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Grapes
Of Death
Directed By Jean Rollin
Released: 1978
Starring: Marie-Georges Pascal, Félix Marten, Serge Marquand, and Mirella
Rancelot
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Released By Synapse Films 2002
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Marie-Georges Pascal plays Élisabeth, a young lady traveling by train to
her village of Roubelais to see her fiancé. On the way there, her
companion is murdered by a maniacal man with sores all over his face.
Élisabeth jumps from the train far from her destination in order to
escape. As she makes her way home, Élisabeth discovers that the
countryside is populated by zombie-like people that try to murder her at
every opportunity. She meets some damned souls along the way including a
seemingly benevolent woman (played by Brigitte Lahaie) living in the
mayor’s house. Two men unaffected by the zombie plague come to Élisabeth’s
rescue and take her to Roubelais where she thinks they will be all safe.
Unfortunately, the three of them discover the source of the evil resides
in their destination.
Jean Rollin (The Living Dead Girl,
Night Of The Hunted) directs this incredible quasi-zombie feature.
Grapes Of Death is atmospheric, darkly moody, and very, very
bloody. The film is put together with a great deal of care. All of the
scenery is gorgeous, the lighting is excellent, and the editing is very
tight. The pace is leisurely but never tiring and the ending only leaves
you wanting more. The soundtrack is an interesting one, loaded with
synthesizer oddness and fits the film perfectly. While not all of the gore
is well done, there are some memorable moments in the splatter category.
It’s difficult to criticize any film’s effects crew when there’s a severed
head makeout scene. Obviously, their heart is in the right place.
Speaking of atmosphere,
Grapes Of Death lays it on as thick as
molasses or pus from a zombie’s sore. The movie has a quiet intensity and
is effectively creepy throughout. There are also some bitter ironies that
give this film a cruelty that Rollin is so good at delivering (see
The Living Dead Girl). The fate of
the innocent and blind Lucy at the hands of her caregiver and lover is
very twisted and very memorable. The plague in this film turns kind people
into killers and even their own families aren’t safe from their need to
kill. The zombies themselves seem subdued and appear to be sleepwalking
until they set their sights on some human prey when they become murderous
and bloodthirsty.
All of the actors in Grapes Of Death take the proceedings very
seriously and give very good performances. Marie-Georges Pascal is an
excellent protagonist. Élisabeth is a strong character but not without the
frailties of a human being thrust into a bizarre situation who believes
that everything will be all right if she can just get home. It is a damn
shame that Pascal didn't do more horror movies during her short lifetime.
Of course, the presence of the mind-bendingly sexy Brigitte Lahaie never
hurt any film and the fact that she plays such a manipulative and
monstrous character makes her presence even more pleasing.
Fans of Jean Rollin absolutely have to check out
Grapes Of Death,
you won’t be disappointed. Zombie aficionados will be pleased as well due
in part to this film’s similar feel to the superb
Let Sleeping Corpses
Lie. This film is loaded from beginning to end with horror and is
unrelentingly weird. There are enough gore sequences and oozing zombie
sores (which looks like peanut butter and jelly) to please any gorefiend.
My only criticism is that the film’s emotional side may not click with all
viewers. Oh, look, the French zombie is crying. Boohoo!
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Links:
Get Grapes Of Death
on DVD from
Xploited Cinema.
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