A Virgin Among the Living Dead (1973)

- Christina, princesse de l'érotisme
I had such high hopes for this one, 3 May 2005

Jess Franco's A Virgin Among the Living Dead was a real disappointment to me. Based on the plot descriptions I had read on the internet and the recommendations of a few trusted movie friends, I was sure that it would become one of my favorite Franco films. The living dead family are the biggest bunch of "do nothings" I've seen. Other than play the piano, have sex, and stand around talking, they really don't do much of anything. At a minimum, I would have thought they would be creepy, but dressed in their mod 70s outfits, they look like swingers on the make. I've come to expect more of my living dead.

Franco's camera work (or it could possibly be the editing) is especially erratic in A Virgin Among the Living Dead. The film presents random flashes of images that have nothing to do with what's taking place on screen. The movie features random shots of various trees, random bushes on the side of the road, a couple of unknown people, an unidentified lake, and an unidentified fisherman. In several scenes, it's obvious that Franco had some extra footage he took from a car window or while walking in a forest that he included in the movie. While some of the other shots are quite nice to look at, they don't overcome the chaotic imagery.

Acting is the strong point in the movie. Even though he has one of the goofiest characters I've seen him play, Howard Vernon gives a very nice performance. Paul Muller, in a small role, is as solid as ever. But the surprise for me came from Christina von Blanc. For a relative unknown, she does a nice job in the title role of the "virgin".

4/10