Having only seen the beautiful poster of "Lèvres de sang" during my teenage years of fanzines, I was curious and a bit eager to finally get the chance to watch it. It has surprised me in two differences that I found regarding previous and later Rollin movies: 1) we get to follow the male protagonist's point of view most of the time, and 2) the first half of the movie is shot in a city or at least a large town, as opposed to the early cult classics of Rollin ("Le frisson des vampires", "Requiem for a vampire" etc.), though towards the ending the plot moves on to the good ol' ruined-castle-inhabited-by- naked-lesbian-vampires and rocky deserted beach kind of settings.As the story develops from the male protagonist's point of view, the movie seems to me more entertaining, it has a faster-moving path than other Rollin movies. In the story, a man becomes obsessed with a picture of a castle in ruins that is somehow connected to vague remembrances of his childhood. He lets go of himself to find some clue that guides him to the place in the picture and in his mind. Some murders take place, and at this point the movie reminds a good deal of an Italian giallo, in the stylish way they happen, but just at this point, as the plot gives the Rollin twist on its closing, which is somehow slower than the rest of the film but again beautiful, in its macabre way.We must remark the elegant soundtrack, with predominant wind instruments and violins.

A photograph of a castle, ominously overlooking the ocean, waves crashing onto the rocks beneath brings back long buried memories of first love, and the castle itself, in one rather dull man's childhood.Compelled to find the castle, and a girl from the same time of his youth who protected him. The nude girls at the photographer's might have been tossed in at the last minute just to add more nudity and pad out the run time, but it has a bit of a surreal, trashy, "Where the hell did that come from?" feel to it. As do the bats in coffins in underground chambers beneath a Gothic cemetery.Vampire girls, wearing flowing, nearly transparent wraps, almost sleepwalking through the cemetery late at night is another surreal touch; the tall blonde in purple (who is this actress?) is remarkably beautiful.Here is another film, like Rollin's Le viol du vampire, in which is almost best to not concern oneself with the plot or acting in this erotic Euro horror, but just sit back and enjoy the visually striking, colour-saturated photography in cemeteries and fountains, and nearly nude girls slowly walking through the cliff-side castle.

Horror mixed with surrealism is not for everyone, but to those who enjoy the mix, Jean Rollin is a master. He makes low budget films, but he adds rich color and fascinating aspects that make you forget that.Frédéric (Jean-Loup Philippe) is running through the streets of Paris trying to find s castle seen in a photograph. What he will eventually find may not be what he was looking for.But, along with the photograph comes a vision of a woman, Jennifer (Annie Belle). He is haunted by this specter and, assisted by two vampires (twins Catherine & Marie-Pierre Castel) who remove obstacles from his path, eventually finds her.Where does it go from here? Atmospheric and erotic, it is a film that will remind you of the classic vampire tales.

The films of Jean Rollin will be an enigma to many who have not experiencing his work, yet for those who allow themselves to be taken elsewhere by his cinema it can prove a highly rewarding experience. The viewer is often taken to places that invoke bewilderment, unease, and sexual desire. By no means Rollin's best film, Levres De Sang (aka. Lips of Blood) is a beautifully lyrical, slow burner that has the uncanny ability to take the viewer into an ethereal, dream like world, where the erotic and the neurotic are intertwined.The story of a photographer, upon seeing a poster, is reminded of his childhood where a mysterious female vampire. However, this being Rollin, do not expect a traditional vampire movie (although his vampire films are arguably the most faithful to the Gothic aura and mythology of the vampire). Mostly dialogue free, with the acting catatonic, this only adds a surreal edge to the proceedings. And no vampire films have a greater sense of eroticism; it is easily to succumb to female vampires whenever they are on screen. For the uninitiated, approach with caution. But this is a fine example of the originality and unique approach which is to be found in 1970s European sex and horror cinema. Of which, Jean Rollin was undoubtedly the master.