Le frisson des vampires

Plot synopsis:
Isle and Antoine are newlyweds on their way to visit Isle's last
remaining relatives -- two cousins. Upon their arrival to the town, they
learn that the two cousins died just yesterday. Isle and Antoine go on to
the chateau anyway, where they are greeted by two female renfields who
show them to a room.The castle is a strange place -- filled with skulls, candles, and
weird figurines. Isle decides that she must go to the cemetery to pay her
respects to her dead cousins. While there, she meets Isabelle who says
that she was about to be wed to both of the cousins. Isle is so upset by
the deaths that she chooses to sleep alone on her wedding night. As she
gets into her nightgown, the grandfather clock suddenly opens up, and a
woman comes out. She introduces herself as Isolde and takes Isle back to
the cemetery where Isolde bites Isle in the neck.Antoine, feeling lonely and horny, goes to his wife's chamber, only
to find her bed empty. He searches the castle grounds for her and comes
upon a chapel where what appears to be a human sacrifice is taking place.
Two of the participants (who turn out to be Isle's cousins) explain that
the woman must be killed or she will become like them -- the undead.
Antoine goes back to Isle's room and this time finds her in bed. He's
uncertain whether or not it's all been a dream.The next morning Isle and Antoine are served breakfast by the
renfields who tell them that the story about the cousins' death is not
true and that they are, in fact, working right now in the library. Antoine
goes to the library where, instead of finding the cousins, he is knocked
out when all the books start jumping off the shelves. When he comes to,
Antoine stumbles into the dining room where he is attended to by Isle and
finally meets the two cousins. Antoine asks them about their work. They
explain that they have been researching their family's origins, including
the roots of certain ancient and medieval religions. That night, Isle again tells Antoine that she wants to sleep alone.
Antoine gets angry and says that he's not going hang around this crazy
house much longer. Isle sleeps alone, until Isolde joins her and bites her
neck a second time.Meanwhile, Isabelle is recounting to a friend the nature of her
relationship with the two cousins. Apparently, they were once vampire
slayers who were bitten by vampires and died of blood loss. That evening,
Isolde summons Isabelle to the chateau where she learns that the two
cousins are still alive but under Isolde's control. Isolde also tells
Isabelle that she is no longer welcomed at the chateau, then grabs her in
a big bear hug, piercing Isabelle's breasts with two pointed cones which
Isolde is wearing on her nipples. Angry with Isolde for killing Isabelle,
the two cousins rape Isolde.Antoine is sleeping alone again. The renfields come to awaken him by
crawling into bed with him in order to awaken him "naturally" after his
long period of abstinence. When Antoine awakens, the renfields run away
laughing. Antoine follows them to the chapel where he sees a ceremony
about to take place that involves the cousins, Isolde, Isle, and the
renfields. When Antoine breaks open the door, however, everyone
disappears. Not certain whether this was also a dream, Antoine runs to
Isle's bed and tells her that they must escape. Isle says no -- that her
two cousins are the only family she has left, so they stay the night, Isle
in her bed and Antoine on the couch.The next morning, Antoine throws open the curtains, and Isle cries
out that the light hurts her eyes. When Antoine shoots a bird, Isle laps
at the blood. Isle goes to Isolde's coffin. Isolde speaks to her from
within the coffin, telling her that the sunlight will kill her if the
coffin lid is lifted and then Isle will be alone. The other alternative is
for Isle to not open the coffin, in which case she will become like Isolde
and live forever. Isle chooses not to open the coffin.Tonight is to be Isle's initiation -- when she will be given the
final 'kiss' and made vampire. Antoine attempts to break up the ceremony
and carries Isle away. The two cousins follow them to a beach. It will
soon be light. Isolde tries to slip into her coffin but finds it on fire.
The renfields place a crucifix on the tomb door, sealing Isolde inside.
Isolde bites her own wrist and, for some reason, dies. Back on the beach,
Antoine is begging Isle to go with him, but she joins her two cousins
instead and, together, they await the sunrise. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl]

Tags: pornographic, psychedelic, murder, gothic

Review:
On one level, it seems pure exploitation, with its somnolent virgins and lesbian vampires; but it is the prospective male viewer that the film targets - his representative on screen is reduced to an impotent observer, finally breaking down into helpless madness.
Rollin's style is as delirious as ever, fantastic French Gothic sets, seeping red filter, dreamlike pace, bewilderingly inventive soundtrack, resonant set-pieces and unmissably pretentious dialogue.
Jean Rollin's early films are an acquired taste with their accent on mood and atmosphere over linear plot structure.
It's got a prog-rock music score, long-haired hippie vampires, old cemeteries and castles lit in bright shades of red, blue and green.
Rollin's first feature was like a pretentious student film.
Perhaps it's a matter of personal taste, or the lack thereof; I love Jean Rollin movies, and this Rollin film in particular I've seen several times.
Of all the European erotic horror of the sixties and seventies, Rollin's movies most effectively maintain a certain morbid psychedelic vibe, a genuinely Gothic atmosphere, which most of his peers' work only captures fitfully, at best.
"Shiver of the Vampires" was the movie that firmly established my fondness for this entire genre; and if it sounds interesting to you, do yourself a favor and seek it out, especially the Redemption DVD, which is gorgeously mastered from (according to the liner notes) the director's own print..
"Les Frissons des Vampires" can't be considered, in the strict sense, a horror film, because there are no suspense and/or scares waiting for the viewer.
The plot is thin: a couple arrives in a castle, in order to pay the fiancée's two cousins, a visit (they were once brave vampire hunters, but one night they fell in battle, and became afterwards enthusiastic vampires).
These cousins, together with their team (two beautiful servant maids and a solemn vampire girl that emerges out of the most unexpected places), prowl around the innocent guests.
This stuff could lead to a really suspenseful film, but I guess that was not Jean Rollin's intention.The lighting effects create beautiful night colors.
"Les Frissons des Vampires" is slow-paced - maybe if you just relax and don't hang too much on the story, you may experience the film - enjoy its gorgeous colors effects, its poetic-humoristic dialogues (spoken in French, a very sweet language) and its bizarre atmosphere.Welcome to the fantasy world of Jean Rollin.
It was easy to figure out that they were Lesbian Vampires and the must en-trance the victim into getting naked and then dramatically chomping down on her neck as they immediately go limp and fall down with their legs together(dammit!)Nice!
Unbeknownst to them, the castle is home to a horde of vampires, who have their own plans for the couple.This is the sixth Jean Rollin film I have seen in the past week, and the fifth one to feature nude vampire women.
Not sure what is up with Rollin: he needs nude women, vampires, castles and a sea side with a fence (or dilapidated pier) in all his films...I think this one was probably the best of those I have seen.
The rocking music, the actual attempt to have a back story for the vampires...
I am very much a fan of 1970s European vampire movies and Jean Rollin was the best of them.
If you are looking for the best of this genre, this is one of the films to watch..
I especially liked the end where the vampires dies with cheesy special effects and our demented hero is firing his gun into the air as he runs along the beach..
The interesting characters in this are a couple of guys who used to be vampire hunters but, after an "accident" (they got bit) have become unabashedly undead, and never had more fun.
Plenty of T&A, with slow pans over naked babes, a pair of deadly Madonna-like tit-spikes, and other good stuff.
You can probably watch this while you balance your checkbook, but if you like cheesy low-budget horror there's plenty worse..
If you are a fan of the "Twilight" series of supposed vampire films, you will want to stay away from this.
Or, maybe you will want to see what a real vampire film is all about.This is good work from Jean Rollin.
It may be Gothic, but it is painted with rich color and the rock music really applies.It is non linear, which tends to upset some folks, ad it doesn't make sense inn some parts, but the link between vampirism and sex is well defined.People pop out of the strangest places, and there is enough nudity to satisfy the most jaded.You do have to feel for poor Antoine (Jean-Marie Durand).
A couple of striking images can't dilute the fact that this is like watching a tacky porno film with all the juicy bits cut out..
Dreamy European vampire art-film with a modern-day setting, but all the trappings of a more traditional period horror.
Throw in a psychedelic pop score and various hippy motifs and the result is an awkward hybrid of themes and ideas.'Le Frissons des Vampires' is basically a slow series of impressive images set to music, with limited dialogue and a disjointed narrative.
The allusions to vampire eroticism, with semi-clad females and implied lesbianism, are not unwelcome but the results are singularly uninteresting with little to excite the viewer.The storyline - pair of newlyweds stop off at a Castle inhabited by vampires - meanders dreamily (drearily) along, with no points of interest to break up the monotony.
Despite some individual images which are stunning - the female vampire emerging from the grandfather clock - it's difficult to find much to recommend here.
I'm not sure how much of the film's strength was lost to the poor dubbing, but even so I can't help feeling that 'Lust for a Vampire' (1971), despite its lack of artistic merit is better entertainment.For all its striking visuals, Rollin's film falls down on too many basic levels and as naked lesbian vampire films go, it's simply dull to watch..
Shiver of the Vampires, The (1971)** 1/2 (out of 4) Jean Rollin's third vampire film follows a honeymooning couple, Isa (Sandra Julien) and Antoine (Jean-Marie Durand), as they travel to the castle of her cousins.
It doesn't take long for strange things to start happening including the so-called dead cousins coming back.
Following THE RAPE OF THE VAMPIRE and THE NUDE VAMPIRE, I think most people would agree that this is the film where director Rollin started to show what good things he was working up to.
This film here is certainly far from a good movie but there are several interesting aspects that make it worth viewing and there many elements that you can see the director working with and he would eventually perfect these in upcoming films.
One certainly isn't going to mistake the style of Rollin with someone like Mario Bava or Dario Argento but what's so unique is that this French director was able to do something rather original and all his own.
What's so impressive about Rollin's style is that it almost seems so lifeless but when you consider that he's dealing with the undead, this perfectly fits the films.
Compare these to the scenes when the dead are ruling things and you'll see Rollin using beautiful, haunting colors and there's some terrific stuff in the cemetery with some vivid reds that really jump out.
Of course, this being a Rollin picture, the nudity levels were starting to rise at this point, which I'm sure is going to sit very well with the male viewers.
The pacing of the picture is a very big flaw because it moves so slow that there will be times where you think the thing is almost over and then you realize that you've only been watching for a matter of minutes.
The pacing issues aside, overall this is a rather impressive mix of horror and eroticism that fans of Rollin will certainly want to check out..
Ultra low-budget outing from French sex director Rollin has even less plot and an even deadlier pace than his previous films, LE VIOL DU VAMPIRE (1967) and LA VAMPIRE NUE (1969).
What you get is an attempt at creating atmosphere (fog, colorful lighting) and Rollin's trademark before-sunrise coast-finale.
Because I've always been a fan of vampire stories and I like to experiment with different genres, I bought three Jean Rollin films.
Add this to the lack of a decent story line or decent acting and you really start wondering what the hell some of these reviewers are so excited about...They say Rollin is all about atmosphere, but I wonder what atmosphere they're talking about.
If you watched this movie expecting what a 1970s movie about vampires should be, then you probably liked it.
This was my first Jean Rollin movie, having come across his name on related searches on Amazon and seen his name mentioned in conjunction with Jess Franco, I thought I'd take the plunge.
However, even with obvious limitations Rollin seems to be able to produce one atmospheric, visually engaging shot after another, his use of color reminds me a little bit of Ken Russell.
Any notion of plot goes out the window fairly quickly, we're treated to some preliminaries concerning a couple on their honeymoon, but this rapidly degenerates (evolves) into random shots of women in various states of undress wandering though smokey castles and graveyards, in one famous scene, a woman emerges from a Grandfather Clock.
On the downside, Rollin seems to have a thing for over-loud, annoying and repetitive sound effects, he often uses these to ruin a perfectly good scene right at the end.
Overall there is more to like than dislike here, it's no 'Vampyros Lesbos', but definitely worth seeking out if you're a fan of the whole 70s Lesbian Vampire sub-genre..
On the plus side, the score is kinda groovy and the naked babes (it's a French film, after all) make it easier on the eyes, though not enough to recommend..
Strange and heady psychedelic vampire horror oddity from the ever-interesting Jean Rollin.
Isa (a charming performance by the fetching Sandra Julien) and her husband Antoine (a likable portrayal by Jean-Marie Durand) are a recently married honeymooning couple who stop for the night at a moldy old castle.
The couple discover that the castle is the home of a horde of vampires who have very special plans for Isa. Director Jean Rollin, who also co-wrote the offbeat script with Monique Natan, relates the cheerfully outré story at a hypnotically gradual pace, does his usual ace job of creating and sustaining a dreamy'n'trippy oddball atmosphere, smartly explores an intriguing theme about destiny, and makes the most out of the rundown castle and adjacent spooky cemetery locations.
Moreover, Rollins not only further spices things up with a generous sprinkling of sizzling lesbianism and yummy female nudity, but also gives the picture an extra delightful lift with an amusing sense of playful humor and a few startling moments of inspired surrealism (for example, the vampiress who pops up inside of a grandfather clock).
A newly-wed couple unwisely decide to spend their honeymoon in an old castle, wherein the frigid and not at all up-for-it bride discovers the joys of Sapphic undead love thanks to the lovely Isolde, a slightly malnourished vampiress who lives in a grandfather clock.
Also participating in this feast of Gallic ghoulishness are a pair of pretentious philosophising vampire brothers, one of whom is for unstated reasons best known to himself attending this particular Halloween party dressed as Austin Powers.Not a lot else happens, to be honest, but there is much enjoyment to be had here: a gorgeous shot of a slain dove, its crimson blood spattering a coffin; the fey vampires' beautiful maids, scantily clad in diaphanous cloaks and not a lot else; interesting set dressings like a skellington fishtank; and a pounding bass-heavy jazzy score.
Surprisingly good erotic vampire film.
"The Shiver of the Vampires" is one of the better erotic vampire films around.**SPOILERS**On their honeymoon, Isle, (Sandra Julien) and Antoine, (Jean-Marie Durand) decide to stop off at her cousin's castle for a while.
That night, wandering around the castle, he witnesses two men who resemble her cousins alive and performing a black magic ritual with a strange women, Isolde, (Dominique) who later appears to Isle and attempts to seduce her.
When he realizes that all of the inhabitants of the castle are a coven of vampires who want to initiate her into their group, he races to stop them before it's too late.The Good News: This is far better than it should've been.
The film's impressive and continuous Gothic atmosphere is it's greatest asset.
It has its occasional moments of surreal glory as well, including a vampire that sleeps inside a grandfather clock and giant ornate chimney places, only rises at midnight to the accompanying image of a female victim draped willingly around the clock waiting for her to awaken, the image of a female vampire wearing giant spiked black nipple caps to kill a troublesome woman, skulls in a goldfish bowl and the like.
The vampire plot is strong and well-defined, allowing for most of the best scenes to come from their appearance.
There are a large number of scantily-clad women in see-through gowns, a near-continuous stream of stripping for unnecessary events, a naked lesbian couple caressing on a fur blanket, a couple of seduction and sexual scenes and more, and is nicely integrated with the film artistically rather than being there for the sleaze appeal and it's a nicely different touch.
One of the main problems is that the film really fails to make the most of the connections drawn between vampirism and sex.
Despite the great pain taken to set up the allure cast over the wife: she is mesmerized by the female vampire, nothing much occurs of the plot-line until she is led to a cemetery and the vampire bites her neck, the wife instantly collapses.
For a film containing vampires, that is a surprisingly small amount devoted to it's official status.
The dream-like atmosphere maybe a source of frustration to some, as it's quite hard to get into and results in it being an acquired taste, but beyond these, the film isn't that bad at all.The Final Verdict: With abundant Gothic overtones, impressive scenery, lesbianism and only minor flaws, this is one of the better erotic vampires films around.
This is certainly required viewing for anyone interested in the genre or a fan of the European Vampire films, and is a nice starting point for the uninitiated as well.Rated UR/R: Full Nudity, Violence, several sex scenes and Mild Language.
Of all the few Rollin films I have seen (and I intend to see more), Le Frisson des Vampires/Shiver of the Vampire (his third) might be my favourite.
Equally typical, there is plenty of casual nudity which rarely actually comes across in an erotic way, rather as a perfunctory element of the whole, delirious dreams-cape.As one of the two serving girls, once again, is Marie Pierre Castel.
Marie featured in a number of Rollin films, sometimes alongside her sister Catherine.
Huge castles and lush forestry, together with a freezing beach – another Rollin staple – often belie the sometimes stilted acting, especially from the two hippy/vampires.This film is afforded an actual ending, which doesn't always happen.
Often in the Rollin films I have seen, they end very suddenly, possibly as a result of his lack of budget or time constraints.
"Shivers of the Vampire" brings the groovy back.
Despite the signs that something is afoot, like the uncle's mute female servants, the couple stays.
The vampire woman first appears nudged into a grandfather clock.
The lesbian maids (Did I mention they are lesbians?) lunge around the castle in the nude and use an unorthodox method to wake the husband.Pretty pictures only do so much to make up for the maudlin pace.
The acting is more stilted then usual.Yeah, it's pacing falters by the end and there's plenty of vampires musing about what a wretched, unlovable species they are.
The ending does feature an ironic take-down of the film's antagonist and that weird beach appears again.
The film wasn't released in the US until the late seventies, with the new title "Strange Things Happen at Night." I actually prefer that title since it's far more evocative and also an accurate description of what's to come.
This is my favorite of the director's films since "The Nude Vampire.".
This was my first Jean Rollin film.
Rollin, a pre-eminent French director known for his eroticism and surrealism in his "horror" films, definitely has an eye for atmosphere with his particular attentions given to color, shading, set pieces(love the Gothic look and feel of the film), and even the music chosen for the film.
He also has an eye for the female form as well as we get to evaluate that critical approach again and again and again...honestly, Sandra Julien has one of the most beautiful backsides I have ever seen - in film or anywhere else!
The story is very, very thin as Julien and her new husband want to pay their respects to her two cousins as they are on their honeymoon.
That is more plot than the rest of the film which has a female vampire popping out of a clock and all sorts of strange places who turns Julien into her lesbian lover and then we wait for her final turn into a real vampire whilst her husband Antoine cannot understand what is going on.
The two cousins have one good scene at dinner talking about vampirism but really the rest of the film is so slow....not much at all happens.
While this film is not going to keep you on the edge of your seat at all(just wait until you see the anti-climatic end), it was interesting and intriguing and charming in its own way.