The Rape of the Vampire 4K UHD (1968) (Indicator)

[MifuneFan]

Indicator will be releasing their next pair of Jean Rollin titles on 4K in August, including The Rape of the Vampire (1968). It is limited to 3,000 copies for the US.

The Rape of the Vampire 4K Blu-ray

The Rape of the Vampire 4K Blu-ray

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES

• New 4K HDR restoration from the original negative by Powerhouse Films
• 4K (2160p) UHD presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original French mono soundtrack
• Audio commentary with writer-director Jean Rollin (2007)
• Audio commentary with film expert and author Tim Lucas (2023)
• Jean Rollin Introduces ‘The Rape of the Vampire’ (1998): filmed appraisal
• Jean Rollin on ‘The Rape of the Vampire’ (2007): the director in conversation with festival programmer and journalist Joshua T Gravel at the Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal
• Fragments of Pavement Under Sand (2023): updated documentary on the making of The Rape of the Vampire, directed by Rollin’s personal assistant, Daniel Gouyette, and including interviews with key collaborators Jean-Denis Bonan, Jean-Pierre Bouyxou and Jean-Loup Philippe
• New interview with Jean-Denis Bonan, editor of The Rape of the Vampire and assistant director on The Far Countries (2023)
• Newly edited archival interview with actor Jacqueline Sieger (2023)
• Newly edited archival interview with actor Alain Yves Beaujour (2023)
• Newly edited archival interview with actor Jean-Loup Philippe (2023)
• Newly edited archival interview with composer François Tusques (2023)
• Critical appreciation by author and film historian Virginie Sélavy (2023)
• Alternative scene
• Super 8 version: cut-down home cinema presentation
• 4K restoration of The Far Countries (Les Pays loins, 1965): Rollin’s second fictional short film tells of a couple lost in a maze of streets who can’t remember how they got there
• The Far Countries audio commentary with Rollin (2007)
• L’Itinéraire Souvenir (2018): artistic reconstruction of Rollin’s lost work from 1962 by filmmakers Victor Poucalow and Raja Tawil
• Original theatrical trailer
• Image galleries: promotional and publicity material, and behind the scenes
• New and improved English translation subtitles
• Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Beatrice Loayza, archival writing by Jean Rollin on the making of the film, an archival interview with the director by Peter Blumenstock, Jean Rollin’s recollections of shooting The Far Countries, and full film credits
• World premiere on 4K UHD
• Limited edition of 10,000 numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US

(Jean Rollin, 1968)
Release date: 21 August 2023
Limited Edition 4K UHD (World premiere)

Jean Rollin’s startling debut feature, 1968’s The Rape of the Vampire (Le Viol du vampire), introduces his unique take on vampirism, establishing the blend of surrealism, eroticism, and horror that would become his trademark.

In the film's first part, four strange women living in a decrepit château – and all believing themselves to be ancient vampires – are visited by a psychoanalyst who attempts to rid them of their apparent delusion. In the second, the Queen of the Vampires presides over a diabolical clinic, unaware that the head doctor is plotting against her.

With its surreal black-and-white images and riveting free-jazz score by François Tusques, The Rape of the Vampire was released in Paris to a scandalised response during the chaos of May ’68, heralding the arrival of a major new talent in the fantastique cinema. This new edition also includes Rollin’s 1965 short The Far Countries (Les Pays loin) restored in 4K.

[dallywhitty]

Ummmmmm... YIKES! You're really gonna post a thread with "r*pe" in the title? Who would watch this POS anyway? This ain't it. Not a good look. Read the room. Do better.

For realsies, though, I'm a bit wary about blind-buying these Rollin UHDs because I'm running out of shelf space as it is, lol. The only one of his films I've seen is Zombie Lake and it sucked, but I understand that was a last minute for-hire job and not entirely indicative of his style. I'm tempted to buy this because it's his debut film and then I guess I'll go from there.

[RevolverOcelScott]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

Ummmmmm... YIKES! You're really gonna post a thread with "r*pe" in the title? Who would watch this POS anyway? This ain't it. Not a good look. Read the room. Do better.

For realsies, though, I'm a bit wary about blind-buying these Rollin UHDs because I'm running out of shelf space as it is, lol. The only one of his films I've seen is Zombie Lake and it sucked, but I understand that was a last minute for-hire job and not entirely indicative of his style. I'm tempted to buy this because it's his debut film and then I guess I'll go from there.

The solution...buy more shelves!

[MifuneFan]

Half of dally's room is a temple to Blade Runner

[buck135]

Yeah, really dally! Where are you putting the Batman Returns Lego set?

[PowellPressburger]

I wasn't expecting this one to come out for a while. I expected more of the more popular Rollin titles to drop on 4K first.

I'm buying them all, but was hoping for Iron Rose before RotV

[Rayjg]

I hope Best Buy carries this so I can go in and yell RAAAPE!...of the Vampire. I'm looking for Rape of the Vampire on UHD. Do you happen to carry it?

[RevolverOcelScott]

Originally Posted by Rayjg

I hope Best Buy carries this so I can go in and yell RAAAPE!...of the Vampire. I'm looking for Rape of the Vampire on UHD. Do you happen to carry it?

"Officer, it's a movie, I swear!"

[snipemonkey]

Yeah, this one's a bit "rapey." Ugh...

Would a trigger warning be too much to ask? Now I have to deal with flashbacks to all the other rapey movies I own. I didn't watch I Spit on Your Grave 10 times because I enjoyed it, people!

Not cool.
.
.
.
.

Preordered!

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by buck135

Yeah, really dally! Where are you putting the Batman Returns Lego set?

I'm honestly thankful that I don't care much for LEGO because it means I don't feel tempted to drop £350 on that Batcave, lmao.

[DaylightsEnd]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

I'm a bit wary about blind-buying these Rollin UHDs because I'm running out of shelf space as it is, lol. The only one of his films I've seen is Zombie Lake and it sucked, but I understand that was a last minute for-hire job and not entirely indicative of his style. I'm tempted to buy this because it's his debut film and then I guess I'll go from there.

Zombie Lake? No. Dally, Hoss, do yourself a favor. Honestly, grab yourself a copy of Indicator's Shiver of the Vampires 4k uhd set, straightaway. It's already out and is nicely representative of the characteristics of his better works. THAT will give you an excellent gauge for a full-flavored Rollin film. The flick is batshite wacky, very likely to be quite a ways up your alley just from the aesthetics, the bizarre character interactions, obtuse dialog, and the disjointed zaney editing. Includes a catchy classic rock score, the colorful gothic set pieces and lighting choices he became reputed for, awesome gothic castle for a prime location setting, etc. If you enjoy it, you can safely venture out further into Rollin's tainted waters, from there. Note that Rape of the Vampire is b&w, is very early output, and not exactly representative of his colorful cinematography from just a few years later. (Still a great Rollin flick that I'll be grabbing day 1!) Note also that Shiver is one of his MOST disjointed, hypnotic jams. His later works such as Iron Rose, Fascination, Requiem for a Vampire and Grapes of Death are much more cohesive and plot-driven.

The French trailer for Shiver is chock-full of wtf moments (the 4k disc has both English dubs and French dialog options). Enter at your own risk...

Trailer for Shiver of the Vampires - YouTube

[DaylightsEnd]

Indicator is making good on its promises and I'm so stoked! More fully-restored Rollin, these next two titles (Night of the Hunted 4k has also just been announced) slated for August, on uhd, being based on fresh new 4k scans of the ocn's this time!!! Unreal!!

[Brian81]

Did the #s drop for this one? I am just seeing this now, I hope there is another announcement for a pairing like before. I need to hurry with this reply so I can check.

[DaylightsEnd]

Now that the announcements for TRotV and TNotH 4k just rolled out, I really do suspect we'll be seeing Fascination and Requiem of the Vampire in 4k from Indicator fairly soon, at least sooner than some other Rollin titles, because it looks like the ocns may still be accessible. I think Lips of the Vampire and Living Dead Girl are in this camp, as well.

[Se.Vero]

Was it mentioned if this will be uncut, or still cut as previous releases?

https://melonfarmers.co.uk/hitsr.htm...of_the_vampire

[bradnoyes]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

I'm running out of shelf space as it is, lol.

To save shelf space I've started burying various UHDs in the dirt beneath my porch. Sadly my wife threw away my map and I've spent all summer trying to dig up Rampage.

[Indicator]

Originally Posted by Se.Vero

Was it mentioned if this will be uncut, or still cut as previous releases?

https://melonfarmers.co.uk/hitsr.htm...of_the_vampire

It's uncut. The running time of our restoration is 01:35:07 - and that's just for the film from first to last shot, not including any other idents or informational slates.

The running time given by the Melon Farmers site is 01:29:55, which is presumably at the PAL video speed of 25fps. So once that's adjusted to the correct theatrical speed, you get 01:33:39, making our version nearly one and a half minutes longer.

The BBFC website hasn't yet been updated with our 2023 submission, but it would appear to be the first since 1994 (so all subsequent UK releases must have simply used that version). So attitudes have clearly changed over the last three decades, possibly coupled with a greater respect for Rollin as a bona fide auteur.

Incidentally, this running-time difference is why we had a major headache syncing up the Jean Rollin commentary, which was only made available to us in its final mixed form with the film soundtrack audibly playing in the background (the original separate audio stems have long vanished), so the latter kept slipping out of sync with our master.

To complicate things further, once we'd more or less managed to sync up the film soundtrack, it then became clear that whoever mixed it originally didn't listen too closely to what Rollin was saying, and it's a very shot-specific commentary. So in the end we ended up prioritising the correct sync for Rollin and basically ignoring the film soundtrack, which is hopefully quiet enough for the lack of sync not to be too distracting. Although we've included an explanatory slate at the start of the commentary to explain what's going on.

[areyouian]

are this month's releases delayed? seems like all posts on twitter and ig are gone and they haven't shipped?

Originally Posted by Indicator

It's uncut. The running time of our restoration is 01:35:07 - and that's just for the film from first to last shot, not including any other idents or informational slates.

The running time given by the Melon Farmers site is 01:29:55, which is presumably at the PAL video speed of 25fps. So once that's adjusted to the correct theatrical speed, you get 01:33:39, making our version nearly one and a half minutes longer.

The BBFC website hasn't yet been updated with our 2023 submission, but it would appear to be the first since 1994 (so all subsequent UK releases must have simply used that version). So attitudes have clearly changed over the last three decades, possibly coupled with a greater respect for Rollin as a bona fide auteur.

Incidentally, this running-time difference is why we had a major headache syncing up the Jean Rollin commentary, which was only made available to us in its final mixed form with the film soundtrack audibly playing in the background (the original separate audio stems have long vanished), so the latter kept slipping out of sync with our master.

To complicate things further, once we'd more or less managed to sync up the film soundtrack, it then became clear that whoever mixed it originally didn't listen too closely to what Rollin was saying, and it's a very shot-specific commentary. So in the end we ended up prioritising the correct sync for Rollin and basically ignoring the film soundtrack, which is hopefully quiet enough for the lack of sync not to be too distracting. Although we've included an explanatory slate at the start of the commentary to explain what's going on.

[RevolverOcelScott]

Originally Posted by areyouian

are this month's releases delayed? seems like all posts on twitter and ig are gone and they haven't shipped?

It's interesting. I pre-ordered them via MoviesUnlimited, but they list the release date as 08/29, where most other sites had it listed as 08/22. Amazon seems to list as 08/22.

[DaylightsEnd]

Yeah, no buzz about these. Everything just sorta went quiet. I ordered them from Diabolik and they do occasionally ship slow, but I’m not seeing any overseas members talking about these titles rolling out, so I assume they’re either delayed, or the 8/22 street date was an error.