The Living Dead Girl Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "The Living Dead Girl" offers a surprisingly sharp and clean look, which is not usually associated with Jean Rollin’s budget-constrained productions. The film’s 35mm negative has received a 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer, maintaining fidelity without succumbing to compression issues or unnecessary digital enhancements like DNR or edge enhancement. While the print does feature occasional white specks and minor scratches, these are scarcely noticeable and hardly distracting. This high-definition upgrade shows a marked improvement over the film's original DVD release from 1999, offering newfound detail in facial features, clothing textures, and background elements. The inherent softness of the image is preserved as it reflects the original shooting conditions, providing an authentic viewing experience.

Color rendering on this Blu-ray is praiseworthy, with dense neutrals, consistent skin tones, and vivid blood reds that enhance the film's visual atmosphere. The contrast is balanced, offering deep blacks that do not overpower the image and highlights that are well-managed. Exterior shots reveal every detail and imperfection of the stone bricks of Valmont's château, while interior shots provide clear visibility of the home's furnishing. Although black levels can vary slightly from scene to scene, these fluctuations are minimal and do not impact the overall quality significantly. A minor edge fading is observable in certain spots, hinting at the age of the print, but this does not detract from what stands as one of the best-looking releases of Rollin's work to date.

The audio presentation of "The Living Dead Girl" on Blu-ray features an uncompressed Linear PCM 2.0 stereo track that exhibits the typical characteristics of 1980s low-budget recordings. While the vintage mix stays true to its source elements—manifesting a slight background hiss, a flat dynamic response, and occasional peaking during screams and louder noises—it remains a solid, listenable experience. Philippe D'Aram's distinctive score, including elements like flute, timpani drums, and metallic sounds produced by scraping a double bass bow against cymbal rims, is well-represented. Dialogue, available in both French and English, is generally clean and understandable, though portions of the film in English are notably unsubtitled.

However, it’s essential to acknowledge the limitations of this PCM soundtrack. The most prominent issue is the persistent hissing and noise that becomes more pronounced in several scenes of dialogue and music. Despite being a forgiving aspect given the film’s historical and budgetary context, it remains a notable distraction. Vocals are clearly intelligible, but the soundstage suffers from an off-balance distribution, predominately skewed to the left side. This misalignment often renders conversations and on-screen activities disjointed. The dynamic range and acoustics of the mix also lack depth, with noticeable clipping and brightness in the upper ranges while sparse activity fills the lower octaves, making for an overall flat auditory experience. Nonetheless, despite these issues, the disc does deliver an authentic reproduction faithful to the film’s original audio landscape.

The Blu-ray extras for "The Living Dead Girl" offer a comprehensive and insightful look into the making of the film, its impact, and its creator, Jean Rollin. The collection includes high-definition interviews with key figures like Jean-Pierre Bouyxou, who provides anecdotes about Rollin’s approach to filmmaking and the cultural uniqueness of the American version. Philippe D'Aram’s segment offers an intriguing dive into the challenges of composing the score on a tight budget. A tribute to Benoit Lestang highlights his significant contributions as a special-effects artist. Additionally, the disc features Rollin’s appearances at the 2007 Fantasia Festival, which provides viewers with a rare glimpse of the director's thought process and audience interactions. This package is a must-have for fans and cinephiles interested in Rollin's work.

Extras included in this disc:

• Introduction by Jean Rollin: Rollin discusses the film’s production.
• Jean-Pierre Bouyxou Comments: Insights into Rollin’s filmmaking style.
• The American Version: Bouyxou on the reshot version for American audiences.
• Music by Philippe D'Aram: Composer shares his experience scoring the film.
• An Homage to Benoit Lestang: Tribute to the special-effects artist.
• Jean Rollin at Fantasia: Rollin’s discussion at the Fantasia Festival.
• Interview Excerpt: Rollin on specific scenes from the film.
• Jean Rollin Trailers: Trailers for various Rollin films.

"The Living Dead Girl," directed by Jean Rollin, epitomizes the director's unique synthesis of gothic eroticism and melancholic surrealism within the zombie genre. Rollin, an auteur known for his atmospheric and visually poetic films, delivers a narrative that diverges from typical horror conventions. The film embraces a dreamlike ambiance while indulging in visceral gore, a balancing act Rollin admirably maintains despite the commercial pressures of the 1980s horror landscape. Utilizing the evocative backdrop of a crumbling French château, "The Living Dead Girl" introduces Catherine Valmont (Françoise Blanchard), resurrected by a chemical spill and compelled to sustain herself with human flesh, a disturbing yet strangely sympathetic character.

The plot unfolds with Rollin's signature touch of the macabre intertwined with unsettling yet strangely enchanting visuals. Starting with an earthquake-triggered chemical spill that revives Catherine, the narrative is rife with shocking gore meted out with an artistic flair typical of Rollin's vision. Although burdened by subpar plot development and weak dialogue, the film manages to captivate with its profound exploration of friendship and existential dread, particularly through the dynamic between Catherine and her friend Hélène (Marina Pierro). Pierro's performance adds depth, portraying Hélène’s descent into madness as she aids Catherine’s grim survival, a gruesome yet poignant portrayal reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe's tales.

Despite its strengths, "The Living Dead Girl" is not without flaws. The inclusion of a vacationing American couple feels forced and disjointed, detracting from the otherwise immersive atmosphere. These scenes, helmed by Gregory Heller for the American market, lack the finesse of Rollin's direction and are marred by amateurish performances. Nevertheless, Blanchard and Pierro elevate the film with their compelling portrayals, ensuring that "The Living Dead Girl" remains a testament to Rollin's ability to blend horror with haunting artistry, creating a cinematic experience that is both aesthetically striking and emotionally unnerving.

Jean Rollin's "The Living Dead Girl" straddles a unique line within the realm of cult horror cinema, combining elements of zombie lore with an art-house sensibility. The story of a young woman resurrected by an accidental chemical spill echoes with Rollin's signature melancholic and macabre themes, transforming traditional horror tropes into a hauntingly beautiful narrative. This Blu-ray edition delivers a visually immaculate high definition transfer, showcasing the film's stunning, atmospheric visual design. Unfortunately, the audio quality falls short, failing to match the crispness of the video presentation.

Kino and Redemption deserve commendation for their attention to detail in this release, despite the lackluster audio. The special features package, while not extensive, adds enough substance to appeal to long-time Rollin fans. The supplements, although mirroring the previous DVD offerings, provide additional context and insights that enhance the appreciation of Rollin’s unique cinematic approach. These features are particularly valuable for those new to Rollin's work, providing a deeper understanding of his directorial aesthetic and thematic concerns.

Conclusion: "The Living Dead Girl" might not be the archetypal Jean Rollin film—the director had to make some clear concessions to his producers that inherently diminished his vision—but it is one of his more accessible movies and a good entry point for those unfamiliar with Rollin's dreamy, slow-burning gothic stories. As with their other Rollin Blu-ray releases, Kino and Redemption have done a bang-up job with this disc, which features a surprisingly sharp high definition transfer and a wealth of special features. A must-buy for Rollin fans, a good bet for gothic horror enthusiasts, and a worthwhile rental for those new to the cult director.