400-419 Jean Rollin

[reaky]

I’ve just received these, and I’m pleased with the new style of slimmer hard case. The discs are in matte digipaks like those in the noir boxes, which keeps the bulk down.

[MichaelB]

Yes, I suspect the aim was to avoid taking up too much shelf space if people decide to collect the lot (or even several).

[tenia]

David Flint and Adrian J Smith are wondering in their audio commentary of Two Orphan Vampires what is the "slop" the characters are having for breakfast : from what it looks on screen, I'd say it simply is hot chocolate milk (if they're still wondering).

[What A Disgrace]

I wonder if these slim cases will become the standard for Indicator's "limited edition with 80 page book" releases?

[kekid]

I think Jean Rollin interviews should have been subtitled. He speaks English with a heavy French accent which is, at least for me, difficult to follow.

[JSC]

I guess what goes around comes around.

Jacques Rivette's Le pont du nord



and the same steps in Jean Rollin's Les deux orphelines vampires

[tenia]

I think Jean Rollin interviews should have been subtitled. He speaks English with a heavy French accent which is, at least for me, difficult to follow.

The Rollin intro for Shiver got me laughing so hard thanks to his cliched Franglish :
"Ah bah yes, hein, we were going to the cimetière, là, and we we got there, we started to tourner with the deux actrices. We laughed beaucoup, it was very amusant."

[Peacock]

I guess what goes around comes around.

This would be such a cool idea for a thread or series of videos! The same locations featured in multiple films. Very cool JSC.

[MichaelB]

You get a pretty good (and occasionally overlapping) idea of the geography of late 1950s San Francisco from Vertigo and The Lineup.

The Rollin intro for Shiver got me laughing so hard thanks to his cliched Franglish :
"Ah bah yes, hein, we were going to the cimetière, là, and we we got there, we started to tourner with the deux actrices. We laughed beaucoup, it was very amusant."

Do you remember when you were kind enough to check the subtitles on those French-language Michelangelo Antonioni interviews on The Passenger and finally worked out why one sentence had completely baffled me? It was because Antonioni clearly didn’t know the French word, and so was saying the Italian equivalent in a French accent.

(But I can’t point and laugh - I do exactly the same with French words when speaking Italian, because my French vocabulary is a fair bit bigger! In fact, it was rather cheering to see Antonioni adopting precisely the same solution.)

[tenia]

I laughed mostly because I related to it rather than because I was mocking it : I'm lucky to have a level of English preventing me to speak in Franglish like this, but I work in a place where most of my colleagues aren't and their English is exactly like Rollin's in this introduction.
(And my Dad does even better : some mix of English - which he speaks very poorly -, Italian and French)

[MichaelB]

CineOutsider on The Shiver of the Vampires:

A stylistically bold one-of-a-kind that embraces genre tradition, then does what all good genre movies should do by bringing something completely new to the table. It does so with real style, and an empathy for the counterculture movement that dates it in a way that I can’t help but find deeply endearing. Indicator’s Blu-ray release is top-notch, but the subtle improvements on the UHD edition really bring out the richly cinematic quality of the visuals, and make for an impressive debut for this fine label on this format. Rollin fans will have probably pre-ordered this as soon as it was announced, and as someone who has become increasingly captivated by this once seriously underrated filmmaker’s work, I have no problem highly recommending it.

[MichaelB]

THE RAPE OF THE VAMPIRE (Le Viol du vampire)
(Jean Rollin, 1968)
Release date: 21 August 2023
Limited Edition

Pre-order on 4K UHD or Blu-ray.

Jean Rollin’s startling debut feature, 1968’s The Rape of the Vampire (Le Viol du vampire), introduces his unique take on vampirism, establishing the blend of surrealism, eroticism, and horror that would become his trademark.

In the film's first part, four strange women living in a decrepit château – and all believing themselves to be ancient vampires – are visited by a psychoanalyst who attempts to rid them of their apparent delusion. In the second, the Queen of the Vampires presides over a diabolical clinic, unaware that the head doctor is plotting against her.

With its surreal black-and-white images and riveting free-jazz score by François Tusques, The Rape of the Vampire was released in Paris to a scandalised response during the chaos of May ’68, heralding the arrival of a major new talent in the fantastique cinema. This new edition also includes Rollin’s 1965 short The Far Countries (Les Pays loin) restored in 4K.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES

• New 4K HDR restoration from the original negative by Powerhouse Films
• 4K (2160p) UHD presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) - UHD release only
• Original French mono soundtrack
• Audio commentary with writer-director Jean Rollin (2007)
• Audio commentary with film expert and author Tim Lucas (2023)
• Jean Rollin Introduces The Rape of the Vampire (1998): filmed appraisal
• Jean Rollin on The Rape of the Vampire (2007): the director in conversation with festival programmer and journalist Joshua T Gravel at the Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal
• Fragments of Pavement Under Sand (2023): updated documentary on the making of The Rape of the Vampire, directed by Rollin’s personal assistant, Daniel Gouyette, and including interviews with key collaborators Jean-Denis Bonan, Jean-Pierre Bouyxou and Jean-Loup Philippe
• New interview with Jean-Denis Bonan, editor of The Rape of the Vampire and assistant director on The Far Countries (2023)
• Newly edited archival interview with actor Jacqueline Sieger (2023)
• Newly edited archival interview with actor Alain Yves Beaujour (2023)
• Newly edited archival interview with actor Jean-Loup Philippe (2023)
• Newly edited archival interview with composer François Tusques (2023)
• Critical appreciation by author and film historian Virginie Sélavy (2023)
• Alternative scene
• Super 8 version: cut-down home cinema presentation
• 4K restoration of The Far Countries (Les Pays loins, 1965): Rollin’s second fictional short film tells of a couple lost in a maze of streets who can’t remember how they got there
• The Far Countries audio commentary with Rollin (2007)
• L’Itinéraire Souvenir (2018): artistic reconstruction of Rollin’s lost work from 1962 by filmmakers Victor Poucalow and Raja Tawil
• Original theatrical trailer
• Image galleries: promotional and publicity material, and behind the scenes
• New and improved English translation subtitles
• Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Beatrice Loayza, archival writing by Jean Rollin on the making of the film, an archival interview with the director by Peter Blumenstock, Jean Rollin’s recollections of shooting The Far Countries, and full film credits
• World premiere on 4K UHD
• Limited edition of 10,000 numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US

All extras subject to change

#PHILE400U
BBFC cert: 18
REGION FREE
EAN: 5060697922714

[EddieLarkin]

Ah so based on the spine numbers and the original release dates, and going off what has previously appeared on home video, we are perhaps looking at these future releases:

400 The Rape of the Vampire
401 The Nude Vampire
402 The Shiver of the Vampires
403 Requiem for a Vampire
404 The Iron Rose
405 Schoolgirl Hitchhikers
406 The Demoniacs
407 Lips of Blood
408 The Grapes of Death
409 Fascination
410 The Night of the Hunted
411 The Escapees
412 Zombie Lake
413 The Living Dead Girl
414 The Sidewalks of Bangkok
415 Lost in New York
416 Killing Car
417 The Two Orphan Vampires
418 Dracula's Fiancee

edit: a poster at Blu-ray.com has suggested almost the same list, but with Countess X in place of Zombie Lake. Which is maybe more likely as it is listed at Park Circus along with these 18 other Rollin films. Though my understanding is that Countess X is a hardcore porn title, so it presumably couldn't be released in the UK. Hopefully Indicator have got a hold of Zombie Lake separately.

The Night of the Hunted being assigned 411 instead of 410 unfortunately means Zombie Lake is probably a no go, and that Countess X will indeed be one of the titles:

400 The Rape of the Vampire
401 The Nude Vampire
402 The Shiver of the Vampires
403 Requiem for a Vampire
404 The Iron Rose
405 Schoolgirl Hitchhikers
406 The Demoniacs
407 Lips of Blood
408 Countess X
409 The Grapes of Death
410 Fascination
411 The Night of the Hunted
412 The Escapees
413 The Living Dead Girl
414 The Sidewalks of Bangkok
415 Lost in New York
416 Killing Car
417 The Two Orphan Vampires
418 Dracula's Fiancee

Which I assume must mean it will be a US only title. Cue much UK teeth gnashing when that one is announced.

[MichaelB]

THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTED (La Nuit des traquées)
(Jean Rollin, 1980)
Release date: 21 August 2023
Limited Edition

Pre-order on 4K UHD or Blu-ray.

One of Jean Rollin’s least-seen and most underrated works, The Night of the Hunted (La Nuit des traquées) finds the director moving away from his trademark tales of vampirism to explore a nightmarish, dystopian world.

In the dead of night, Elisabeth is rescued from unknown pursuers by Robert and taken to safety. But, after she is kidnapped and taken to an austere clinic whose distressed and abused patients are suffering from progressive memory loss, Robert sets out to find her and discover what is taking place in the clinic.

Shot at night on a shoestring budget, with a cast mostly drawn from France’s adult-film industry, The Night of the Hunted stars Rollin regulars Brigitte Lahaie (Fascination) and Natalie Perrey (Lips of Blood), and offers a stark and melancholic take on contemporary society.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES

• New 4K HDR restoration from the original negative by Powerhouse Films
• 4K (2160p) UHD presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) - 4K UHD only
• Original French mono soundtrack
• Selected scenes audio commentary with writer-director Jean Rollin (2006)
• Selected scenes audio commentary with actor Brigitte Lahaie and Jean Rollin (2006)
• Audio commentary with film expert and author Tim Lucas (2023)
• Jean Rollin Introduces The Night of the Hunted (1998): filmed appraisal
• Jean Rollin on the The Night of the Hunted (2007): the director in conversation with festival programmer and journalist Joshua T Gravel at the Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal
• Perdues: ‘La Nuit des traquées’ (2023): updated documentary on the making of The Night of the Hunted, directed by Rollin’s personal assistant, Daniel Gouyette, and including interviews with Lahaie, critic Daniel Bird, and key collaborators Jean-Pierre Bouyxou and Natalie Perrey
• Le Pont (2023): short film revisiting the aqueduct seen in The Night of the Hunted
• Newly edited archival interview with Lahaie (2023)
• Newly edited archival interview with producer Lionel Wallmann (2023)
• Archival interview with porn performer Alain Plumey, who acted in The Night of the Hunted and Fascination, filmed at the Museum of Eroticism (2006)
• Filmed critical appreciation by author and musician Stephen Thrower (2023)
• Alternative sex scenes
• Original theatrical trailer
• Image galleries: promotional and publicity material, and behind the scenes
• New and improved English translation subtitles
• Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Ruairí McCann, archival writing by Jean Rollin on the making of the film, an archival interview with actor Brigitte Lahaie, and full film credits
• World premiere on 4K UHD
• Limited edition of 10,000 numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US

All extras subject to change

#PHILE411U
BBFC cert: 18
REGION FREE
EAN: 5060697922929

[david2212]

"The Shiver of the Vampires" is a visually stunning and atmospheric vampire film that blends horror, eroticism, and surrealism. With captivating visuals and strong performances, it offers a unique take on the genre. The plot can be complex, and the pacing may be slow for some viewers. Recommended for those seeking an artistic and introspective vampire experience.

[exidor]

The Night of the Hunted being assigned 411 instead of 410 unfortunately means Zombie Lake is probably a no go, and that Countess X will indeed be one of the titles:

Unless Lost in New York ends up on Sidewalks/Car. You're going to need a pretty stacked disc to convince people to pay top dollar for a 50 minute feature.

[EddieLarkin]

I suppose that Lost in New York may not be assigned a spine number at all, since unlike the others it was only a TV production. This would leave space for Zombie Lake.

[Peacock]

Nowadays people know the duration of everything and the value of nothing.

[reaky]

Seriously, do we think Indicator are going to give spine numbers and 4K releases to Schoolgirl Hitchhikers and Countess X?

[EddieLarkin]

Seriously, do we think Indicator are going to give spine numbers and 4K releases to Schoolgirl Hitchhikers and Countess X?

The spine numbers don't work without including such titles (unless you can think of a different way?). It doesn't mean they'll necessarily get individual releases, there's already been some mini-boxset Indicator titles that have featured 2 spine numbers.

[colinr0380]

If we are talking about the sex films that Rollin directed under his "Michael Gentil" pseudonym, is there a reason why we are ignoring 1974's Fly Me The French Way (aka Bacchanales Sexuelles) from the list? That got a DVD release in the US from Synapse Films in the early 2000s in a 102 minute original French version (the US theatrical release had been 30 minutes shorter), but has never made it to the UK.

[EddieLarkin]

The only reason I am assuming Indicator will be releasing Countess X is because it is part of the package of 19 Rollin films available at Park Circus (Cold Eyes of Fear and Black Magic Rites are on the site too).

We know Rape of the Vampire is spine 400, we know Two Orphan Vampires is 417. Assuming Dracula's Fiancee is 418, there's your 19 spines. Not surprisngly, the 19 Park Circus titles fit into the 19 available spine numbers in chronological order, as posted earlier. They stop fitting once we start throwing in other titles like Bacchanales Sexuelles and Zombie Lake, but we don't know if the minor titles listed at Park Circus, like Lost in New York, will actually get spine numbers anyway, so it's just guesswork at this point.

[Rayon Vert]

These releases sound so amazing I'll have to give Rollin a second chance. Does anyone know an online source where I could read about the art to better appreciate what I'm probably missing?

[Adam X]

I personally found it took repeated watches to truly discover an appreciation for his films, though I’ve been slowly doing this since the ‘90’s. They definitely tend to draw you back in.

For reading, I’d recommend Jeremy Richey’s blog Fascination: The Jean Rollin Experience. Though it looks like he moved the posts twice last year, and I couldn’t find a direct link to their current home on my phone. It looks like he’s currently revising his writings.

There’s also the book Lost Girls along with a roundtable discussion from the time of it’s release. Hope this helps.

[reaky]

These releases sound so amazing I'll have to give Rollin a second chance. Does anyone know an online source where I could read about the art to better appreciate what I'm probably missing?

My gateway to Rollin was the chapter in Pete Tombs’ and Cathal Tohill’s Immoral Tales. There’s also the Rollin episode of the Eurotika series, which is on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eWKCpLkfBBY