Podcast Under The Stairs

The Summer of Rollin continues...but this time, Jean takes a detour. Episode 576 moves away from vampires and into two radically different films from Rollin's early career: Schoolgirl Hitchhikers (1972) and The Iron Rose (1973). One is a bizarre softcore comedy packed with nudity, slapstick, sexual liberation and some decidedly uncomfortable attitudes towards women. The other is, in my humble opinion, one of Jean Rollin's greatest achievements — a haunting, beautiful descent into dream logic, death and romantic nightmare. First up is Schoolgirl Hitchhikers, released under the pseudonym Michel Gentil. Trading gothic castles for an isolated rural house, Rollin embraces softcore cinema with a strange mix of nudity, slapstick and increasingly uncomfortable sexual politics. It's perhaps the hardest film to reconcile with the poetic filmmaker seen elsewhere in his work. Freedom, sexuality and liberation collide awkwardly with sexual violence, questionable agency and moments of outright misogyny. Yet even here, Rollin's fingerprints remain: isolation, decaying locations, sexuality, fantasy and characters cut adrift from reality. Then comes The Iron Rose. And everything changes. Two characters. Minimal dialogue. A cemetery that slowly transforms into an impossible labyrinth. What begins as gothic romance becomes something far stranger as passion gives way to fear, mistrust and disorientation. Are the paths changing? Are they losing their minds? Or were they ever supposed to escape? The Iron Rose is Rollin at his most confident and hypnotic. Powered less by plot than atmosphere, emotion and dream logic, reality dissolves as the cemetery becomes its own beautiful, terrifying and inescapable world. We'll explore: Rollin's strange sidestep into softcore cinema as Michel Gent Nudity, sexual liberation & uncomfortable misogyny Female agency and the collision of sex, fantasy & absurdity Why Rollin's signature obsessions remain without vampires The beauty and isolation of The Iron Rose Dream logic and the cemetery as nightmare labyrinth Françoise Pascal's remarkable performance Gothic romance, sex, death & the impossibility of escape Rollin's visual poetry, cinematography & haunting music Why The Iron Rose may be the definitive Rollin movie This episode takes us from one of Rollin's strangest diversions to one of his most perfectly realised visions. Schoolgirl Hitchhikers shows a filmmaker chasing another market, but The Iron Rose reminds us exactly why Jean Rollin matters. By 1973, he isn't simply experimenting with style. He has mastered his own. Beautiful. Isolated. Erotic. Melancholic. Dreamlike. And utterly impossible to escape. So step inside the cemetery, follow the paths, and whatever you do...Try not to get lost. The Summer of Rollin continues... The following texts and documentaries were used in this series: * Lost Girls: The Phantasmagorical Cinema of Jean Rollin - Samm Deighan * Orchestrator of Storms: The Fantastique World of Jean Rollin (2022) - Kat Ellinger and Dima Ballin * Indicator 4KUHD Releases of Girls without Shame & The Iron Rose - Street date May 2025. The grading follows the Netflix rating style of 1 = Hated It, 2 = Didn’t Like It, 3 = Liked It, 4 = Really Liked It & 5 = Loved It Girls without Shame: Duncan: 2.5 The Iron Rose: Duncan: 5 Our new RSS Feed: ⁠https://anchor.fm/s/13ba6ef0/podcast/rss⁠Check out the show on ⁠Anchor⁠, ⁠iTunes⁠, ⁠TuneIn⁠ & on ⁠Stitcher Radio⁠. Please leave us feedback on ⁠iTunes⁠, [email protected] and follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠. Timecode For Episode 576: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:51 - Girls without Shame 00:23:15 - The Iron Rose 00:38:43 - The Indicator 4KUHD's 00:43:22 - Closing the Show

The Summer of Rollin continues...and Jean Rollin is starting to become Jean Rollin. In Episode 575, we journey into The Shiver of the Vampires (1971) and Requiem for a Vampire (1971), two films that show Rollin evolving from an experimental filmmaker finding his voice into an auteur who has seemingly discovered exactly what kind of cinema he wants to make. With The Shiver of the Vampires, Rollin pushes further into his fascination with nudity, sexual liberation, desire and the female form, while surrounding it all with the crumbling castles, deserted landscapes, gothic imagery and dreamlike atmosphere that were rapidly becoming his trademark. But beneath the naked bodies and vampire mythology is something far more interesting: isolation. Rollin's characters often seem detached from the real world, wandering through beautiful spaces that feel simultaneously romantic, threatening and completely unreal. His films aren't simply stories happening in strange locations, the locations themselves become part of the story. Then comes Requiem for a Vampire. And Rollin basically decides that dialogue is optional. For almost 40 minutes, the film barely speaks a word, instead allowing imagery, music, movement and atmosphere to carry the narrative. It's a bold, egotistical and utterly fascinating decision, one that could have collapsed into pretension but instead becomes one of the clearest demonstrations of Rollin's confidence as a filmmaker. We'll explore how Requiem strips away conventional storytelling and replaces it with something closer to a cinematic dream, a film where logic takes a back seat to mood, composition, sexuality, fantasy and the hypnotic power of the image. Along the way we'll explore: The evolution of Rollin's vampire mythology. Nudity, eroticism and sexual liberation in his cinema. The beauty and isolation of his locations. Rollin's growing obsession with dream logic over conventional narrative. The audacity of almost 40 minutes without dialogue. How these films cement the visual and thematic DNA of a Rollin movie. What makes his cinema so instantly recognisable, and so difficult to imitate. By this point, Rollin isn't simply making vampire movies. He's creating Rollin movies. Beautiful, bizarre, erotic, melancholic, surreal and often completely unconcerned with whether the audience knows exactly what the hell is going on. So once again, pour the wine, head for the nearest crumbling castle and prepare to lose yourself in the strange, seductive world of Jean Rollin. The Summer of Rollin continues... The following texts and documentaries were used in this series: Lost Girls: The Phantasmagorical Cinema of Jean Rollin - Samm Deighan Orchestrator of Storms: The Fantastique World of Jean Rollin (2022) - Kat Ellinger and Dima Ballin Indicator 4KUHD Releases of The Shiver of the of Vampires - Street date April 2023 & Requiem for a Vampire - Street date December 2024. The grading follows the Netflix rating style of 1 = Hated It, 2 = Didn’t Like It, 3 = Liked It, 4 = Really Liked It & 5 = Loved It Shiver of the Vampires: Duncan: 4.5 Requiem for a Vampire: Duncan: 5 Our new RSS Feed: ⁠https://anchor.fm/s/13ba6ef0/podcast/rss⁠Check out the show on ⁠Anchor⁠, ⁠iTunes⁠, ⁠TuneIn⁠ & on ⁠Stitcher Radio⁠. Please leave us feedback on ⁠iTunes⁠, [email protected] and follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠. Timecode For Episode 575: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:44 - Shiver of the Vampires 00:14:18 - Requiem for a Vampire 00:26:54 - The Indicator 4KUHD's 00:32:14 - Closing the Show

The summer begins...and with it, a journey into one of the most singular, poetic and uncompromising voices in horror cinema. Welcome to The Summer of Rollin, a brand-new multi-part retrospective celebrating the dreamlike, surreal and unmistakably gothic films of French auteur Jean Rollin, using the stunning 4K UHD restorations from Indicator as our guide through his extraordinary filmography. In this opening chapter we travel back to where it all began with The Rape of the Vampire (1968) and The Nude Vampire (1970)...two films that announced the arrival of a filmmaker unlike anyone else working in horror. Before there were sprawling cemeteries by the sea, melancholic vampire sisters wandering deserted beaches and haunting visions that blurred the lines between fantasy and reality, there was a young filmmaker with almost no money, enormous ambition and a determination to create horror that looked and felt like poetry. We'll explore the remarkable story behind The Rape of the Vampire, a production born almost by accident. Originally conceived as a short film before unexpectedly expanding into a feature, its troubled production forced Rollin to think on his feet, embrace experimentation and create something that felt unlike any vampire film audiences had seen before. Released during the political and cultural upheaval of May 1968, the film scandalised audiences, baffled critics and quietly introduced many of the visual obsessions that would define Rollin's entire career. Then, just two years later, we'll see how Rollin returned with The Nude Vampire, his first colour feature and a giant leap forward in confidence. Mixing masked cults, pulp serials, secret societies and his growing fascination with dream logic, the film reveals a filmmaker who had already refined his unique cinematic language while refusing to compromise his wonderfully eccentric vision. Along the way we'll discuss: The unlikely birth of Jean Rollin's story telling directing career. How an accidental feature film launched one of horror's most distinctive auteurs. The evolution of his vampire mythology between his first two features. Why conventional storytelling was never his priority. The visual motifs that would become signatures throughout his career. The beautiful new Indicator 4K UHD restorations and the wealth of historical context found within their superb special features. Whether you're a lifelong admirer of Jean Rollin or stepping into his haunting world for the very first time, this series aims to celebrate a filmmaker who followed his own strange path through cinema, creating films that are as hypnotic, romantic and mysterious today as they were over fifty years ago. So pour yourself a glass of red wine, light a candle, listen for the crashing waves and prepare to spend your summer wandering forgotten castles, lonely cemeteries and moonlit beaches... The Summer of Rollin has begun. The following texts and documentaries were used in this series: Lost Girls: The Phantasmagorical Cinema of Jean Rollin - Samm Deighan Orchestrator of Storms: The Fantastique World of Jean Rollin (2022) - Kat Ellinger and Dima Ballin Indicator 4KUHD Releases of both The Rape of the Vampire & The Nude Vampire - Street date June 2023. The grading follows the Netflix rating style of 1 = Hated It, 2 = Didn’t Like It, 3 = Liked It, 4 = Really Liked It & 5 = Loved It The Rape of the Vampire: Duncan: 4 The Nude Vampire: Duncan: 4.5 Our new RSS Feed: ⁠https://anchor.fm/s/13ba6ef0/podcast/rss⁠Check out the show on ⁠Anchor⁠, ⁠iTunes⁠, ⁠TuneIn⁠ & on ⁠Stitcher Radio⁠. Please leave us feedback on ⁠iTunes⁠, [email protected] and follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠. TIMECODE FOR EPISODE 574: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:06:25 - The Rape of the Vampire 00:22:05 - The Nude Vampire 00:32:57 - The Indicator 4KUHD's 00:37:18 - Closing the Show

In this episode of Podcast Under the Stairs, we turn our attention to the sci-fi horror-comedy Cold Storage, a fast-paced, fungus-fuelled creature feature packed with B-movie thrills, dark humour, and plenty of gloopy gore. Blending elements of horror, comedy and sci-fi, the film comes from writer David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man) and director Jonny Campbell (Dracula), delivering a high-energy genre mash-up that’s as chaotic as it is entertaining.STUDIOCANAL bring Cold Storage to home audiences with a Home Premiere release on 6th April 2026, where it will be available to buy or rent digitally. This is followed by a physical release on 11th May 2026, landing on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD. For collectors, there’s also a limited HMV Exclusive 4K edition, featuring alternate artwork and a set of four art cards, capped at just 1,000 copies.As a special bonus, this episode also features an exclusive interview with director Jonny Campbell. We chat about bringing Cold Storage to the screen, working with such a strong cast, navigating tone in horror-comedy, and his journey as a filmmaker leading up to this release. The grading follows the Netflix rating style of 1 = Hated It, 2 = Didn’t Like It, 3 = Liked It, 4 = Really Liked It & 5 = Loved It Cold Storage: Duncan: 3 Thanks to Studio Canal & Fetch PR for the review copy of this movie and setting up the interview with Johnny Campbell. Our new RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/s/13ba6ef0/podcast/rss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out the show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Anchor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TuneIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stitcher Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please leave us feedback on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, [email protected] and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. TIMECODE COLD STORAGE REVIEW00:00:00 Intro 00:02:52 Interview with Johnny Campbell 00:16:05 Cold Storage Review 00:25:27 Closing

The Podcast Under the Stairs presents our next instalment of The 88 Films Italian Collection Series. Duncan will review the next title in the 88 Films Italian Collection on The Podcast Under the Stairs. Disc 84 is The Pleasure (1985). The grading follows the Netflix rating style of 1 = Hated It, 2 = Didn’t Like It, 3 = Liked It, 4 = Really Liked It & 5 = Loved It The Pleasure: Duncan: 3 The next planned Italian Collection title is Disc 85 - Orgasmo (1969). And if that’s not enough cult and exploitation goodness for you, be sure to check out my brand-new show with THE BAZ, The B-Movie Blitzkrieg Podcast. Hit the link below and let the chaos continue. B-Movie Blitzkrieg Podcast Links YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BMovieBlitzkrieg⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2hZul6ZQsZaL5Uhff8RS8J?si=5916d0866ee94fc1⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/b-movie-blitzkrieg/id1818986998⁠⁠⁠ Our new RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/s/13ba6ef0/podcast/rss⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out the show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Anchor⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠TuneIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Stitcher Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please leave us feedback on ⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠, [email protected] and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠. TIMECODE FOR ITALIAN COLLECTION DISC 8400:00:00 Intro 00:02:32 The Pleasure Review 00:15:30 Closing