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CODA (2021)

There are some films that have humble begins and then grow in publicity and popularity unexpectedly. This year’s dark horse is undoubtedly, comedy-drama CODA, which has had a huge awards’ presence, and even been grabbing some unexpected wins. The film follows Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones), who is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), and her experiences as the only hearing person in her family. As Ruby discovers that she loves music and singing, complexities arise, especially as her family set up their own fishing business. CODA’s achievements shouldn’t be ignored as 40% of the film is American Sign Language, which is a brilliant way of raising awareness and promoting inclusion within the film industry. The cast of Ruby’s family consists of Daniel Durant (who plays Ruby’s brother, Leo), Troy Kotsur (who plays Ruby’s father, Frank), and Oscar winner Marlee Matline (who plays Ruby’s mother, Jackie).

The film is written and directed by Siân Heder and is her second feature following her 2016 debut, Tallulah. CODA is a remake of the 2014 French film, La Famille Bélier, which did exceptionally well in the French box office on release and was nominated for numerous César Awards. Heder’s script relocates the story to a fishing community in Massachusetts, but maintains the main story element that the protagonist discovers that she loves singing and wants to audition for a place at a prestigious music school. What Heder’s script does really well is bring a great level of characterisation to each member of the Rossi family as the film chronicles the familial relationships and conflicts that Ruby has with each member. The direction shows life through Ruby’s eyes and rarely diverts from this with only a handful of scenes not involving Ruby included in the film.

Emilia Jones takes on the lead role of Ruby and proves to be the perfect casting choice. Jones has been slowly adding to her resume in recent years, providing brilliant performances such as the lead character in Catherine Linstrum’s 2019 film, Nuclear. It is this film, however, that has proven to be her big breakout performance and even garnered Jones a BAFTA nomination for Best Leading Actress. Ruby is a great central character thanks to her relatability as an awkward teenager trying to fit in, but her situation as a CODA makes her the prime target for bullies in school. When she realises that she can sing and wants to embark on a music career, familial conflict ensues as she won’t be able to act as her family’s interpreter. Jones perfectly captures Ruby’s dilemmas and internal conflict as she strives to follow her own dreams.

One of the big reasons why CODA was able to secure financing was thanks to Marlee Matlin, who stars as Ruby’s mother, Jackie. Matlin made history as the youngest winner of the Best Leading Actress Oscar in the 1986 film Children of a Lesser God and her career has proven to be vast, spanning across film and TV. Jackie and Ruby’s relationship is highly turbulent throughout the film, as they don’t seem to have a lot in common. When Ruby realises that she loves to sing, Jackie can’t understand as she had planned Ruby’s role in the family business. Although the role is fairly small, Matlin makes the most of every second she is onscreen, and it’s clear that she is having a lot of fun in the role. What is great is how developed Jackie’s characterisation is as the mother-daughter relationship goes through highs and lows.

The highlight of the film is undoubtedly Troy Kotsur in the role of Ruby’s father, Frank. Every time Kotsur is onscreen, he commands attention thanks to the amount of heart and depth that he brings to the character. Frank’s financial and social turmoil are brilliantly chronicled in the film. What makes Frank such a brilliant character is the mix between humour and drama that he goes through, and his scenes are among the most memorable in the entire film. The scene in which Frank lectures Ruby and Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) on safe sex is among the funniest moment in the film. The scene following Ruby’s school performance, in which Frank asks her to sing the song from her recital while feeling her vocal cords. Through doing this, he is able to experience the emotions of the song, and it’s one of the best scenes in this Oscar race and is why he is deserving of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

One important aspect of CODA is its soundtrack. The score is composed by Marius de Vries who incorporates calming, whimsical instrumental tracks that invoke the small fishing community which is then contrasted by an array of song covers that are beautifully sung by Emilia Jones and fellow members of the choir. The film’s climactic moment, in which Jones sings a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” as part of her audition for college will bring tears to your eyes as she notices her family in the audience and begins to sign the lyrics for them. The music is imperative to the plot of the film and in the end, is made inclusive for all characters and the way that this is done helps to bring the family together.

CODA has proven itself to be The Power of the Dog’s main competition and may even cause a huge shock by taking home the Best Picture Oscar next Sunday. Heder’s film is one that is filled with a lot of heart and amazing performances, especially by Kotsur, who is the favourite to bring home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and Matlin. Although some may find that the feel-good nature of this film is overwhelming, CODA has the performances and writing to back up a great story with a wonderful message. Although Ruby’s situation is not experienced by the majority of families, the familial conflicts and way that the relationships are portrayed feel universal and relatable.

What did you think of CODA? Let me know in the comments below!

CODA is available to watch on Apple TV+ now!

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London Film Festival 2021: Titane

There is always a film every year that pushes the boundaries of violence and taste beyond question. While these films generate a lot of publicity thanks to polarising reviews from critics and cinemagoers alike, these films never seem to win a lot of major awards. This year is different. Julia Ducournau’s sophomore feature, Titane, took critics’ breath away at Cannes Film Festival where Ducournau won the top prize, the Palme d’Or with a film that follows serial killer, Alexia (Agathe Rousselle), who has sex with (and is subsequently impregnated by) a car. If this isn’t complicated enough, Alexia disguises herself as a teenage boy, Adrien, who has been missing for ten years and is taken in by his fire captain father, Vincent (Vincent Lindon) who has developed an addiction for steroids in a bid to become the man he once was. Both characters then explore differing issues with the body as they are individually manipulated by their desire to be someone else.

Directed and written by Julia Ducournau, Titane is a film that holds no punches in its plot as well as the filmmaking approach. What Ducournau does so well is allow the camera to linger as though it is an observer which serves into the horror aspect well as it makes the film completely unpredictable. As with her debut feature, Raw, Ducournau isn’t afraid to push boundaries and incorporate universal issues in her film, specifically exploring gender through the female gaze in a way that feels distinguishable among a genre that is dominated by the male perspective. There is no “final girl” in Ducournau’s films as she completely subverts the traditional horror template and instead uses body horror as a way to instigate discussions on the human body.

Newcomer Agathe Rousselle makes her mark as Alexia in a role that requires a lot of physical and emotional range. The daughter of doctors, Alexia spends her free time modelling in car shows and murdering people. When her murderous ways begin to catch up with her, she has to physically manipulate her body to disguise herself as a teenage boy, all while pregnant from a sexual encounter with a car. Rousselle is absolutely relentless in her performance and pushes herself to ensure that Alexia’s physical and mental struggle is perfectly pur across to audiences. We see the character in her prime scantily clad as she dances on the classic cars with plenty of admiring spectators waiting for her autograph. This contrasts greatly as she covers herself in bulky clothing whilst taping down her breasts and stomach to hide her pregnancy in a bid to eliminate any trace of the feminine body. Alexia is a character of little words but she doesn’t need speeches to convey how or what she is feeling and Rousselle pulls this off brilliantly in what feels the breakout performance of the year.

In support is acting veteran Vincent Lindon as Adrien’s father, Vincent, who works as a fire captain. Vincent is a man who has spent the last ten years of his life plagued by grief due to the loss of his son and dedicated his life to work, injecting himself daily with steroids in a bid to maintain a traditionally masculine body. Acting as Alexia’s pilar opposite, Lindon is vocal and emotionally vulnerable, wearing his heart on his sleeve in a bid to get his son to open up to him. His protection over Adrien threatens to be his downfall as he begins to lose respect of the fellow firefighters, even venturing down violent avenues to stop them from speculating about Alexia. Where Alexia has to disguise as the opposite gender in a bid to stay hidden, Vincent hides behind the illusion of toxic masculinity, believing that the steroids will allow him to eventually become the man he once was before his son went missing.

One of the most striking elements in Titane is the cinematography which is handled by Ruben Impens. Having worked on the cinematography for Raw, Impens was the perfect choice for Ducournau’s follow-up and the results are fantastic. Impens’ approach seems effortless while also relentless as he allows the camera to sit and show us everything where most horrors would cut away. One sequence that is particularly brilliant is when we see Alexia walk through the car showroom and observe her fellow dancers, the spectators, and the cars as she makes her way to the dressing room only for the camera to pan to a car where she is already on top doing her dance. It is this kind of seamless unpredictability that makes the film such a thrill to watch.

Another highlight in the film is the music which is composed by one of the most exciting composers working today, Jim Williams. Having previously worked on a variety of different horrors such as Ben Wheatley’s Kill List and A Field In England as well as Brandon Cronenberg’s Possessor and Ducournau’s debut film, Raw, Williams proves that he is the right person for the job and uses elements of the machinery and industrialist sounds to create a score that sounds like a new form of horror music. The music never feels like it overwhelms at any point while also timing itself perfectly so it beats in conjunction with the film. One such highlight is the explicitly named “Car Fuck” track which plays through the scene in which Alexia has her sexual encounter with the car. The score intensifies subtly building like a traditional horror track while never feeling melodramatic or parodying the genre or subject.

Titane has become one of the most discussed films of the year and with good reason. Although proving to be too overwhelming for some, Ducournau has shown that she is a filmmaker to pay attention to thanks to her modern take on body horror and how it can play into gender roles and identity. Titane is a complex film that goes much deeper than its controversial subject and is definitely a film that you won’t soon forget.

Titane is released in the UK on 31st December 2021!

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London Film Festival 2021: Petite Maman

One of the most anticipated films that was shown at this year’s London Film Festival is Céline Sciamma’s Petite Maman. A beautiful exploration of memory and home, the film follows Nelly (Joséphine Sanz) whose grandmother recently passed away. With her parents, Nelly spends time in her mother’s childhood home as they make the appropriate arrangements. When Nelly meets another girl who lives nearby, it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems and we delve into a tender story about family and memory all from the perspective of a child. The two girls build a tree house in the woods near their houses and a bond forms that makes it incredibly charming while also incorporating hints of magic realism without going too far off the ground.

The film is written and directed by Céline Sciamma who has become one of the leading female directors in France and with good reason. What makes Sciamma such a fantastic filmmaker is her ability to create such well-rounded female characters and use the camera as a way of showing the female perspective. With films such as Girlhood (2014) and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019). In Petite Maman, Sciamma manages to create a world that feels magical without venturing into fantasy territory by ensuring that the film is grounded in its reality on a narrative level. Combining this with the childlike perspective adds an extra layer that allows the audience to see the magic in the banal things whether that is through the girls making their tree house or watching them make pancakes.

Leading the film are twins Joséphine Sanz who plays Nelly and Gabrielle Sanz who portrays Marion. Naturally, the girls make for a fantastic onscreen partnership and the genuine friendship and sisterhood they share in real life only helps to elevate the story even more. Despite their young age, both performances seem to have a depth and maturity that exceeds their years. As the lives of the characters seem to mirror and reflect one another, their lives become intertwined. Both Nelly and Marion are initially portrayed as lonely characters as they are both only children who don’t have a lot of friends their own age but together, they become pieces of the same puzzle and through spending time together, the characters begin to learn more about themselves.

In support, we see Nina Meurisse portray Nelly’s Mother and although her character isn’t in the film as much as you would initially think, there is a lot to unpack. Nelly’s Mother is a character tormented by her own grief and trauma all while trying to stay positive for her daughter. When staying in the childhood home, it’s clear that she struggles to cope with all the memories that the home has. Her absence is felt through the film as Nelly is forced into isolation before meeting Marion.

Petite Maman is one of the most tender and poignant films of the year thanks to its intricate glimpse of life through the eyes of a child. The wonderous direction and writing show just why Sciamma is one of the best filmmakers working today.

Petite Maman is showing at this year’s London Film Festival!

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London Film Festival 2021: Between Two Worlds

One of the great things about festivals is that it gives you a chance to see films that you may not have the chance to see elsewhere. This is the case with Between Two Worlds which is based on a the non-fiction work, Le Quai de Ouistreham, by French journalist Florence Aubena. Renaming the characters, the film follows Marianne Winckler (Juliette Binoche), a woman who works as a cleaner in order to gain research for her new book which delves into unemployment and low wage work in France. The film explores Winckler’s experiences as she navigates these two different worlds between her comfortable life as a writer and the life she is feigning as a struggling divorcee who needs to re-enter the job market.

The film is directed by Emmanuel Carrère who cowrote the script with Hélène Devynck and the result is a film that utilizes the different locations. Starting in the city centre and working its way out to the port where the cleaners are made to work a job on a ferry, Carrère’s direction shows us the desperation and hopelessness that those on the poverty line are struggling with on a daily basis. From the deeply claustrophobic scenes of the cleaners working in the cabins to the intense interview scenes where Marianne is told an extensive list of demands for a low-wage job, Carrère wants us to feel the struggle that these people feel.

Leading the film is Juliette Binoche as undercover writer, Marianne Winckler who is based on Aubena. We initially don’t know that Marianne is an undercover writer so when it comes out as a revelation at the end of the first act of the film, we begin to see the character in a different light. What makes Binoche such a perfect match for this role is her ability to showcase emotionally complex characters that are also vulnerable. Marianne’s true reasons for working as a cleaner may seem immoral but she is doing it to shine a light on how those who are struggling the most in society are being exploited by working long hours for very little pay in remote locations. Therefore, it could be argued that there is a grey area in Marianne’s actions and it is credit to Binoche’s performance the audience is able to be understanding and remain neutral through the film.

In support, Hélène Lambert absolutely shines as working mother, Chrystèle, who struggles to make ends meet while looking after her three sons. Chrystèle is the first character we see in the film as she storms into the job centre and demands to see an advisor due to a confusion with forms. Where Marianne observes what happens around her, Chrystèle is active and is vocal about what she thinks. Lambert works brilliantly with Binoche, especially when we are exposed to a more vulnerable side of Chrystèle. What makes Lambert’s performance so touching is how complex Chrystèle is as a character. We understand her plight as a mother-of-three who has to work extensive hours while unknowingly being observed and recorded by a woman who claims to be her friend who is actually in a more financially secure situation than her and is benefitting and profiting from her struggles.

Between Two Worlds may have a slow start, but there is much more to this film than meets the eye. Featuring Binoche in a beautifully subtle performance which questions morality and how far someone will go to commit to a project which is then combined with the backdrop of real issues that revolve around unemployment and the job crisis in France.

Between Two Worlds is showing at this year’s London Film Festival!

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London Film Festival 2021: Memory Box

This year’s London Film Festival has officially begun and the first film on my watchlist was French-Arabic drama, Memory Box. Directed by acclaimed directors Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, Memory Box tells the story of French-Canadian teenager Alex (Paloma Vauthier) who feels disconnected from her mother, Maia (Rim Turki) who seems to keep her daughter at an emotional distance. When a large mysterious box arrives containing all sorts of notebooks, tapes and photographs chronicling Maia’s teenage years in Beirut during wartime, Alex begins to see her mother in a new light and in doing so becomes connected to her own Arabic roots.

Memory Box opens with video messages within a group message as the individuals within the group record their audio and visual thoughts as a severe blizzard makes it way to Montreal. Within the first few scenes, we get an idea of how the younger generation has become so accustomed to oversharing every thought that the contrast between the way Alex communicates with friends is so different to how her mother acts. As she tries to converse with Maia, she is constantly shut off and struggles to connect on an emotional level due to Maia’s lack of sharing. What is interesting about Memory Box is that Maia’s memories are kept in physical items utilizing all sorts of mediums which are then combined by Alex to create a fuller picture. There is so much to unpick in how both mother and daughter record their thoughts and how they react emotionally to difficult situations. As Alex delves further into Maia’s memories, she begins to realise that the latter went through similar issues that she is experiencing such as friendship issues, boy troubles, and more. The difference in landscape allows Alex to fully visualise the place where her family comes from without having actually visited. We see Alex begin to tap into her Arabic heritage and appreciate it more as she learns about the struggle that her mother and grandmother went through.

In the lead role as Alex, Paloma Vauthier delivers a beautifully nuanced performance that is filled with curiosity and an eagerness to learn more about her mother and where she came from. Initially, the memories and belongings seem scattered and random but Alex soon manages to piece them together and create a reimagining of her mother’s history that allows her to feel closer and more sympathetic towards her. Vauthier brings a highly emotional performance that draws the audience in and encourages the viewer to join her on her journey. Not only is this film exploring Maia’s past but also how the past has influenced Alex’s life, even though she never lived in Beirut.

Playing Adult Maia is Rim Turki who provides a flawless performance that feels guarded and disconnected, working perfectly against Vauthier’s openly emotional performance. Maia’s guarded nature isn’t entirely understood at the start of the film, but as we begin to learn more about her life as a teenager in war torn Beirut, we begin to understand how these events have led her to be as she is. Refusing to even look in the box, Maia forbids Alex from rummaging through her things in a bid to keep her past in the past. However, it seems that the past, as painful as it is, had to be revisited so Maia could tap into her heritage as well and remember what her life was like in a bid to find peace with what happened and reconnect with old friends and family. Turki pulls this off beautifully and works really well onscreen with Vauthier as their relationship seems completely relatable and authentic.

As Alex delves into her mother’s memory box, she begins to paint a picture of what her mother was like as a teenager. Rather than just rely on Alex’s reactions and descriptions, we see these memories played out with Manal Issa delivering a great turn as Young Maia who is desperate to find love. Issa’s performance is more akin to Vauthier’s in that she is on a discovery to find out who she is as a person and wondering what the future has in store. As Maia develops romantic feeling for local boy, Raja, her relationship between her parents, especially her mother, begins to wane as they restrict her from seeing him. It is through this turbulent relationship with her own mother that Alex begins to find a common ground between the two of them. Although they never share the screen, Issa and Vauthier’s performances feel connected throughout the film thanks to the way that the writing and structure of the film merges the narratives of both characters.

Overall, Memory Box marked a wonderful start to my London Film Festival experience thanks to its nuanced portrayal of memory and heritage and how memories can form connections between generations. Hadjithomas and Joreige’s direction paired with the beautifully subtle performances from the cast make this film an accurate portrayal of how place and identity is like a puzzle with pieces and we see this draw Alex and Maia together as they begin to share a common ground.

Memory Box is showing at this year’s London Film Festival!

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Mustang (2015)

A gem of a film you may have missed this past decade comes in the form of this Oscar-nominated Turkish-French film. Mustang is the debut feature by filmmaker Deniz Gamze Ergüven and follows five young sisters who are forced into arranged marriages after they are caught innocently playing in the sea with male classmates. Told from the perspective of the youngest sister, Lale (Güneş Şensoy), Mustang shows the struggles of being a woman in an oppressive society, the loss of innocence and the importance of sisterhood. Ergüven’s direction and script is drawn from aspects of her own life and this authenticity and knowledge can certainly be felt. The film uses limited locations which exemplifies the situation the sisters are in. The opening scenes show them leaving school and the freedom on the beach as they play. When their activities are discovered, they are trapped within the family home and forced to practice chores expected from women such as cooking and cleaning. The house is in the middle of nowhere and the girls are allowed limited access into the town due to the shame that they brought to the family. What Ergüven does so well by showing the film from Lale’s perspective is making the space seem bigger than what it is.

All five sisters have their own distinct personalities and outlook on life. As each one is married off one by one from eldest to youngest, we view their differing circumstances. This is mostly noticeable in the wedding scene where we see the two older sisters wed their husbands. Older sister, Sonay (İlayda Akdoğan) marries a man of her own choice and dances happily but second oldest sister Selma (Tuğba Sunguroğlu) sits forlorn at the table as she is forced to marry someone she does not care for. There isn’t a heavy focus on either sister as we are viewing this from Lale’s perspective and so the attention flits between various partygoers as well as Lale’s grandmother and Uncle. The writing in this scene is absolutely phenomenal and poignant as it marks the last time the five sisters are altogether and alive. It is in the wedding scene when you realise the seriousness of the plot. It is one thing for underage and arranged marriage to be discussed but it is an entirely different scenario when you see it actually happening. Especially the aftermath scene in which Selma’s bedsheets are inspected for blood the morning after and her in-laws claim she isn’t a virgin. The life-threatening undertones make this one of the terrifying scenes in film. The protagonist of the film, however, comes in the form of the youngest sister Lale. Şensoy brings a fantastic performance that is fearless and powerful. Lale isn’t afraid of what others think nor is she afraid of angering her elders when they are in the wrong. Her natural ability to resist is evident throughout the whole film and the concluding rebellion that she carries out with her sister, Nur (Doğa Doğuşlu) only shows how brilliant a character she is.

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One of my favourite parts of this film is the score by Warren Ellis who does a stellar job of capturing the sisters’ struggle. It’s a quiet and soft score that grows with intensity as the time to find Lale a husband looms. It’s an underrated score by all accounts and should have brought Ellis an Oscar nomination at least. The score is such an important part of a film that can really enhance the overall experience and I think that Ellis captures the heart of the film and the bond between the sisters. The combination of classic sounds with traditional Turkish music used in the wedding scene blurs the lines between the reality and the movie.

One of the best scenes in this film comes when the sisters sneak out of the house to attend a football match where adult men are banned. They are caught on camera during the match and in a bid to avoid their Uncle from seeing, the Grandmother swiftly turns the power off. It’s a small gesture but in this moment, the audience realises that the Grandmother has her sympathies for the girls and doesn’t want them to get into any further trouble. Ironically, the football match is where the girls feel safe and have fun as they are in a stadium surrounded by fellow women and watching men as a spectacle rather than being a spectacle in a male dominated world themselves. They have regained their power as individuals with individual identities in this scene and it is empowering to watch. Another scene which is a standout for me is the downfall of middle sister, Ece (Elit İşcan) who ends up committing suicide when the pain becomes too much. After waiting to be married off, she is molested by her Uncle but keeps this from her sisters so as not to upset them. The burden becomes overwhelming and she eventually takes her own life. This moment brings the trauma from the outside world into the supposedly “safe” confines of the family home. The brief glimpse that Lale sees of her bloodied sister is all the audience see before we are whisked away for the men to get rid of the body.

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Foreign language films always bring the best out of cinema whilst seemingly pushing the envelope in ways that English-language films seem reluctant and scared. Films like Mustang help lift the lid and raise awareness on important issues without caring about their opposing sides feelings. They have a clear point of view and they are films that make the audience think. The year this came out was an extremely strong year in film as you also had the revolutionary Hunagrian Holocaust feature Son of Saul which follows life of a man subject to working the gas chambers. Son of Saul was the film deservingly selected to walk home with the Oscar on awards night but any other year and that would have easily belonged to Mustang. It is a film that brings strength and hope to its female protagonists and also sheds a light on the injustice thrust upon young women in modern society.

What do you think of Mustang? Let me know in the comments below!

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Lips of Blood (1975)

I came across this film by chance on BFI player and without knowing anything about it or the director, thought I’d give it a watch (which I rarely do truth be told). Made by horror director Jean Rollin, it follows Frédéric (Jean-Loup Philippe), a 30-something man who is haunted by a childhood memory that is triggered when he gazes at a photograph of a château while at a perfume launch. The memory is immediately shown in which he encounters a young woman, Jennifer (Annie Belle, credited as Annie Briand), in the doorway of the château. His mother was always adamant that he imagined the woman but when the woman starts to appear to him, he knows that the only way he can figure out the mystery is by facing his childhood demons. Released in its native France as Lèvres de Sang, Lips of Blood is a film that provides violence, blood and sex where the vampires walk around in sheer dresses that billow in the wind.

The screenplay written by Rollin and Philippe is tight and compact making the pace of the film nice and fast. I found that this added to the suspense of the film, however, as we see Frédéric’s descent into madness and despair in his search for Jennifer. This contrasts with Rollin’s direction which tends to linger at points with brilliant use of close-ups and scenery, allowing the audience to become immersed in the location. It makes the film an entirely sensory experience which is elevated by Jennifer’s speech towards the end of the film where she explains that her spirit has wandered the landscape without leaving. There are also some questionable choices that Rollin brings to the film, the main scene being one where Frédéric locates the woman who photographed the château who we see photograph another woman who is fully naked and masturbating in front of the camera. It’s a scene that is entirely gratuitous and does not enhance the plot in any way but is clearly reflective of Rollin’s experience as a pornographic director. Again, the costume designs for the four vampires (particularly the two dressed in sheer sheets) screams sex. It’s bizarre to watch because these vampires are walking around public streets absolutely naked and it seems that no one bats an eyelid or even questions this.

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Philippe’s performance as Frédéric brings a mix confusion and distrust as each situation proves even more bizarre than the last. He doesn’t stop to question anything and instead pushes on with his mission. Frédéric’s acceptance of the situation allows the audience to become invested in the plot with no doubt. There’s a huge shift as Frédéric is torn between his God-fearing mother and the demonic vampires in the final act. This is the moment when it seems to come to a stand still as physically and mentally, Frédéric has pressed forward without thinking for much of the film. His one fixation appears to Jennifer throughout but it is only his mother who has the ability to stop him. On the other hand, there is Jennifer who is played beautifully by Annie Belle who subverts the traditional vampire trope and makes the character ethereal and (ironically) angel-like. Rollin allows the costumes to also speak for the characters with Jennifer dressed in shades of white and off-white with various textures and layers to illuminate that not all is as it seems contrasted with the single sheered material that the other vampires wear demonstrating a freedom and fearlessness.

It’s a film that I would be interested in watching again to see what else I could take from this film. This time around I really took in the use of location, costume and the cinematography but I could see the huge amount of detail given in the props in the background. I think that there is more to this film that meets the eye, particularly with the characters of Jennifer and La Mère de Frédéric (Nathalie Perrey). On researching this film on the internet, it seems that it is a fairly unnoticed film overall so I’d be interested in watching more Jean Rollin films (the horror ones that is!) and seeing how this one fits into that collection.

Have you seen this film? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!