Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Jean Rollin French film director, actor and novelist, died after a long illnes he was , 72,

Jean Michel Rollin Roth Le Gentilwas a French film director, actor, and novelist best known for his films in the fantastique genre such as the vampire film Le Viol du Vampire (1968) and the first French gore film Les Raisins de la Mort (1978) died after a long illnes he was , 72,.[1]

(3 November 1938 – 15 December 2010)

Early life

Jean Rollin was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine (now Hauts-de-Seine), France to Claude Rollin, an actor and theatre director, who went by the stage name "Claude Martin", and Denise Rollin-Le Gentil, an artistically inclined family.[2]

Career

Early career and short films

He had a passion for cinema from an early age. He saw his first film during the second World War, it was Capitaine Fracasse, a 1942 film directed by Abel Gance. Jean decided he want to make film when he grew up, and with his father being a theare actor, he was a heavy influence on him. During his teens, he developed an obsession for American serials and read comic books. These serial were an obvious infuence on him as a teenager. When he was 16, he found a job at Le Films des Saturne, he was there to help write invoices, and earned himself some money, and of course wanted to be involved in cinema. They specialized in creating opening and closing credits and short cartoons, but real films were also shot, and industrial shorts and documentaries were also made. Jean was part of the crew in a short documentary about Snecma, a big factory in France which built motors and planes. He arranged the travelling shots, laid the tracks, checked the electricity, and helped the cameraman. When Jean did his military service for the French army, he worked as an editor in the cinema department alongside Claude Lelouch. They worked on army commercials, Lelouch directed, and Jean did the montage, and also did two films, Mechanographie, a documentary, and La Guerre de Silence (The War of Silence), a real film with actors and a story. In 1958, he directed his first short film Les Amours Jaunes (The Yellow Lovers), which he directed after he left the army. He shot it on a 35mm Maurigraphe camera, and used a beach in Dieppe as his location, the same beach that was used in his later films. In 1960, Jean decided to direct his first feature film, but later abandoned the project as he had no money to finish it. His next short, Ciel de Cuivre (Sky of Copper), was directed in 1961, and was quite surreal, it told a sentimental story. He did not finish the film because he ran out of money and as it was not very good. The footage is now lost. In 1962, he was as an assistant director on the film Un Cheval pour Deux (A Horse for Two), which was not a great experience for him, and decided to approach cinema in a different way. In the early sixties, Jean became interested in politics, and made a short documentary in 1964 called Vivre en Espagne (Life in Spain), it was about Generalissimo Francisco Franco, thirty minutes were filmed and it wasn't very good, but risked a lot to get it made. Jean and the crew found themselves haunted by the police and just managed to make it back into France. Jean also directed a short film in 1965 called Le Pays Loin.

Le Viol du Vampire and beyond

In 1968, Jean directed his first feature Le Viol du Vampire (The Rape of the Vampire). At the time he was still not known in the world of cinema, having only done a few short films and documentaries. The film was shot on a low budget, and consisted of two parts because it was originally supposed to be another short film, the second part was later added so that it was released as a feature film.[3] The release of Le Viol caused public scandal and outrage, his strong inspiration of American serials did not attract viewers. It was released during the events of May 1968, and due to the riots, it was a rare theatrical production at the time. Jean himself was also threatened due to this scandal,[4] because of this, Jean briefly decided to give up making films. His second feature La Vampire Nue (The Nude Vampire) was his first film in colour. It was mostly inspired by the 1916 film Judex, and also surrealism in general. Jean wanted to do something a little more temperate than Le Viol, a traditional mystery film. It is exactly the same kind of film as his first feature, it also has the same spirit. Le Frisson des Vampires (The Shiver of the Vampires) was heavily influenced by the trappings of the hippie movement. The film was his most successful and commercial film to date, it was made on a shoe-string budget and was a dreamlike fantasy film,[5] a theme his films are known for. In 1971, Jean directed Requiem pour un Vampire (Requiem for a Vampire), which became one of his most successful films, and it was another low budget production, which almost took no money to make. There was no dialogue in the first 40 minutes of the films, this was to simlify the story, direction and cinematography.

Writing

Death

Rollin died in December 2010 after a long illness.[6]

Filmography

Director/crew
Year Title Crew Notes
1958 Les amours jaunes Director short film, other title: The Yellow Lovers
1961 Ciel de cuivre Director short film, other title: Sky of Copper
1962 Un Cheval pour Deux Assistant director Other title: A Horse for Two
1963 L'itinéraire marin Director, writer Project abandoned
1964 Vivre en Espagne Director short documentary
1965 Le pays loin Director, writer
1966 Tristesse des anthropophages Producer short film
1967 Faire quelque chose Producer short film
1968 Le Viol du Vampire Director, writer, producer Other title: The Rape of the Vampire
1969 La Vampire Nue Director, writer Other title: The Nude Vampire
1970 Le Frisson des Vampires Director, writer, producer Other title: The Shiver of the Vampires
1971 Requiem pour un Vampire Director, writer Other title: Requiem for a Vampire
1972 La Rose de Fer Director, writer Other title: The Iron Rose
1973 Jeunes filles impudiques Director credited as Michel Gentil
Christina, princesse de l'érotisme Director (dream sequence) Other title: A Virgin Among the Living Dead
1974 Les Demoniaques Director, writer Other title: The Demoniacs
Tout le monde il en a deux Director, writer, producer credited as Michel Gentil
1975 Lévres de Sang Director, writer Other title: Lips of Blood
Phantasmes Director, writer Other title: Once Upon a Virgin
1976 Douches pénétrations Director, writer credited as Michel Gentil
La comtesse Ixe Director credited as Michel Gentil
Amours collectives Writer
Apothéose porno supervisor uncredited
1977 Saute-moi dessus Director, writer, cinematographer, editor credited as Michel Gentil
Hard Penetration Director, writer credited as Michel Gentil
Vibrations sexuelles Director credited as Michel Gentil
1978 Remplissez-moi...les 3 trous Director credited as Robert Xavier
Petites pensionnaires impudiques Director credited as Michel Gentil
Lèvres entrouvertes Director credited as Michel Gentil
Hyperpénétrations Director credited as Robert Xavier
Les Raisins de la Mort Director, Writer other title: The Grapes of Death
Discosex Director, writer credited as Robert Xavier, uncredited as writer
1979 The Cannibals Writer uncredited
Fascination Director, writer
Gamines en chaleur Director credited as Robert Xavier
Bouches lascives et pornos Director credited as Robert Xavier
Pénétrations vicieuses Director credited as Michel Gentil
Jeux d'adultes pour gamines expertes Producer
1980 La Nuit des Traquées Director, writer other title: The Night of the Hunted
Minouche, fillette insatiable Producer other title: Unlimited Girls
1981 Les paumées du petit matin Director, writer other title: The Escapees
Le Lac des Morts Vivants Director credited as J.A. Laser
1982 Rêves de sexes Director credited as Robert Xavier
La Morte Vivante Director, writer other title: The Living Dead Girl
1983 Sodomaine Director, writer credited as Robert Xavier
Folies anales Director credited as Robert Xavier
1984 Les Trottoirs de Bangkok Director other title: The Sidewalks of Bangkok
1985 Ne prends pas les poulets pour des pigeons Director credited as Michel Gentil
1988 Emmanuelle 6 Director, writer uncredited
1989 Perdues dans New York Director, writer television film, other title: Lost in New York
Killing Car Director later released in 1993, original title: Femme Dangereuse
1990 La griffe d'Horus Director, writer television film
1991 À la poursuite de Barbara Director uncredited
Et le temps s'en va... Exclusive producer short film
1994 Le parfume de Mathilde Director, writer uncredited as director
1997 Les deux orphelines vampires Director, writer other titles: The Two Orphan Vampires
2002 La fiancée de Dracula Director, writer other title: Dracula'a Fiancee
2007 La nuit des horloges Director, writer
2010 Le Masque de la Méduse Director, writer
Actor
Year Title Role Notes
1956 Crime et Châtiment Le prêtre chantant uncredited
1966 Tristesse des anthropophages Un client du restaurant scatophage uncredited
1968 La femme-bourreau Un flic uncredited
Le Viol du Vampire Villager uncredited, other title: The Rape of the Vampire
1973 La Rose de Fer Man in Cemetery uncredited, other title: The Iron Rose
Le sourire vertical
other title: The Vertical Smile
1975 Phantasmes
other title: Once Upon a Virgin
Lévres de Sang Le gardien du cimetière uncredited, other title: Lips of Blood
1976 Douches pénétrations Le chef cuisinier
Amours collectives Mike Gentle the Vampire scene deleted
1978 Remplissez-moi... les 3 trous

Lèvres gloutonnes

Hyperpénetrations

Les Raisins de la Mort Worker at Vinyard other title: The Grapes of Death
Discosex Sound Engineer
1979 Entrez vite... vite, je mouille!
credited as Michel Gentil
1980 Clinique pour soins très spéciaux

1981 Le Lac des Morts Vivants Stiltz other title: Zombie Lake
1982 La Morte Vivante Salesman uncredited
1984 Les Trottoirs de Bangkok Un Tueur uncredited
1985 Sanguine L'éditeur
1989 Killing Car Bandaged man in car later released in 1993
credited as Michel Gentil, original title: Femme Dangereuse
1991 À la poursuite de Barbara

1992 Trepanator Dr. Roll direct-to-video
1993 Dinosaur from the Deep Professeur Nolan direct-to-video
1997 Marquis de Slime Homme du gouvernement short film
2007 Life Like The director short film
2010 Le masque de la Méduse L'homme qui enterre la tête

Works

Further reading

  • Virgins & Vampires: Jean Rollin, Contains essays by Jean Rollin, edited by Peter Blumenstock; Includes CD soundtrack from Les Deux orphelines vampires – Limited edition of 300 copies, autographed by Jean Rollin (Crippled Publishing, 1997, ISBN 3-9805820-0-0)
  • Video Watchdog, Edition 31; Peter Blumenstock interviews Rollin (1995)
  • Immoral Tales: European Sex & Horror Movies 1956-1984 (1994) by Cathal Tohill and Pete Tombs – Dedicates a chapter to Rollin
  • Jean Rollin: cinéaste écrivain (2002) by Pascal Françaix (ABC Films Editions, ISBN 978-2915160055)

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