The Nude Vampire (aka La Vampire Nue) is the third film from French erotic horror auteur Jean Rollin. By its title, you might be expecting a sleazy & very fleshy affair- but in reality, the film is a mixture of atmospheric mystery and largely moody horror/dread- with touches of the surreal & disquieting…with fleeting nudity. Here, as part of Powerhouse's series of reissuing all of Rollin’s work, is a new reissue of the film. It comes in the form of either a UHD or Blu-Ray release(I’m reviewing the latter) which takes in a new wonderful crisp & clean 4k scam,  commentary track, and a few new & archive extras.

The Nude Vampire appeared in the year 1970. It was directed & co-written by Rollin, with co-writer credit going to Tunisia-born Serge Moati- who had twenty-seven other writings to his name, though these seem to be mainly in the TV- be it series epodes, and TV films.  Rollin had forty-three credits between the 1960s & early 2000s- he’s most known for his arty & erotic vampire films, but made a far few hardcore films in the late 70s and early ’80s, as well as a few other straight horror/ thriller films.

The film's central character is Pierre (Olivier Rollin) a rich twenty-something playboy- who one night gets involved with trying to help a woman who is being stalked by animal mask-headed figures. As things unfold it’s all seemingly connected with a suicide cult, his wealthy industrialist father (Maurice Lemaître), and a beautiful seemingly immortal blood-drinking woman.

Like many of Rollin's films, there is no big & complex plot here, and it’s more about mood/ tone. We have the already mentioned animal-headed cult members, but we also get folks in different colour fabrics hoods, bubbling colour tub laboratories, and moody use of shadows. With the film's setting moving from a city-set exclusive club, and nighttime office block. Though to a grand flame lite mansion, down into a nighttime cemetery, and a barren beech. The whole thing is effectively soundtracked with a blend of chilling & jarring horn work, piano clunking’s, improv picks ‘n’ twangs, ritualistic percussion, and unsettling animal recordings.

The film runs at the one & twenty-four-minute mark, and largely the whole thing flows well- with a mixture of the uncovering of the mystery, disquieting & creepy atmospherics, and the odd light touches of female flesh. However, the resolve of the whole thing did feel somewhat dragged out with overlong shots, and more than a few questions left unanswered. There is certainly more point & focus here compared with some of Rollin’s 70’s output- so with that in mind, I’d say The Nude Vampire is a good starter film for those unaware of Rolln’s work.

Moving onto this new release, and we get a wonderful 4k scan- which features good definition in both day & nighttime shots, as well as wonderful defined colours. The disc takes in two different versions of the film- La Vampire Nue, Jean Rollin’s original French-language version; and The Nude Vampire, the English-language version, with re-ordered opening scenes and alternative credits.

On the new extras side, we get a few new things.  Firstly we have a commentary track from film historians Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby- these two are true pros when it comes to tracks, and once again this is a wonderful informed and entertaining one. They begin by talking about how Rollin's films are a peak into a parallel universe, and how his work is instantly recognisable.  They talk about this being the director's first colour film, and the wonderful use of colour in the picture. They touch on the two different versions of the film- saying they prefer the English version better; due to the way the film is laid out early on.  They comment on lead actors as they appear- we find out Olivier Rollin was not originally going to the lead, but the original lead got hospitalised. They quote from an interview with the director discussing why he was pulled to vampires, and how with this third film he wanted to make a more classical picture, but admits he didn’t manage it.  They point out actors as they appear- giving bios & mentioning other memorable roles. They talk about Rollin’s first horror film The Rape Of The Vampire (1968), and how the film to hand improves on that. Later on, they discuss how little is known about those who played the small roles in the film, and how the director had a good eye for picking memorable/ interesting faces in the cast.   They talk about the subtle touches of sci-fi in the picture & how these elements turn up in his other work, though he admitted he didn’t like the genre.  They discuss how some of the actors got bruises from doing a few scenes, and counter-culture elements in the film.  A must-play track- that I can most certainly see myself returning to.

Otherwise, on the totally new side we have Countercultural Gothic (10.02) which finds author and film historian Virginie Sélavy discussing the film.  She moves from talking about his inspiration for making the film, onto how it played for a fairly lengthy time in French cinemas. She talks about the film’s locations, the counter-culture elements in the picture, and the way it blends gothic with the surreal. An Anarchist Vampire in Paris (5.26) an interview with archivist Lucas Balbo talking Rollin’s friendship with his father and their mutual connection to the Fédération Anarchiste.

On the archive/ newly re-edited side of things we have. Jean Rollin Introduces ‘The Nude Vampire’ (5.00) Le Passage (9.00): updated documentary on the making of The Nude Vampire by Rollin’s personal assistant, Daniel Gouyette, including interviews with key collaborators Natalie Perrey, Jean-Noël Delamarre, and Jean-Pierre Bouyxou. Fragment d’un dialogue (19.00): extracts from selected interviews with Rollin conducted by Gouyette between 1998 and 2003. Original French and English theatrical trailers. Image galleries: promotional and publicity material, and behind the scene

The finished releases come with an eighty-page book with a new essay by David Jenkins, an archival introduction by director Jean Rollin, archival interviews with Rollin from 1973 and 1996, a look at the work of Lettrist artist, filmmaker, and Rollin collaborator Maurice Lemaître, including his 1967 election manifesto, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and full film credits.

It certainly is wonderful to see Powerhouse continuing with its reissuing of Rollin’s filmography with this release of The Nude Vampire. And once again we get a lovely presentation of the film- with new print of great clarity/ depth, and a most worthy selection of extras.