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Do you remember
Under the cover of darkness a van slowly drives down a gloomy and dimly lit street, it approaches an old building and then finally pulls up to the curb. Two men get out and open the back of the vehicle, from where they drag out what looks like a shrouded corpse, which they proceed to carry down into a humid crypt, with a ragged, elderly woman (lovely, elegant Nathalie Perrey) leading the way. Once inside, the body is carefully put down into one of four empty coffins, but before the lid is nailed shut, we notice two crucial details: The breast is heaving and there's heavy breathing - so whoever (or whatever) is lying there draped in a white cloth is about to experience premature burial.
Three more unfortunate souls are coffined, but what in the name of God could cause people to impose such a terrible fate on others, regardless of their sins? We get a faint idea when the old lady eventually blocks the entrance of the crypt with a cross. With limited means this opening sequence, besides setting up the theme, subtly implies that somewhere along the line these four undead are going to rise from their graves - and almost certainly sport some uncomfortably sharp and lethal fangs as well. Which places us right in the middle of vampire mythology, but also in Jean Rollin-country, as he is the director of the movie in question, Lèvres de Sang - yet another declaration of the man's undying love to these 'creatures of the night'.
Indeed, it is easy to understand this fascination when looking at how he manages to put them up on the big screen - they look absolutely amazing, especially the female kind and it's pretty obvious that Rollin feels the same way. They're the ones who appear most frequently throughout his productions, and when they move through some sort of nocturnal, moonlit landscape, often wearing nothing but vividly colored, see-through shawls that flutter in the wind, this sumptuous, stark juxtaposition of eroticism and impending death creates an intense atmosphere that is completely irresistible and utterly intoxicating. Visuals such as these are totally unique and virtually impossible to track down anywhere in modern genre cinema, but here they are like pearls on a string.
It's easy to dismiss Rollin's female vampires as being nothing but purely ornamental, which is fatal mistake. What actually makes them memorable is the way in which they are depicted as sorrowful, lonely freaks of nature who are constantly being persecuted by a society that have cast them out. A role-reversal that sometimes makes it hard to know who to root for (because the fanged women are killers, but not by choice), and in Lèvres de Sang Rollin certainly makes this aspect work in his favor. Additionally, this is also the movie where he most successfully combines leisured pacing and lyricism with a more linear narrative than usual, while still maintaining the same high level of mystcism that is so essential to his universe. Which also makes this the perfect starting point for newcomers of Rollin.
At a fashionable launch party for a new perfume advertisement, Frederic (Jean-Loup Philippe) spots a poster featuring a picture of some old castle ruins, which instantly brings back a fond childhood memory he had long since forgotten after the death of his father. In these ruins the boy Frederic once got separated from his parents late in the evening but then fortunately met a young, beautiful and gentle girl dressed in white (Annie Belle - here credited as Annie Brilland) who comforted him and stayed with him through the whole night. Before they parted he declared his love to her, promising to return, but this being the last thing he remembers and never having seen the girl again, Frederic suddenly feels a strong urge to track down the castle in order to perhaps learn more about this particular part of his life - and the angelic girl as well.
At first he seeks out the artist behind the picture, a female photographer (future French porn star Martine Grimaud) who it turns out has been paid not to reveal the location of the castle, she does, however, finally agree to share this piece of information with him anyway later at a predestined place. Puzzled by all the secrecy, Frederic soon realizes that someone desperately wants to cover up a secret closely linked to the ruin, - a terrible secret obviously, as he very unexpectedly finds the photographer murdered. But this only encourages him even further to carry on with his perilous search, and along the way he's aided by four female vampires (yes, the ones from the beginning of the movie, who are also connected to the mystery) while the silent apparition of the young girl in white sporadically shows herself to point him in the right direction.
Hollywood today can create any kind of setting they want on film practically for the asking, but none of these impressive, extensive (and expensive) production designs have the same kind of poetic impact as Jean Rollin's on-location shots, and they're even created for less money. Imaginative lighting is the key and in Lèvres de Sang he stages some of his most surreal, dreamlike sceneries ever, in particular the cemetery, the amazing large scale fountain, the sinister dungeons and the ruin where the young boy and girl met for the first time are genuinely evocative and unforgettable. Rollin never relies on large effects, and this philosophy also applies to the use of special make-up, that only amounts to a little blood now and then, - which is in order (after all, the English translation of the movie's title is Lips of Blood).
Undeservedly, Rollin's films are always referred to as Euro-sleaze for the simple reason that they're European and apparently emphasize blood'n guts and scores of exploitive sex, - in my humble opinion a mild overstatement. The violence is light, and this being a Rollin story, a certain amount of bare skin is to be expected, but it's the very relaxed attitude towards the unabashed (and often tastefully presented) nudity that enhances the emotional content of certain dramatic scenes and sometimes even brings about a touching air of sincerity and innocence (well, maybe not in that photo shoot session and subsequent 'conversation', but these situations are just too funny to be offensive). I honestly find it much more morally reprehensive that so many lascivious music videos targeted at young audiences can get away with directly implying it's okay for preteens to dress provocatively and 'shake their booty'.
With most of the action taking place at night, Lèvres de Sang is a dark, moody and seductive vampire tale, but at the same time a sublime, melancholic love story that dares to conclude with a highly provocative, but welcomely unconventional and emotional twist. All of the attractive cast is well above average and I truly enjoy the Castel-twins as a couple of alluring, deadly, neck biting females, but it's the 19-year-old Annie Belle (who made a scorching au naturel debut a year earlier in Rollin's Bacchanalles Sexuelles) who truly stands out with her believable, subdued and affecting performance. Her frail, natural beauty serves the story really well, and even though her part is mostly silent, her eyes so vividly convey a sense of sadness and longing that she's in fact never in need of any dialogue. A captivating, warm and charismatic screen presence.
Sadly, back in 1975 when this movie premiered in France it failed miserably at the box office, because around the same time X-rated cinema was legalized domestically and then the audiences would much rather see genitals hard at work than more ethereal nude female vampires. A bit ironic that this fate should befall what is basically Rollin's greatest achievement, an erotic fantasy that right until the final, haunting frames is every bit as mesmerizing as Harry Kümel's sophisticated art-house classic, Daughters of Darkness. With all of its apparent virtues, Lèvres de Sang is a stylish, magical feast for your eyes that is richly deserving of a belated recognition. 
René Pedersen, January 9th, 2006
Picture: 8/10
Apart from not being anamorphic, the widescreen transfer previously seen on the Redemption disc from USA looked quite good and certainly a whole lot better than the company's other Jean Rollin titles. But it does pale somewhat in comparison with this release from Encore Filmed Entertainment, that is enhanced for 16:9 TVs and presented in an 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Furthermore, the colors have been improved and are just plain gorgeous, looking more saturated and natural than ever, and the contrast levels seem to be spot-on and consistent throughout. There's some minor print damage in the form of scratches showing up on occasion and a couple of scenes exhibit light grain, which doesn't, however, detract from the extremely sharp image that always boasts a wealth of details. Edge enhancement is non-existing, but upon close inspection I noticed some light compression artifacts in one or two of the darker scenes. One last observation: While the aspect ratio looks correct, it appears that the framing is a bit off-center thereby cutting off a bit of information in the top of the picture and revealing some more in the bottom. This is noticeable in a handful of scenes where the top of an actor's head is missing, but otherwise the majority of the compositions in the movie look accurate, and whether this detail has to be regarded as a quibble or a serious drawback is basically a matter of individual taste. If the latter is the case, you may want to deduct a point from my final rating that pertains solely to the picture quality - which is stellar.
Sound: 5/10
There's one audio option available and that's the original French language version, presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono. There's a constant hiss in the background, but even though it's rather faint and less distinct than on the La Morte Vivante release from Encore Filmed Entertainment, the sound here doesn't have the same clarity and dynamic range and appears somewhat darker. But apart from a bit of distortion in some of the louder moments as well as some light crackling popping up now and then, there really isn't that much to complain about, - the dialogue and music sounds just fine and overall this is a pleasant (if not particularly overwhelming) listening experience.
Extras: 10/10
Being a strong supporter and admirer of independent, low-budget cinema, it's delightful to see that there are other people out there who share the same interest and who also feel that even less known films are worthy of Special Edition releases. This respect is certainly reflected in the fine collection of extras on this 3-disc set.
Besides the main feature itself the first disc contains an introduction by the gentle Jean Rollin (10.01 min. - in English without subtitles) who thinks that the script for this film is the best he's ever written but that Lèvres de Sang isn't his best film (I certainly beg to differ). One of the reasons he feels this way is because he had to cut down the originally planned four weeks of shooting to only three after one of the producers pulled out from the project one week prior to the actual production, thus forcing him to revise the script and leave out certain details he really cared for. Furthermore, Rollin more or less reveals the whole scenario of the movie but, among other things, also express how happy he was for having the opportunity to work with both of the Castel twins (Marie-Pierre Castel and her sister Catherine, both of whom I love unconditionally) at the same time instead of separately as usual.
The second extras disc distinguishes itself by so far being the one with the largest compilation of interviews (no less than five) seen on any of Encore Filmed Entertainment's DVD-sets. And each of these five supplements hold their own. First up is Cette Plage Qui Me Suit (24.39 min. - in French with English subtitles), an interview with director Jean Rollin conducted at the location most frequently seen in his movies (e.g. Le Viol du Vampire (1967), La Vampire Nue (1969), Le Frisson des Vampires (1970) and Lèvres de Sang), the picturesque and enigmatic beach. A very enthusiastic Rollin reminisce about how he initially found this particular place when he was a young boy and that its very cinematic qualities instantly fueled his desire to become a director, how he shot his very first film Les amours jaunes there under very difficult and trying circumstances, and he also tells a bit about how he imagined certain scenes from some never realized projects should have looked like. Invaluable.
The next interview (16.01 min. - in French with English subtitles) features the lead actor Jean-Loup Philippe. A mild-mannered and sympathetic man, he's disarmingly honest when telling about how he came about acting in the first place because he wasn't good at anything else, and it's also very intriguing to hear about his track record as a stage player - at one time he actually landed a part in a play with no other than Ingrid Bergman. However, he explains that it was his literary roots that eventually brought him and Rollin together and in regards to Lèvres de Sang he shares some memories of his on-screen relationship with Nathalie Perrey, of the actual shooting and some other things as well - for example that the movie was made possible due to a game of chess!
Still sound of mind and very charming is actress Nathalie Perrey who's the center of attention in the next interview (12.23 min. - in French with English subtitles). She's now collaborated with Rollin for over 30 years and here she tells how the two of them met back in 1968 when she mainly worked as a script girl but was offered a part in one of his movies because two actors suddenly fell ill. While sharing her thoughts on the fantasy genre and movie-making now and then, it's obvious that she holds Rollin in very high regard and absolutely cherish the time they've known each other, but Perrey also has fond memories of Jean-Loup Philippe, 'the twins' (naturally the Castel sisters) and Jean Rollin's son Serge, of whom she tells an endearing story where he one night slept in her room and rehearsed his lines - in his sleep. How can you not simply love this lady?
And wouldn't you know it - the likable Serge Rollin also shows up for an interview in the following extra feature (13.14 min. - in French with English subtitles). In Lèvres de Sang he only has a very small part in a flash-back sequence playing Jean-Loup Philippe as a boy, and although he was very young at the time he still remembers a lot about this movie appearance. He tells how his fellow classmates at school were envious of him having a father who was a film director, and Jean, knowing his son's curiosity towards the process of making movies, therefore wrote a part for Serge who could then experience the atmosphere of a film set first hand. It's especially touching to hear how nervous he was, rehearsing his few lines over and over again since he really wanted to make his father proud, but his other recollections, e.g. of the always friendly tone among the crew both in front of and behind the camera, are equally engaging.
Now to the interview I was looking forward to the most beforehand. In my earlier review of Requiem Pour un Vampire I expressed a great personal hope that a feature with Marie-Pierre Castel would be included in one of Encore Filmed Entertainment's future Jean Rollin releases, and voilà! - here's her delightful sister Catherine Castel in person, which is just as good. She recounts how she and her sister initially wanted to make movies together and by chance got introduced to Rollin, but that they were both minors at that time and had to be declared of age before they could be cast for their first film, Rollin's La Vampire Nue. How it was working on that particular production, as well as Lèvres de Sang, is revealed in quite straightforward phrases, and Catherine speaks with equal candor about her participation in hardcore movies during the early days of French X-rated cinema and the very unique camaraderie that existed on the sets back then. Incidentally, I was surprised to learn that the last name Tricot isn't a pseudonym but in fact her real family name - and I definitely wasn't prepared for her description of the relationship between her and her twin sister. Insightful, informative, exciting - this interview with the charismatic Catherine Tricot (14.47 min. - in French with English subtitles) is not to be missed.
Rounding out the second extras disc is a slideshow (4.29 min.) consisting primarily of movie and production stills - as well as a couple of rare shots from scenes not contained in the main feature. This image gallery plays over some of the film's score.
On disc three you find a comprised version of the film (32.55 min.) with running audio commentary by director Jean Rollin (in English with no subtitles) who offers some insight into the making of the movie. Since the number of beautiful sceneries and locations throughout the story is overwhelming Rollin naturally spends a great deal of time providing some interesting background information on many of them (some of the buildings and streets we see in the movie were completely destroyed only minutes after completion of certain scenes), but also points out several other interesting, enlightening details along the way - for example that he was nearly killed during the shooting of one of the final sequences.
Then there's Rollin's first and very experimental movie, the B/W short film Les amours jaunes (10.10 min. - in French with English subtitles) shot on his enigmatic, characteristic beach. Of course the image shows some extensive wear and tear, but it's great to have the opportunity to watch this quite abstract piece of film making, which is presented in an anamorphically enhanced aspect ratio of 1.78:1.
The trailers for Lèvres de Sang (2.19 min.), Les Démoniaques (2.57 min.) and Requiem Pour un Vampire (3.00 min.) mark the end of this 3rd disc.
This Collector's Edition set also comes with a beautiful 64-page booklet full of valuable, detailed information (some of which can also be heard in the various interviews on disc two and the commentary on disc three) on the conception of the script and the numerous, subsequent changes that were forced upon it, the extremely difficult financing of the movie, some unexpected obstacles during the shooting of certain scenes, various funny anecdotes (for instance, Annie Belle often stayed out til late and had to be dragged out of bed in the morning), the creation of the poster artwork, as well as many other interesting facts regarding the production. Concluding the booklet is the complete monologue from Rollin's short Les amours jaunes and some background notes on the making of this film written by Rollin. All of the pages are illustrated with B/W and color images from the film, production stills, poster artwork, illustrations from Les amours jaunes and rare pictures (some very explicit) from the re-edited, X-rated version of Lèvres de Sang (and not from the film on this DVD-set, which is the original, theatrical version).
Final thoughts:
A lyrical, poignant script, sumptuous cinematography to spare, evocative tableaus, an attractive cast and sexy, scantily clad female vampires - there's much to appreciate here, and regardless of Rollin's own opinion, Lèvres de Sang is his most accomplished movie to date and perhaps even the one with the widest appeal. The superb, comprehensive extras only added to the whole viewing experience, making me appreciate the movie even further - this Collector's Edition is a satisfying, complete package.
Thanks to the team at Encore Filmed Entertainment for making available a copy of the 'Lèvres de Sang'-set for this review
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