A Virgin Among The Living Dead Review

So this was a great find, I loved the artwork and wanted to see this film, since it was the original directors cut. The notion was killed though, as the movie is NOT a zombie film at all, and really just another run of the mill horror movie. A Virgin Among The Living Dead is NOT a movie you're going to love, that's for sure.

Franco is a revered cult director, so I was expecting far more from him. There were some spots with blood, but the story makes little to no sense. The plot revolves around a woman who loses her father and now must contend with a sick family (sick as in psycho) who are all trying to gain the fortune left behind. However, amidst all that there are odd scenes full of nudity, and 70's bush, lots of random killing for no apparent reason, and just maddening at times.

The pacing aside, the film looks like a grindhouse picture. There is no updates here, no major clarity, and the rip seems like a vhs rip at best. All the original specs, cigarette burns, pops and noises are here and it can really take you out of the movie. The editing is terrible, the transitions are amateur at best.

The majority of horror fans will fall asleep with this one. The movie has a certain appeal, but the eroticism aside, this 1970's attempt at horror is NOT something you're going to want to see again and again. I love the poster, I love the idea, but man the execution leaves a lot.

It's interesting to note that there are 10+ edited versions of this film floating around in VHS land. If you have seen those copies, they might be far more entertaining than this director's cut. Some reviewers argue that this is Franco's best film, but I say, it's not nearly as good as his other work. But that's just my humble opinion. I love the poster, I'll get that for my room, but the dvd? It's not that great, it's just not.