A Virgin Among the Living Dead

Decent mix of sleaze and spookery. Howard Vernon heads a household of seemingly living but dead folk and there is a sense of decadence as well as of death throughout. Plenty of bare flesh helps fill in where there are the usual lapses in Franco's narrative (speaking of which, in this he features as a grunting mute and still manages to overact). Some good stuff including * bathing among lily pads and the surreal dialogue with the ever retreating father as hanged man. Good photography (except for the zooms, unless they are towards young flesh, of course) and a fine score from Bruno Nicolai. All in all, likable and enjoyable. Disc includes alternative endings with Romero like zombies.

A young girl finds that she was probably better off never meeting the family she'd never met when she is troubled by a series of nightmares. The lovely Christina Von Blanc keeps losing her clothes in this otherwise difficult watch. Euro-sleaze director Jess Franco goes all artistic and leaves us guessing whether what we're watching is reality or one of Christina's nightmares. The off-kilter atmosphere and the girls bonkers family keep it watchable for half-an-hour, but the lack of narrative momentum is fatal.

This was certainly one strange movie: Carmencé (Britt Nichols) is doing her toenails during a funeral service, and a head as a flower vase is in her room. Christina (Christina von Blanc) even drops in unexpectedly while Carmencé is licking blood from a blind girl (Linda Hastreiter). Everyone keeps telling Christina that no one lives in the castle she is visiting. One has to wonder as they do not eat with her. Maybe they are ghosts. They certainly don't object when she inherits everything from her father. She not only sees her dead father (Paul Muller) several times, but he talks to her. Is she dreaming? Is she dead and just doesn't know it? Death runs though this film. I have to say for a low budget film, it was beautifully done; the scenery and music were very good, and it was strangely interesting.

most have only seen the cut version with added zombie footage shot by director Jean Rollin, which makes the film an irritating, confusing mess. the uncut european version is a GREAT confusing mess! one of Franco's personal favorites, which he also ha a meaty acting role as Basillio, a deranged mute. great cinematography, great weird performances from all the actors, and a kick-ass score by Brun Nicholi. best watched very late at night, but be sure to track down an uncut print.