Two Orphan Vampires

After his long departure (the entirety of the 1980s through to the mid-90s) from the usual dreamlike fantasies he is commonly known for, Jean Rollin returns to what he knows best with 'Two Orphan Vampires.' Not since 1979's 'Fascination' has the once prolific filmmaker of cult erotic horror focused his attention on the musing but mournful vampire. His nearly twenty-year retreat from the subject matter had as much to do with audiences losing interest as his desire to explore his creativity in other genres, such as crime thrillers 'The Sidewalks of Bangkok' and 'Killing Car.' Unfortunately, his sudden resurgence with a familiar genre is not quite the triumphant comeback his fans would love to have seen.

Adapting his own fantasy novel of the same name, Rollin's film about a pair of young vampires is a sometimes vexing and plodding story of two blind girls trying to understand who and what they are. Living at an orphanage before being adopted by an optometrist, the girls explain to themselves their abnormal predicament. They are blind during the day, but their eyesight is fully restored by night, although they can only see in blue. This bizarre attribute is not uncommon in the cinema of Jean Rollin. He's always favored undead characters with oddities that break from stereotypical folklore and legend. Here, their sympathetic condition and youthful beauty not only makes them appear vulnerable to their victims, but it also gives a different perspective on their existence.

Part of the movie's tediousness comes from Rollin's script imparting these two characters with dialogue that strains to seem philosophical and enlightening. The girls have that usual morose responsiveness we see in Rollin's earlier work but also come with a childish, carefree outlook of the world. This often has them feeling at odds within themselves and with their desires, going so far as to construct beautiful god-like fantasies for their situation in order to resolve their internal conflict. This aspect is actually fairly interesting and gives audiences something to admire, but it's all for naught when some lines suddenly sound pseudo-existential and nihilistic. It's as if someone just finished Albert Camus's The Stranger and believed it interesting to see a similar exploration of various thoughts with creatures that already have no purpose to their existence than to live according to their nature.

I admit the possibilities for a film with vampires at the center is rather intriguing, though sometimes I think Neil Jordan's 'Interview with the Vampire' comes decently close in already delivering that. Sadly, 'Two Orphan Vampires' does not. The young actresses Alexandra Pic and Isabelle Teboul do the best they can in conveying the dialogue with as much dramatic seriousness and gravity as is possible. Yet, the problem remains that in the girls' wanting to understand the meaninglessness of their affliction, they are ironically spewing a bunch of hollow words of nothingness. One idea I do find attractive, however, is their recognizing that life is an illusion where we are responsible for constructing our individual histories and creating a sense of purpose. That's the reason for the pair of orphan bloodsuckers choosing to believe they are actually misunderstood goddesses.

In 'Two Orphan Vampires,' Jean Rollin shows he still possesses that unusual visual flair that teeter-totters between a romanticized, dreamlike state and standard vampire horror. As we follow the girls on their nightly blue escapades through the streets and cemeteries of Paris, they encounter a waspish female werewolf whose train yard is her hunting grounds. Later, they bump into the only other vampire who's even more dramatic than they are and a crazed ghoul living in complete ruins. It's not quite as impressive and oddly striking as his other films, but it's still fairly stylish and interesting. In the end, the movie is frankly a mediocre effort to form, one which clearly demonstrates a slight loss in creativity. The film can really only be appreciated as admirable finish to a long and notable filmmaking career, even if only for cult horror aficionados.

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

Kino Lorber brings 'Two Orphan Vampires' to Blu-ray under the distributor's "Redemption" label. Housed inside a normal blue keepcase, the Region Free, BD50 disc goes straight to an animated main menu with music.

The package also includes a glossy 12-page booklet with a lengthy essay on the films of Jean Rollin by Tim Lucas of Video Watchdog entitled "The Depth of a Sister's Love" with a variety of photos.