Reviewed by Simon Oakland
Self proclaimed sleaze merchants The Salvation Group (probably best known in the U.S. for their "Redemption" line of videos and for featuring modern-day models in S&M lesbian vampire garb as misleading cover art) have switched distributors from Image to Ryko and have just released the latest in their long line of classic Jean Rollin titles: THE NUDE VAMPIRE, his second feature film. Like all of his movies, THE NUDE VAMPIRE relies heavily upon atmosphere and rather bizarre erotic imagery. Plotting is secondary, so much so that by the end of the 88 minute runtime I had such difficulty remembering exactly what it was all about that I had to consult the back of the box in order to write this review. Now, you could take that as a slight against Rollin's work, but in fact I can't help but really enjoy his stuff, even if at times it makes me fall asleep. (Well, Monsieur Rollin, when you overload your films with dreamlike imagery what the heck do you expect to happen?)
From the back of the box: "THE NUDE VAMPIRE is centered on a doctor's obsessive desire to find immortality by replicating the blood of a female vampire he is holding captive."
Couldn't have said it better myself. Actually I couldn't have said it at all! Is that what was happening? Dear lord. I guess I was too distracted by all of the gyrating topless chicks to notice, but in all honesty, as long as you have that and a keen sense of mis-en-scene, who really cares about plot? Talk about eye candy! Hoot!
Image-wise, this release looks great...if you're viewing it on a standard definition television. If you're one of the lucky souls who own HD (I'm not) then you're bound to be disappointed as the picture looks a bit soft and lacking in fine detail on my computer monitor. It's also apparent from the lack of an anamorphic transfer that this is merely a port over from a region 2 release several years old. THE NUDE VAMPIRE is up to DVD standards circa 1999, but definitely not for 2007. The original French soundtrack is also strangely MIA from this package.
Overall, do I recommend this release? It depends. If you've seen Jean Rollin before then you know what to expect. If you haven't, then I have a word of advice: Don't go into THE NUDE VAMPIRE expecting to be as frightened or as creeped out as you might be from any other horror movie. Despite it's dark subject matter it's very much an "art" film, more in tune with the work of Luis Buñuel than Dario Argento. But that said, this DVD could be better, but it could also be much worse.
Purists among you who have all region players will probably want to seek out the PAL release which includes the original French dialogue. Everyone else will have to settle with what we see here and, sadly, I'm guessing that it will be a long time coming before we see a substantial upgrade over this domestically.
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