I'm rather a latecomer to this movie, as I don't seek out Jean Rollin movies (based on what little I have seen), but as this is supposed to be something of a classic of it's type, I gave it a go - but it is certainly not converting me into a fan.The slim story sees a dead girl named Catherine unexpectedly revived in her coffin when disturbed by grave robbers. She quickly attacks one of them, and then seemingly in a daze, makes her way rather unsteadily back to an empty castle which is her former home. Her newly living status comes to the attention of her former best friend Helene, who seems to think the best course of action is to keep Catherine hidden in the empty mansion, rather than seek help - even despite the realisation that her friend craves the taste of fresh blood! I was really expecting something more stylish from this movie due to it's reputation, but I have to say I think it's really poorly made. Jean Rollin was no genius, if movies like this are the evidence. Several shots are out of focus, the acting is poor, the dialogue stilted and the gore effects are downright terrible. You can clearly see the tubes that squirt blood from a throat in one shot, and the bag that Catherine is squeezing in her hand to squirt gore from a stomach wound in another. All Rollin seems to be interested in is keeping his actresses nude, for as often and as long as possible. The two leads are both very attractive, and the ornate mansion is very picturesque, but that doesn't mean that Jean Rollin is using any talent to show that off. Anyone who is not part of the main cast is so obviously an amateur, and the direction of scenes involving extras is terrible - they continually stare directly at the camera, in almost every shot. I guess the lighting is pretty enough in daytime scenes, but at night, everything is floodlit by flat, harsh industrial lighting. And the castle's underground vaults seem to have enough light to grow tomatoes in!I also read that the portrayal of the relationship between the two women is strong enough to carry the film, but again, I don't think this is true either. As Catherine becomes more and more aware of what she is, things get more interesting, and there are moments that hint at some depth, but these are few. In conclusion, I am amazed that people rate this movie so highly. I think it is average at best. It has a lot of nudity, which seems to please a lot of viewers, but having acting and special effects that are as downright poor is they are here, strips this effort of any redeeming value.

Two childhood friends Catherine & Helene make a pact to always be together. Catherine dies and they forced to split. A toxic spill manages to bring Catherine back from the dead, turning her into a monster. Catherine reunites with her to help Catherine with her insatiable need for blood. Leave it to Jean Rollin to turn a subject like zombies into something erotic and artsy. I liked this one. It's leisurely paced like most Rollin films, but it's very interesting. The bond between Catherine and Helene is very strong and you are able to feel like they truly love one another. There are dull moments. We get many shots of Catherine wandering the halls that may get tiresome for people, but they have meaning in this one. Watching Catherine reminisce over childhood photos of her and Helene was saddening and riveting with the way it was done. Also, the slow build of Catherine's insatiable hunger for blood was well done, giving Catherine a bit of a human side to her. There is great photography as well. This movie is pretty gory. We get extremely gory puncture throats that gush blood all over the place. A woman is burned alive, somebody gets a foreign object in their head, eyes are gouged out, and more. The best part is the ending. It's a tragic gore fest. I won't spoil it, but it is both saddening and enjoyable. The acting is pretty good for this sort of thing. Marina Pierro is great as the supporter of Catherine. The show belongs to the lovely Francoise Blanchard. She gave a memorable performance with her beauty. My only real complaint is the version I watched alternated between subtitles and English dubbingFinal Thoughts: You probably won't find many better films of Rollins than this, if any. For a guy that is known for his boring eroticism, he made a gem with this one. It's tragic, interesting, and beautiful. I recommend it. This one actually has a decent story7.2/10

I thought that this was a good vampire film. When they were children, Catherine and Hélène swore blood oaths that they would always love each other and, whomever died first, the other would follow. It was Catherine who was first to go. She was laid to rest in the Valmont crypt underneath the family castle. Two years later, however, some men reawaken Catherine while illegally dumping toxic waste in the Valmont vault. Catherine now needs the blood of the living to survive. Just returned from a trip, Hélène telephones the Valmont castle which, unknown to her, is up for sale. Catherine, who is a virtual zombie, picks up the receiver while playing a music box that she and Hélène shared. Not knowing who answered the phone, Hélène pays the castle a visit, and she finds find Catherine and the dead bodies. Concerned for Catherine, Hélène cleans up the mess, thinking that Catherine is sick and that her death was faked. When Hélène realises that Catherine needs human blood, she begins to bring young women to the castle to provide it, while trying harder and harder to bring Catherine out of her catatonia. I felt that this was a good vampire film.

Grisly, potent shocker from Jean Rollin regarding how a dead young lady of two years, the body surprisingly fresh without rot during that time(?), is revived from a spilled can of toxic waste, put there by some corpse looters, after a minor earthquake. She has vampire mentalities(..not to mention terrifying fingernails which can tear into flesh with ease) meaning this uncontrollable thirst for flesh and blood from human beings..the girl, Catherine(Françoise Blanchard), calls the evil inside. A "blood sister", Helene(Marina Pierro)did not know her best friend from childhood had been dead and after a phone call leading to Catherine's discovery(hearing the sound box playing music both listened to as children)she races to the villa to see about her. What Helene sees is a bloody mess, several unfortunates who became blood donors to Catherine's unhinged feeding time. Helene will slowly grow obsessed with keeping her beloved "sister" alive doing whatever it takes, meaning luring those unaware of what awaits them, to become victims for Catherine. A photographer, Barbara(Carina Barone)sees Catherine walking in a daze upon leaving her crypt and takes a snapshot. That snapshot fascinates her..the image that compels her to seek out the identity of Catherine might seal her fate. Perhaps, Barbara's husband(Mike Marshall)will be able to keep her from harm before it's too late. Or, will Barbara's obsession with learning more about Catherine, and taking more pictures of her, lead to a gruesome demise. What the people around this villa need to worry about is Helene's mad desire to find fresh bodies for her Catherine.The most important story element, and what I feel is the most haunting aspect, is that as days go by Catherine is realizing the monster she becomes when the evil hunger returns. She wishes to be put away and begs for Helene to see this through. The idea of losing her friend a second time, and not being able to come to terms with the fact that Catherine is dead, I think Helene is the tragic character of the film. Friendship and love seem to be very powerful emotional drives within this plot while Rollin often cuts into this with a furious rage when he shows Catherine's eating habits. She just doesn't suck blood with any form of sophistication, but tears into her meal like a crazed, starving animal. And, believe me, the feasting is extremely unsettling as we watch the flesh of throats, arms, and stomachs ripped with vengeance by Catherine who seems out of control with her senses with the primal urge to munch operating in overdrive. The direction is rather straight-forward, I felt, and followed a projected path. It ended about the way I imagined it would. The ending leaves only despair for the victim who just wishes for the blood lust and torment to leave her.