Les démoniaques

(1974) The Demoniacs/ Les démoniaques (In French with English subtitles) PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR

Written and directed by Jean Rollin introduces viewers to four "wreckers" of Le Capitaine (John Rico), Paul (Paul Bisciglia), Tina (Joëlle Coeur) and Le Bosco (Willy Braque). And while they are salvaging a chest they pull from the beach, two blondes while wearing their nightgowns suddenly appear that look like they appear coming from the wreckage. The four of them then assault the two women before they kill them. And while the captain is drinking at a pub, he then sees images of them, before he is then informed that the two women are not dead but are still alive. They then go a stalking rant, especially Tina, and the two blondes continue running until they stumble onto the cursed ruin as they are greeted by a clown faced woman (Mireille Dargent). And she then introduces them to a L'exorciste Chadron (Ben Zimet). And it is him who introduces them to Le Diable (Miletic Zivomir) who is locked in a cell granting them powers to that they can exact their revenge. The only downside is that it last only until after the following morning.

If there is a reason to watch Jean Rollin movies and that is the nudity, that may be deemed too much for Hollywood censors and labelled as X rating the same as many soft core adult movies except that anyone to have seen this the make out and assault scenes looked fake and unconvincing. And out of all the women shown on this particular movie Tina happens to be the best looking one. I agree with the few reviewers who said that the movie starts out well, but then Rollins gears to boredom as it looked as if he made this movie as he is going along since it was supposed to be a film and not as a 45 minute stint. I can probably look at actress Joëlle Coeur nude all day and Rollins can only do this for so long. And anyone who were to look at her filmography, it does not appear Les Demoniacs is the only movie she is naked on.

This is not one Jean Rollin's greatest works, but it does have one shinning light, Joelle Coeur, the gorgeous female wrecker. Like all of Rollin's films (that I have seen) this one is full of all his artistic visions, but for some reason the film still seems slower in it's pace and is a little more difficult to get into. Like all Rollin's film it's worth watching, but in this instance, only for the gorgeous Joelle Coeur.

A Jean Rollin without vampires, but not without mediocre performances, naked skin, sometimes unbearable sexual violence, leisurely minimal plot progression and a gothic atmosphere. As always in the 70s creative phase, this looks largely well filmed, but clearly sets itself apart from the mainstream with its choice of themes, tastelessness and outlandish ideas. In 'Les Démoniaques', a ghost story and a rape and revenge plot mix to create a surreal horror tale. It is clear at all times that the work originates from a time of creative freedom and that one or two substances were probably involved. Rollin is and remains a genre of his own, a thoroughly talented artist who suffers from his strange world of thought and limited staging resources. A confused poet with a fragile pen who constantly blurs the boundaries between magic and rubbish.

I have a problem with Jean Rollin films. Despite all the stylish surrealism, great French locations and nudity I still find his films incredibly boring. I do appreciate Rollin's persistence of vision throughout his string of poetic sex/horror exploitation films through the 70s (clowns, castles, twins, beaches) but my mind begins to wander during his films and this is no exception. The plot follows a dream logic known only to the director with too much time spent watching these sailors fight, rape or just sit in a bar. The one female in the sailor gang really does inject some gusto into the her part though.

A group of shipwrecked sailors brutally rape two young woman and the woman re-emerge after making a pact with the devil to get their revenge.

More of the same from Jean Rollin. The music is improved here, but the plot makes practically no sense. Some people have tried to defend the film by saying it should be seen as an "art" film. Rollin does indeed have a unique view of art.

If you want to see more of the same nude women and pointless sex scenes, this is for you... but as far as plots go, this is not one of Rollin's stronger films. But it does have a clown... so, I guess that might be good?