Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Lips of Blood 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 10, 2023

Jean Rollin's "Lips of Blood" (1975) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the release include archival programs with the late director; archival cast and crew interviews; new program with critic Virginie Selavy; vintage promotional materials; and more. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Do you recall how you felt as you first realized that Mickey Rourke’s private eye had entered that very deep rabbit hole in Alan Parker’s Angel Heart? Initially, you were only intrigued because some things made sense to you but some did not, correct? You could tell that while following the private eye you were being taken to a different place, but you were unsure how different. Or, how surreal it could get. What happened next, do you recall? To better understand what the private eye was going through and the mystery he was trying to solve, your mind unexpectedly plugged itself into his reality, and from this moment forward everything was fair game. Suddenly, the private eye’s surreal descent into madness became one hundred percent real. Rourke and the rest of the cast are outstanding, and you never thought otherwise, but it is this switch that your mind did that transformed Angel Heart into a very special film. A pretty darn intense one, too. Do you recall this?

Jean Rollin’s Lips of Blood does all of the above but with a smaller and less impressive cast in a different environment. It tricks your mind to plug itself into a very unusual, utterly surreal place that becomes one hundred percent real.

In Lips of Blood, the man (Jean-Loup Philippe) you will follow appears to be in his early thirties. At a party, while having a drink with his elderly mother (Natalie Perrey), he sees a picture of an ancient castle that instantly overwhelms him with intense but fractured memories featuring a girl (Annie Belle) from his childhood whom he barely remembers. Perplexed but convinced that his mind is attempting to reconnect him to an important part of his childhood that he somehow may have discarded over the years, the man tracks down the photographer (Martine Grimaud) who took the picture, but much to his surprise discovers that someone had paid her not to reveal the location of the castle. After a series of improvisations, some of which turn out quite bizarre, the man uncovers the castle and the girl from his fractured memories. But several strangers, a hitman, and eventually his elderly mother (Natalie Perrey) attempt to stop the man from reuniting with the girl.

Rollin tells an original story that is quite good, in some parts even brilliant, so it would not be a shocking development if in the future a different director attempted to do a new film with it. However, it would be a shocking development if this new film turned out more atmospheric than Lips of Blood. Here’s why:

It is difficult to imagine how a new film would improve the atmosphere that materializes in Lips of Blood because Rollin, in a most predictable fashion, quickly transforms it into the crucial piece of what is essentially a unique cinematic séance. This is not to imply that the man’s search for the ancient castle is just a ruse, but your participation in the séance is unquestionably more important than the man’s adventures and discoveries. (In Angel Heart, the atmosphere is used to accomplish something extremely similar, but its relationship with the story is different). Also, what Rollin does, which is primarily by drawing from the personalities of some quite unusual locations, makes this séance very intimate. (Ask around and you will find out that everyone agrees that Lips of Blood is a very surreal film. However, excluding the vampire element in its story, you will hear very different descriptions of what makes it surreal). In other words, a future remake of Lips of Blood cannot possibly be as effective or a better film because Rollin will not be part of it, and without him, the cinematic séance he created will be either compromised or absent as well.

Of course, a film that is conceived and shot to function as Lips of Blood cannot possibly be universally liked. Some minds simply do not respond to the trick that initiates the cinematic séance, and when this happens, viewing a film like Lips of Blood instantly becomes a frustrating experience.

Lips of Blood 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

This 4K Blu-ray release introduces a brand new 4K restoration of Jean Rollin's Lips of Blood. However, it does not have a Blu-ray copy of it. If you want a 1080p presentation of the 4K restoration, you will need to pick up this release. The 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases are Region-Free.

Please note that some of the screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual color values of this content.

Screencaptures #1-27 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #30-34 are from 4K Blu-ray.

I have the Redemption label's original release of Lips of Blood in my library and quickly pulled it out, but spent only a few minutes comparing several darker areas because the new 4K makeover is vastly superior. This is quite an accomplishment because the original release offers a pretty strong presentation of the film as well.

So, what type of improvements should you expect from the 4K makeover? First, I need to underscore that the 4K makeover looks outstanding in native 4K and 1080p. In fact, I think that I prefer how the 1080p presentation handles several darker sequences because in native 4K the HDR/Dolby Vision grade flattens them a bit. The native 4K and 1080p presentations produce superior grain field and a better range of nuances, some of which instantly improve the perception of depth as well. Clarity and sharpness are improved too, so there are many visuals now that boast a much more attractive organic appearance. Select highlights could have been managed a tad better, but on the other hand, the 4K makeover eliminates the black crush that is visible on the previous release. Color balance is good. I think that from time to time faces reveal a whiff of pink that is not quite right, plus some ranges of blues begin to drift toward turquoise, but I did not find these inconsistencies troubling. Image stability is excellent. The entire film looks spotless, too.

Lips of Blood 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this release: French LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The soundtrack incorporates plenty of unique sounds and noises that become the main attraction in Lips of Blood, which is a very, very moody film. Unsurprisingly, dynamic contrasts are modest. All exchanges are very clear, sharp, and easy to follow. There are no audio dropouts, pops, hiss, distortions, or other similar anomalies to report in our review. The English translation is excellent.

Lips of Blood 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction - presented here is an archival introduction by Jean Rollin. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Commentary One - presented here is an archival commentary on selected scenes from Lips of Blood by Jean Rollin. In English. (33 min).

• Commentary Two - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Stephen Jones and Kim Newman. The commentators address the production and publicity histories of Lips of Blood, some extra footage that exists on foreign versions of the film, Jean Rollin's shooting technique (which according to one of the commentators had improved rather dramarically), the flexible stylistic identity of the film, etc.

• Cast and Crew Interviews -
  
  1. Jean Rollin: Living Memories - in this archival program, Jean Rollin explains how Lips of Blood came to exist and discusses its shooting process. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).
  
  2. Jean Rollin: This Beach That Follows Me - in this archival program, Jean Rollin discusses a very special location in France, a beach, that had a tremendous impact on his imagination as a child and later as a filmmaker. The beach is featured in a key sequence in Lips of Blood. In French, with English subtitles. (25 min).
  
  3. Jean-Loup Philippe: Fantasy Life - in this archival program, Jean-Loup Philippe discusses his background and acting career, as well as his involvement with Lips of Blood. In French, with English subtitles. (16 min).
  
  4. Serge Rollin: Early Impressions - in this archival program, Serge Rollin, son of Jean Rollin, recalls his contribution to Lips of Blood, where he plays the young boy that falls in love with the mysterious girl from the ancient castle. In French, with English subtitles. (11 min).
  
  5. Catherine Castel: Sibling Rivalry - in this archival program, Catherine Castel recalls her first encounter with Jean Rollin, whom she describes as a "bastard" who forced his actresses to work naked in terrible conditions. Castel and her twin sister appeared in several of Rollin's films, including Lips of Blood, which she describes as "brilliant". In French, with English subtitles. (12 min).
  
  6. Natalie Perrey Exceptional Poetry - in this archival program, recalls her initial encounter with Jean Rollin and collaborations on seveal of his films, including Lips of Blood. In French, with English subtitles. (11 min).
  
  7. Natalie Perrey: Petite Mere - in this archival program, Natalie Perrey recalls the production of Lips of Blood and the many difficulties that had to be overcome during a relatively short period of time. In French, with English subtitles. (11 min).

• Virginie Selavy: Buried Dreams - in this new program, critic Virginie Selavy deconstructs Lips of Blood. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a theatrical trailer for Lips of Blood. (3 min).

• Image Gallery - a collection of original promotional materials for Lips of Blood.

• Book - an exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Maitland McDonough, archival writing by Jean Rollin on the making of the film, archival interviews with Rollin and Annie Brilland, an analysis of Suck Me, Vampire, the hardcore film Rollin made using scenes from Lips of Blood, and technical credits.

Lips of Blood 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Jean Rollin often stated that the screenplay he used to make Lips of Blood was his best. I am not convinced this is true, but Lips of Blood is without a shadow of a doubt one of Rollin's most atmospheric films. I was lucky to see it theatrically during a retrospective in the 1990s, and it was the film that convinced me to explore Rollin's entire body of work, which is quite strange. Lips of Blood is a strikingly surreal film that I think has some pretty interesting similarities with Alan Parker's Angel Heart, so if you want to temporarily enter another deep rabbit hole like the one Mickey Rourke's private eye does, you should plan to see it. This 4K Blu-ray release introduces a good new 4K restoration of Lips of Blood. However, if you need a Blu-ray copy of it, you must pick up this standard Blu-ray release. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.