The Iron Rose

For the morbid at heart
While out riding bicycles in the country, a young couple on their first date stop to picnic in a vast cemetery. They soon find themselves in the throes of passion in one of the crypts below ground. When they emerge, the already uneasy lovers discover night has fallen, and they are now lost amongst the graves. As the night progresses, the seemingly endless cemetery takes on a more ominous tone as the lovers panic and turn on each other as they try in vain to find a way out. Before the break of dawn the girl becomes consumed by her surroundings, rejects the outside world, and wishes to remain with the dead. By contrast her companion becomes more hostile as he searches in vain for a way out.

There's more to THE IRON ROSE than that, but not much more in terms of plot. It literally is a night in the cemetery. Director, Rollin does an admirable job of infusing the surroundings with a somber dread as we share what feels like a real-time descent into dusk and the overwhelming spell...

Not quite a classic, but great transfer & extras on Blu-ray
For the uninitiated, the films of Jean Rollin can be hard to explain (and sometimes, even harder to defend). The Iron Rose was the 3rd in a series of borderline horror/erotica films the director made in the 70's. For those looking for cheap thrills, this probably isn't the Rollin film you want. Unlike the "lesbian vampire" sub-genre Rollin help to perpetuate with films like Shiver of the Vampires [Blu-ray] and Lips of Blood [Blu-ray], The Iron Rose is actually fairly restrained.

It's a fairly simple story of a young couple who get locked in a cemetary at night, and the rapid disintegration of their relationship and sanity. The girl (neither character is given a name in the film) is affected the most, as she begins to embrace the death and decay surrounding them, to the point of even talking to corpses beneath their feet. In the...

Rare Rollin Jewel
A tip of the hat to Redemption for releasing this rare Rollin film to his fans and to people who like their horrors simplistic and passionate. This is an interesting nightmare involving two lovers locked overnight in a cemetary and having their imaginations, senses, and friendships dissolving around them. Shadows reveal terror, gothic statuary reveals monsters, iron gates become invisible claws, I could go on and on but experience it for yourself preferably after midnight.

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