THE SHIVER OF THE VAMPIRES (1970)
(a.k.a. SEX AND THE VAMPIRE / LE FRISSON DES VAMPIRES)
Article #1605 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 8-6-2005
Posting Date: 1-3-2006
Directed by Jean Rollin
Featuring Sandra Julien, Jean-Marie Durand, Jacques Robiolles

A pair of newlyweds decide to spend their honeymoon at the castle of two of the bride’s cousins, but they discover on their arrival that the cousins are dead. In truth, they have now become vampires.

Hey it’s Mr. Jean (Arty-erotic-gory) Rollin again with another vampire flick. Of the four movies I’ve covered of his so far, three have been about vampires. Once again, all of the female characters spend most of the movie in various states of undress, there is a fair degree of blood, and all sorts of camera tricks and affected acting are on hand to remind you that you’re watching “art”. Naturally, the movie is beautiful to look at, but the arty touches are sometimes intrusive, and occasionally the result is unintentionally comic. Still, I found this one easier to follow than his other vampire movies (though in all honesty, I have to excuse THE NUDE VAMPIRE because I didn’t see it with subtitles), and there are some odd and interesting touches to the vampire lore. There’s a vampire that emerges from a clock, a murderous brassiere, and lots of lesbian encounters. If you’re familiar with Rollin, you know what to expect, but if you’ve tried him and don’t like him, this won’t change your mind. Me, I can take him or leave him, but I do find him easier to endure than Jesse Franco.