Horror Movie Review: A Virgin Among the Living Dead (1973)

Written and directed by Jesús Franco (amongst others), a name synonymous with sleazy and erotic horror, A Virgin Among the Living Dead is a film that rises above its trashy name and differing versions to actually be somewhat of a decent watch. Oozing dark and sinister atmosphere, showcasing plenty of erotic Eurotrash, and offering up a story that is so surreal at times, that it borders on nonsense. You might not come away loving Virgin Among the Living Dead, but you will remember it.

Provided you find a version that is decent. Famously, this film exists in many different forms with added bits of erotica and zombie horror. Thankfully, the director’s cut is now widely available, and it’s the version everyone should watch.

The film stars Christine von Blanc as Christina Benson, who has received a letter from an uncle she has never met. He has revealed a whole side of her family that she didn’t know existed and has invited her to stay at their lofty manor for a reading of her recently deceased father’s will.

She is very excited to meet all these new members of her family and is hopeful to get closure around her father’s death. So excited is she, that she refuses to heed any warning about the house and its occupants. In fact, she can’t quite understand why everyone seems so shocked to hear she will staying there. It seems as though the ‘virginial’ part of her character is more based around her ignorance. It certainly can’t be about her innocence because she is more than happy to get naked and hang around family members who are naked.

In fact, she almost seems to be attracted to aspects of their roguish behaviour, even when it gets truly unusual.

In a better told film, this would be an interesting aspect to the story as the ‘virgin’ part of her character could be based around corruption of the soul rather than the more straight-forward sexual aspect. This could then tie into Franco’s love of erotic horror too, and we get shades of it here and there through dream sequences and more.

Sadly, it’s a mess of a story and a legitimate struggle to follow as scenes seem stitched together at random and it stays in the same gear for ages. We know the family members are already dead, so it’s infuriating that it takes the film so long to get to the point. Even then, when it does, it tells this side of the story in baffling and distasteful fashion. Listen, there’s nothing wrong with erotic cinema and Jesús Franco’s style, for the most part. However, when it becomes rape and sexual assault, it’s not so enjoyable.

The best bits of the film involve the wacky and decadent antics of the family. Their quirks and how Christina handles them, can be entertaining. It’s these sequences that offer the most compelling moments and where it starts to feel more like a Jesús Franco film.