Island of Madeira, 22nd of February, 1974. The Countess Irina of Karlstein seduces and drains a woodsman of his vital fluids. A visiting writer (Jack Taylor), the local medical examiner (Jess Franco) and the occult expert Dr. Orloff investigate.
One of the director's key works is known under numerous titles (EROTIKILL; FEMALE VAMPIRE; LES AVALEUSES: THE BARE BREASTED COUNTESS: LADY DRACULA: THE LOVES OF IRINA) and has countless alternate versions.
A deliriously romantic love story which takes us into the realm of the undead who live in the world beyond the mist.
One of the first Franco movies I saw, and still very close to being my favourite.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen the Image DVD release, with the title Female Vampire. I must chase up some of the alternative versions.
And it's one of my favourite Lina Romay performances, along with the very underrated Doriana Gray.
This is probably my favorite Jess Franco film and one of the best films to deal with what the Germans call "Sehnsucht": longing or yearning, particularly for something one cannot have.
ReplyDeleteI had trouble with this one the first couple of times. The lullaby like quality of the soundtrack kept putting me to sleep. And I was watching the uncut version! I eventually got through it and this is the saddest vampire flick I have ever seen. Franco at his finest.
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