Requiem for a Vampire

Lore & Background

The film was shot in the small village of Crêvecoeur, with the graveyard located outside the village on a knoll. The castle, a historical place entirely furnished with genuine antiques, was rented from the Duke of Roche-Guyon (the Château de la Roche-Guyon), though the crew was interested in the ruins of the dungeon above. Marie-Pierre Castel joined the cast because her twin sister Catherine Castel was unavailable, and Mireille Dargent was introduced by an agent who collected her wages for his own benefit until Rollin hired a lawyer to recover them.

Reader's Guide

Requiem for a Vampire is notable for its erotic content and the censorship it faced. Due to nudity, some scenes were shot twice for countries such as the UK: for the whipping scene, an alternate version was shot with the actress wearing a bra and panties; for two sex scenes, versions were shot with the actresses fully clothed; and for a chase scene, a topless version was replaced with a clothed one. The film was released on VHS in France as part of the Collectorror collection, and in North America as Caged Virgins on August 22, 1995. Multiple DVD editions followed, including a three-disc limited edition with extras such as audio commentary, interviews, and a 64-page booklet. The film remains a cult entry in Jean Rollin's filmography, known for its dreamlike atmosphere and vampire lore.

Did You Know?

• The castle used in the film was rented from the Duke of Roche-Guyon (the Château de la Roche-Guyon) and was entirely furnished with genuine antiques.
• For the UK release, scenes with nudity were reshot with the actresses clothed or wearing a bra and panties.
• Louise Dhour, who played the vampires' maidservant, had previously appeared in earlier films, including Jean Rollin's 'Le Frisson des Vampires' (1971).