The Grapes of Death

Two young women, Elizabeth and Brigitte, are travelling through the south of France by train, the former to meet her boyfriend and the latter en route to Spain. A man whose face seems to be rotting away boards the otherwise deserted train and attacks the two women. Brigitte is killed, while Elizabeth escapes, stops the train and flees into the countryside. She soon discovers that nearly everyone else in the region is also afflicted with horrible lesions and homicidal impulses. What is going on? Could the outbreak have something to do with that new pesticide used on the grapes this year?

Grapes of Death is often described as being Jean Rollin's take on the first two entries in George A Romero's living dead trilogy, Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead. On closer examination, however, the 1978 film seems to borrow as much from the American director's lesser-known outing The Crazies, in which an biological warfare agent that causes it's victims to turn homicidal is accidentally released on a small town.

While the film could not be described as one of the director's more personal films in the same way as a Rape of the Vampire or Fascination, neither does it come across as an obvious work for hire in the manner of his porno outings (ofted signed to pseudonyms but nevertheless of value to for allowing the director to make contact with actresses like Brigitte Lahaie equally keen to escape the porn ghetto) or the execrable Zombie Lake.

The explicit gore – with the film basically being the first French horror to employ Savini-style effects – was new, but other elements – beautifully composed images and controlled atmospherics, a mysterious blind girl, and the tragic characters doomed by memories and amour fou – are as one with the director's earlier work.

This said, the intregration of new and old is not entirely seamless, especially when compared with 1982's The Living Dead Girl.

In sum, The Grapes of Death might be best described as a useful introduction to Rollin, showing something of the director's distinctive approach but in a more accessible hard-gore hybrid. Besides, it's hard not to like a film that makes it's country's national drink the source of the outbreak…

Synapse's Region One DVD of The Grapes of Death presents the film in a 1.66:1 widescreen enhanced transfer. Though a little soft looking, I'd be inclined to put this down to the source material rather than Synapse's treatment of it. Otherwise, no complaints.

The film is presented with French language audio and optional English language subtitles, in a new translation. As a result the dialogue is mercifully free from the unintentional humour that often mars foreign-language genre product.

Synapse have gone the extra mile when it comes to the extras.

The stand-out is the interview with Jean Rollin and Brigitte Lahaie. Using a selection of film clips from the likes of The Shock of the Vampires, Fascination and Night of the Hunted and commentary, it charts the director's film-making career from the late 60s to early 80s. Rollin talks about his formative influences; dislike for pornography, as distinct from eroticis; and current situation – needing to undergo dialysis and virtually unable to find financing for his intensely personal B-movies – while Lahaie provides an insightful second voice.

Otherwise, it's the usual sort of package: the original French and German trailers, the latter very much emphasising the more exploitative elements; a mini-biography and filmography of the director; a poster and stills slide show, and some useful liner notes by Nigel J Burrell.

All told, a good DVD package.