress in identical bizarre outfits, an artist's model who busily fondles her breasts, Georges' bizarre collection of mutilated toy dolls, rituals involving sacks placed over the head, and a suicide cult. But Rollin saves the best for last, the final scene (which takes place on the same beach that is in the majority of his films) involving inter-dimensional mutants who are the next step in human evolution.
The whole film is summed up perfectly by an exchange of dialogue between a couple of Georges' associates: "Do you understand any of this?" says the first guy. "Not really," comes the reply. It makes me suspect that Rollin knew what an incomprehensible mess this really was.
Strange and fascinating genre-buster from Jean Rollin.
Infofreak17 February 2002
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.
Another Elegant But Messy and Tedious Erotic Vampire Film From Jean Rollin
Witchfinder-General-66617 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Jean Rollin is admired by many of my fellow Eurohorror enthusiasts for his delirious visual elegance. I agree that Rollin's films are visually overwhelming. While I get why people admire this talent, however, I mostly do not find the style of Rollin's films sufficient to make up for the complete lack of a logic, continuity, or anything happening. The one exception is his great Zombie Gore film "Les Raisins De La Mort" ("The Grapes of Death", 1978). The prime example for Rollin's tendency to be stylish but boring is arguably "La Rose De Fer" ("Rose of Iron") of 1973, which is simultaneously one of the most visually elegant, and one of the most tiresome Horror films I ever sat through. It is not quite as bad with "La Vampire Nue" aka. "The Nude Vampire" (1970). The film is, once again, visually elegant and at least some events are happening in this film. However, they almost entirely lack any logic or tension.
The storyline is (very vaguely) about a bunch of scientist who want to examine the secret of immortality, and a pretty girl who is immortal as long as supplied with blood. Luckily for her, there is a suicide cult of people willing to sacrifice their own lives in order for the girl to maintain her immortality. Why? - Because! Then there are many long sequences of typical Rollin nonsense. This is not to say that the film has no genuine qualities. As mentioned above, the settings and cinematography are highly elegant. The female cast members are very nice to look at, and some of them have exhibitionist tendencies. However, there's not even quite as much female nudity as one might expect in a Rollin flick called "The Nude Vampire". The two twin maids (played by twins Marie-Pierre and Catherine Castel), who are dressed up in nothing but a bunch of bizarre gold plates, are the most notable aspect of the whole film; apart from being lovely to look at, they also provide the film's funniest and most interesting moments.
I cannot say that "La Vampire Nue" is a complete failure; the film has its qualities, and might be appreciated by fans of surreal stuff. However, even though I consider myself to be exactly that, I fund this to be rather tedious. Overall, this is worth checking out for Rollin-fans. When it comes to European directors associated with erotic Horror films, I will personally always prefer the great Spaniard Jess Franco, some of whose films may be nonsensical, but almost all of them highly entertaining. My rating of "La Vampire Nue": 4/10
The storyline is (very vaguely) about a bunch of scientist who want to examine the secret of immortality, and a pretty girl who is immortal as long as supplied with blood. Luckily for her, there is a suicide cult of people willing to sacrifice their own lives in order for the girl to maintain her immortality. Why? - Because! Then there are many long sequences of typical Rollin nonsense. This is not to say that the film has no genuine qualities. As mentioned above, the settings and cinematography are highly elegant. The female cast members are very nice to look at, and some of them have exhibitionist tendencies. However, there's not even quite as much female nudity as one might expect in a Rollin flick called "The Nude Vampire". The two twin maids (played by twins Marie-Pierre and Catherine Castel), who are dressed up in nothing but a bunch of bizarre gold plates, are the most notable aspect of the whole film; apart from being lovely to look at, they also provide the film's funniest and most interesting moments.
I cannot say that "La Vampire Nue" is a complete failure; the film has its qualities, and might be appreciated by fans of surreal stuff. However, even though I consider myself to be exactly that, I fund this to be rather tedious. Overall, this is worth checking out for Rollin-fans. When it comes to European directors associated with erotic Horror films, I will personally always prefer the great Spaniard Jess Franco, some of whose films may be nonsensical, but almost all of them highly entertaining. My rating of "La Vampire Nue": 4/10
Unsettling, erotic, confounding
Groverdox29 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The second Jean Rollin movie is a lot better than the first one, "Rape of the Vampire". It also has a misleading title: just as there was no rape that I could see in that movie, in this one I am not sure if there is even any vampires, and nor does the one the title presumably refers to ever get naked, though she does spend the whole movie in a see- through orange gown.
There is also more story this time, more unsettling images, and more eroticism. These things add up to a better movie in my opinion.
This one is something about a rich man who believes he has found a vampire and is trying to learn the secret of her condition. There is also a suicide cult who are apparently after the woman as well, though no great attempt seems to be ongoing to prevent them from getting their hands on her, nor do they seem that keen anyway.
Even the "suicide cult" part of that is questionable. When we see a young woman supposedly commit suicide with the group, she does so with the most unconvincing gun shot I have ever seen. There is a sound effect, yes, but no attempt to make it seem that the gun has actually fired besides that. She doesn't even aim it at her head particularly well: the gun is angled upwards so that if it did fire, it would probably miss her brain.
Aside from that, the movie benefits from its visual style more than anything. There are some beautiful babes in this one, particularly a black lady and two pig tailed sisters (whose hairstyles keep changing). The bits at the beginning with the girl wandering around and the guys in horse masks creeping up on her were generally scary and could have been great in a better movie. The ending is disappointing. We find out that no one in the movie is a vampire, but rather they're all mutants, and one day humanity will be immortal? What?
Is that supposed to be scary?
There is also more story this time, more unsettling images, and more eroticism. These things add up to a better movie in my opinion.
This one is something about a rich man who believes he has found a vampire and is trying to learn the secret of her condition. There is also a suicide cult who are apparently after the woman as well, though no great attempt seems to be ongoing to prevent them from getting their hands on her, nor do they seem that keen anyway.
Even the "suicide cult" part of that is questionable. When we see a young woman supposedly commit suicide with the group, she does so with the most unconvincing gun shot I have ever seen. There is a sound effect, yes, but no attempt to make it seem that the gun has actually fired besides that. She doesn't even aim it at her head particularly well: the gun is angled upwards so that if it did fire, it would probably miss her brain.
Aside from that, the movie benefits from its visual style more than anything. There are some beautiful babes in this one, particularly a black lady and two pig tailed sisters (whose hairstyles keep changing). The bits at the beginning with the girl wandering around and the guys in horse masks creeping up on her were generally scary and could have been great in a better movie. The ending is disappointing. We find out that no one in the movie is a vampire, but rather they're all mutants, and one day humanity will be immortal? What?
Is that supposed to be scary?
A conceited mess
richardwworkman3 December 2020
This is a complete mess of a film. From the beginning it sets out to be some kind of psychosexual surreal tale of morally bankrupt material excess. This is a film that quickly disappears up its own back side from the opening frame a remains firmly lodged there throughout.
This movie is devoid of any artistic merit yet it so obviously plays on those existential 1960s French performance artists, such as Yves Klein, obsession with misogynistic objectification of women's bodies as little more value than used toilet paper.
The script is appalling and the acting is like something you'll see in bad school play. I can't see why some people have rated this so highly.
A complete waste of time. Literally one of the worst films I've ever seen.
This movie is devoid of any artistic merit yet it so obviously plays on those existential 1960s French performance artists, such as Yves Klein, obsession with misogynistic objectification of women's bodies as little more value than used toilet paper.
The script is appalling and the acting is like something you'll see in bad school play. I can't see why some people have rated this so highly.
A complete waste of time. Literally one of the worst films I've ever seen.
"Does this make any sense to you?"
LanceBrave11 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
The movie is concerned with indelible images. There's no dialogue for the first ten minutes. In the second scene, a young girl, clothed in a see-through orange shawl, is stalked by people (creatures?) wearing bizarre animal mask, the most striking of which is a deer mask with antlers made of tree branches. It's creepy, dream-like, and sets the tone. That spooky deer mask shows up again, looking down from a building's ledge. In extreme close-up, the camera roams a woman's bodies, while she squeezes her nipples with long, golden fingernails. A cult, all wearing red hoods, shoot themselves with invisible bullets. Torches appear out of the darkness, a crowd suddenly walking in the night. We peer down a desolate beach, broken pier legs sticking out of the sand like rows of huge teeth, a bright red casket between the ranks.
While the movie is full of legitimately striking visuals, there are a few times when Rollin's trashy, Euro-schlocky side pokes its head out. The villain of the film has twin maids. The pair is usually clothed in a bizarre get-up: A segmented leather skirt and glass do-dads dangling in front of their breasts. The house is decorated with baby dolls with colored-on pubes. Two people are sent into violent spasms after being gently knocked in the head with a candelabrum. People in odd red outfits teleport around a hillside. There's an extended sequence of a mostly naked young woman dancing for a group of men, wearing an odd outfit that features little plastic spikes covering her nipples. At the end of her dance, she drops dead. If you couldn't figure out from the title, there's a plethora of female nudity, including a number of busty topless extras.
The movie is described as incomprehensible. A character even says, "Does this make any sense to you?" The story is secondary but not difficult to follow. There's a vampire girl, a rich man trying to exploit her abilities, a cult who worship her, and the millionaire's son who falls in love with her. Also, a group of hyper-dimensional mutants. (The portal to the other dimension is a pair of red curtains.) When the movie stops to explain is actually when it falters. The last ten minutes feature a character explaining that final twist in excruciating voice-over. Frankly, I think the film would have fared better if it dispensed completely with a story and focused on the surreal imagery. It also would have been shorter and better for it. The copy I have is a brief 81-minutes, shorter then the 90-minute French cut, and all ready feels like it could have lost ten minutes.
There's little blood and the film, overall, has a gentle, dreamy tone. "The Nude Vampire" isn't for everybody. It's probably not for the majority of people. But when it's at its swimmy best, I can dig it. And I'm certainly more interested in Rollin as a filmmaker now.
While the movie is full of legitimately striking visuals, there are a few times when Rollin's trashy, Euro-schlocky side pokes its head out. The villain of the film has twin maids. The pair is usually clothed in a bizarre get-up: A segmented leather skirt and glass do-dads dangling in front of their breasts. The house is decorated with baby dolls with colored-on pubes. Two people are sent into violent spasms after being gently knocked in the head with a candelabrum. People in odd red outfits teleport around a hillside. There's an extended sequence of a mostly naked young woman dancing for a group of men, wearing an odd outfit that features little plastic spikes covering her nipples. At the end of her dance, she drops dead. If you couldn't figure out from the title, there's a plethora of female nudity, including a number of busty topless extras.
The movie is described as incomprehensible. A character even says, "Does this make any sense to you?" The story is secondary but not difficult to follow. There's a vampire girl, a rich man trying to exploit her abilities, a cult who worship her, and the millionaire's son who falls in love with her. Also, a group of hyper-dimensional mutants. (The portal to the other dimension is a pair of red curtains.) When the movie stops to explain is actually when it falters. The last ten minutes feature a character explaining that final twist in excruciating voice-over. Frankly, I think the film would have fared better if it dispensed completely with a story and focused on the surreal imagery. It also would have been shorter and better for it. The copy I have is a brief 81-minutes, shorter then the 90-minute French cut, and all ready feels like it could have lost ten minutes.
There's little blood and the film, overall, has a gentle, dreamy tone. "The Nude Vampire" isn't for everybody. It's probably not for the majority of people. But when it's at its swimmy best, I can dig it. And I'm certainly more interested in Rollin as a filmmaker now.
Lacks focus
Vartiainen31 March 2019
A young man meets a stunning woman dressed only in a gossamer dress while wandering around at night. The woman gets taken away by a group of men in fetishistic animal masks and he tracks them to a manour owned by his own father.
The second of director Jean Rollin's debut vampire films, and an interesting look into the French fantastique genre, where fantasy, horror and science fiction meet.
The film is heavily sexualized. The very first scene is of a masked woman being made to undress and her blood being taken. And the movie simply gets stranger from there. So it is very much an erotic film, but not in a way that's at all sexy or arousing. The tone is simply either too clinical or too weird and off-putting. Rather the nude female form is used for emphasis.
The story itself is not half bad, but what keeps this movie from being any better is the tight budget. These are not talented actors, these are not beautiful costumes and while the locations are for the most part pretty nice, they're not utilized very well. The camerawork is stiff and stilted, and the storytelling has no flow to it. We don't know anything about these characters at the beginning and by the end of the film that hasn't changed.
Could be an interesting watch for a diehard vampire fan. Otherwise I'd advice you to look elsewhere.
The second of director Jean Rollin's debut vampire films, and an interesting look into the French fantastique genre, where fantasy, horror and science fiction meet.
The film is heavily sexualized. The very first scene is of a masked woman being made to undress and her blood being taken. And the movie simply gets stranger from there. So it is very much an erotic film, but not in a way that's at all sexy or arousing. The tone is simply either too clinical or too weird and off-putting. Rather the nude female form is used for emphasis.
The story itself is not half bad, but what keeps this movie from being any better is the tight budget. These are not talented actors, these are not beautiful costumes and while the locations are for the most part pretty nice, they're not utilized very well. The camerawork is stiff and stilted, and the storytelling has no flow to it. We don't know anything about these characters at the beginning and by the end of the film that hasn't changed.
Could be an interesting watch for a diehard vampire fan. Otherwise I'd advice you to look elsewhere.
The voluptuous vampiress is just a mutant from the future
prohibited-name-114230 December 1998
Warning: Spoilers
It all begins with a little mystery as we see a pretty girl trying to escape from a bunch of masked guys wearing smokings (really). The girl comes across Pierre, a young playboy whose father is a bored millionaire experimenting on all kinds of artificial youth. The girl gets shot, the masked murderers escape with her body, and later Pierre finds out that the nymph is his father's prisoner. All that without a word being said. But when the dialogues kick in, it just goes down, because Jean Rollin sure isn't a real convincing poet. There are also a lot of useless nude scenes, where some girls dance to the sound of fake tam-tams. The movie was maybe daring in '69, but it is a little dated now and we can't help but laugh when we see the improbable ending, where some guys on a beach pretending to be in another dimension and wearing blue make-up tell the viewer to take care about the mutant race of the future... Awful.
Looks good but is otherwise a mess
dbborroughs1 June 2008
Jean Rollin artistic nonsense about vampires, aliens and the quest for immortality.
The women are beautiful and the photography stunning. The dialog is inane. Its a laughable mess. Great to look at but as any semblance of a horror film or thriller purely awful. I'm trying to figure out if we're suppose to be scared or not. At the same time is it a put on or not? Its an odd mix of art film and horror that never quite meshes and while its nice to look at it never seems to "mean" anything, and its by no means scary even if the occasional shot or sequence creates a moment of frisson Its well made pretentious twaddle. Something to leave on in the background as a living wall paper for those who like naked women.
The women are beautiful and the photography stunning. The dialog is inane. Its a laughable mess. Great to look at but as any semblance of a horror film or thriller purely awful. I'm trying to figure out if we're suppose to be scared or not. At the same time is it a put on or not? Its an odd mix of art film and horror that never quite meshes and while its nice to look at it never seems to "mean" anything, and its by no means scary even if the occasional shot or sequence creates a moment of frisson Its well made pretentious twaddle. Something to leave on in the background as a living wall paper for those who like naked women.
Highly Underrated Philosophical Gem!
meddlecore9 October 2015
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
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
It has a lurid elegance.
GiraffeDoor4 August 2019
I thought this was an enchanting piece of hypnotic horror camp with vivid costumes, bold cinematography and a shameless approach to nudity and sexuality.
I wouldn't call it a horror movie exactly but it has kitsch eeriness like an feature length album cover of a psychedelic metal band.
I wouldn't call it a horror movie exactly but it has kitsch eeriness like an feature length album cover of a psychedelic metal band.
one not to watch
kelvperry1 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
from the start of this movie you soon become aware that the name of the film has nothing to do with the movie itself from watching a naked woman being chased by people in very silly masks to servants running round in the worst clothing I've ever seen and all this in subtitles makes this the kind of movie you should think twice about seeing and as the film slowly moves along you soon realise that the vampire is not a vampire you got to wonder where the title came from some parts of the film made a bit of sense with Pierre and is father but as the film gets to its really silly ending you have got to think why end a film this way and surly they had a better ending if only in there heads this is not a film to watch basically
The Nude Vampire
Michael_Elliott13 March 2008
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.
** (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.
Rather Strange
Uriah435 August 2014
This film essentially begins with a scantily clad woman (Caroline Cartier) being stalked at night by men wearing animal masks. She happens to come across a young man named "Pierre Radamante" (Olivier Rollin) and although she doesn't say a word to him appears to be attracted to him all the same. But as luck would have it, the stalkers corner the young couple and shoot the attractive woman. They then allow Pierre to escape while they take the woman's body back to a large mansion. Not long afterward, Pierre manages to enter this mansion and discovers this same woman drinking blood from the body of a woman who has just killed herself. It's all rather strange but this is essentially how most of the movie plays out with one bizarre occurrence after the other and the audience is left trying to make some sense of it all. Throw in some gratuitous nudity here and there and that pretty much sums up the overall plot. Only at the end does the director (Jean Rollin) tie it all together. The acting is bad, the costumes were pathetic and the dialogue (which was originally recorded in French and later dubbed in English) is extremely basic. On the other hand, I liked the artistic use of nudity and the way the director maintained the mystery from start to finish. Be that as it may, I felt that the good attributes failed to outweigh the bad and for that reason I have rated the film accordingly. Slightly below average.
You're one of us.
nogodnomasters24 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The Blu-ray had very good visual restoration and concentrated less on the audio, which was almost untouched. A son takes an interest in his father's experiments on a woman in a see-thru garment who feeds on blood and can not be out in the sun. She has that immortality thing which he wants. The killing scenes were rather campy, especially the candlestick which killed two people while being waved through the air. The roll down the stairs scene lasted long enough to make me laugh. The shot to the head was also a laugh. The movie didn't have that great of a plot. Gratuitous nudity, but I expected more from the title character.
Visual imagery and that's it
Leofwine_draca14 September 2022
THE NUDE VAMPIRE (1970, original title La vampire nue) is Jean Rollin's second feature-length film as director and his first in colour. I've seen some of his later work but it didn't prepare me for this deeply bizarre and surrealist collection of imagery in search of a plot. It begins with a young woman in a sheer dress being pursued through the streets at night by masked figures and just gets odder and odder from there.
There's little vampirism here, just an experimental test subject, alongside diverse plot elements: futuristic mutants, aristocratic conspiracies, suicide cults and a young man trying to solve the mystery of his own father's doings. I wondered what on earth I was viewing for long sections and found much of it quite tiresome. Very little horror or atmosphere too, with Rollin's main focus (as always) being on acres of nude female flesh.
There's little vampirism here, just an experimental test subject, alongside diverse plot elements: futuristic mutants, aristocratic conspiracies, suicide cults and a young man trying to solve the mystery of his own father's doings. I wondered what on earth I was viewing for long sections and found much of it quite tiresome. Very little horror or atmosphere too, with Rollin's main focus (as always) being on acres of nude female flesh.
No nude vampires
BandSAboutMovies9 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Either you get into the druggy vibe of Jean Rollin or you think it's the most boring filmmaking ever. But me, well, I'm nodding off and living inside the languid pace of his films and looking for those moments when masked maniacs wander the streets and indiscriminately murder people and the film doesn't really feel like cluing you into what's going on because why should it? You have to earn it.
I mean, what if you went to a party where a woman's photo is projected on a screen and she kills herself in front of the guests so that a strange woman in an orange nightgown can drink her blood and then your photo comes up next?
None of these things will ever happen to any of us. We'll never have days where we don't see the sunlight and realize we're the first humans to be immortal. At least I don't think we will. I mean, wouldn't it be great? But then I wonder, would my acid reflux get bothered by certain types of blood?
I mean, the basic description of this movie says: "Wealthy and decadent industrialist Georges Radamante rules over a strange secret suicide cult and wants to achieve immortality by figuring out a way to share the biochemistry of a young mute orphaned vampire woman."
If you don't want to watch that, well, I don't know what hope there is for you to experience magic.
I mean, what if you went to a party where a woman's photo is projected on a screen and she kills herself in front of the guests so that a strange woman in an orange nightgown can drink her blood and then your photo comes up next?
None of these things will ever happen to any of us. We'll never have days where we don't see the sunlight and realize we're the first humans to be immortal. At least I don't think we will. I mean, wouldn't it be great? But then I wonder, would my acid reflux get bothered by certain types of blood?
I mean, the basic description of this movie says: "Wealthy and decadent industrialist Georges Radamante rules over a strange secret suicide cult and wants to achieve immortality by figuring out a way to share the biochemistry of a young mute orphaned vampire woman."
If you don't want to watch that, well, I don't know what hope there is for you to experience magic.
The Nude Vampire
CinemaSerf3 June 2023
Just think of this as a bog standard Hammer film - only with loads of naked women who may, or may not, have pointy teeth. The nudity is all that gives this pretty tacky piece of cinema anything of distinction - and it is an objectified sort of nakedness that adds nothing at all to the seriously limited plot. Yep, there is a plot. A lad "Pierre" (Olivier Rollin) discovers a woman being chased by a dark figure in the middle of the night. Upon closer investigation, he discovers that she (a rarely seen and slightly enigmatic Caroline Cartier) is being held by his father. Can he find out why and save her? Is she worth saving? Is any of this? There is one especially hilarious scene where some gals fall down the stairs, but there are many others that test the patience and raise a grimace. I suppose it has perhaps acquired cult status because there is little point in slamming it - it is just a badly written, poorly directed piece of soft vampire porn that has dated as badly as many supposedly surreal or wacky films from the early 1970s. Maybe it can lay a claim to creative innovation or for trying to raise issues of sexpolitation and morality? I don't know - but don't take my word for it - watch it. Just don't blame me when you start to wonder why you bothered.
Some Eye Candy
Tweetienator12 January 2022
Like some other reviewers state: the women are beautiful and the photography sometimes stunning. The movie poster is also a fine one, it would be an excellent decoration for my tombs. Anyway, not that bad nor that good, watchable with some entertaining qualities here and there.
Must see sexplotation movie
goatyhead20 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I started watching this movie by accident. I found that even with a sub par plot, minimal acting, and terrible effects this movie was a sexplotation delight. It was like a weird Bjork video but with better looking women. It was extremely subtly sexy and the framing and cinematography was superb. Considering the director had a cruddy plot, he worked wonders. The opening scene was odd, yet very well done.
If you like watching sexy Euro women walking around scantly clad, and getting undressed for no apparent reason, creep yet sexy twins, and a very modest attempt at making something different, you will like this addition to the cheap horror movie genre.
If you like watching sexy Euro women walking around scantly clad, and getting undressed for no apparent reason, creep yet sexy twins, and a very modest attempt at making something different, you will like this addition to the cheap horror movie genre.
Not Worth the Watch
emryse4 February 2022
Apart from some neat visuals this film doesn't offer much. It seems to see itself as incredibly clever and metaphorical but in the end is really just boring. The cinematography is fine but none of the performances were great, I can't remember anything about the music and honestly within a week I doubt I'll remember anything about the film. There were a few good ideas at play here but even with it's short runtime it's not worth the watch.
Lots of Flashy Colors!
gavin694212 October 2011
Bizarre vampire/sex fantasy about rich brat Martin, who stumbles upon secret bourgeois-like society, which conducts secret perverse ceremonies in a mansion rented by his father.
Let me say, this is a prime example of style over substance. While I am sure there is substance here (most of which does not make any sense), that is overshadowed by colorful costumes, strange alien vampires and just an array of unpredictable moments -- many connected in some way to nude women.
Best part of the movie? The chicks falling down the stairs. While one twin takes it pretty seriously, the other one is determined to reach the bottom step, even if she has to keep pushing herself. Sure, it does not look natural, but it got me chuckling a little.
Let me say, this is a prime example of style over substance. While I am sure there is substance here (most of which does not make any sense), that is overshadowed by colorful costumes, strange alien vampires and just an array of unpredictable moments -- many connected in some way to nude women.
Best part of the movie? The chicks falling down the stairs. While one twin takes it pretty seriously, the other one is determined to reach the bottom step, even if she has to keep pushing herself. Sure, it does not look natural, but it got me chuckling a little.
Typically offbeat Jean Rollin curio
Woodyanders27 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Wealthy and decadent industrialist Georges Radamante (a nicely icy portrayal by Maurice Lemaitre) rules over a strange secret suicide cult and wants to acquire immortality by figuring out the biochemistry of a mute orphaned vampire woman (lovely and entrancing brunette Caroline Cartier). Complications ensue when Radamante's son Pierre (a likable performance by Oliver Rollin) finds out what's going on and falls for the comely lass. Director Jean Rollin, who also co-wrote the compellingly quirky script with S.H. Mosti, concocts an ingeniously weird, stylish, and poetic blend of horror and sci-fi elements that unfolds at a deliberate pace, positively drips with a hypnotically brooding and enigmatic atmosphere, and delivers several sizzling moments of inspired eroticism and kinky fetishism for good measure. In fact, the genuinely peculiar and mysterious, yet fascinating experimental vibe that pervades throughout certainly gives this picture its own singular identity. Rollin regulars and real-life twin siblings Catherine and Marie-Pierre Castel are sexy and captivating as Radamante's servant girls while Ursule Pauly is effectively nasty as the treacherous Solange. Jean-Jacque Renon's striking cinematography makes bold use of vibrant color and offers a few stunning surreal images. Yvon Serault's moody and atonal jazzy score does the wonky droning trick. Worth a watch for Rollin fans.
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