English Version

There are so many crazy lovers who want to give back the beauty to their beloved, that we are surprised that we had never seen our connotations on other people (so far). We must be satisfied, therefore, to see these desperate men and their plans, driven by love, in a rather large number of movies. This time we are in France in 1970, with a film that perhaps suffers from the typical French grandeur, to the point to define itself as "The first sexy-horror movie of the story." Without even moving from this blog, we know that is not true, as we know that the story is not original. "Les Yeux San Visage," of 1960 a film by Georges Franju adapted from the novel by Jean Redon or "Seddok L'Erede di Satan," and also "The Horrible Dr.Orloff" cut down a bit 'the work of Claude Mulot.

Nothing new under the knife we can say, and perhaps to compensate the originality of the story, the director here under the pseudonym Frederic Lansac, inserts here and there few nudities, which authorizes him to define the film as "sexy" . By reading this, it seems that this movie it's not too much attractive, but despite the premise this, "The Rose Ecorchée" is a pleasant entertainment, created with the best intentions. A film that also tries to handle every details. Succeeding well. Sure, there are paradoxical situations, rather unreal, but it's an horror you can turn a blind eye.

The strength of "The Rose Ecorchée" is some kind of decadent poetry, brilliantly represented by a parallel with the world of painting a beautiful picture against a palette of colors confused and by the contrast of colors in the "before" and "after" drama.

The painting is the denominator present throughout the film, gives a fine and barely visible comparison with the disfigured face of the protagonist and a palette of colors used by her beloved, while it's clear the transition from a cheerful life , lived in a large manor , to the sadness of a dark gothic scenery. To these beautiful images that Mulot well manages, he add a good characterization of the characters that create an interesting story.

For the first part of the film the director use flashbacks, which then leaves space for the present narration in the dramatic crescendo of the second part.

The story tells of Frederic Lansac, aka the director as we have seen, but also the name of the male protagonist, a painter of great renown, who falls in love with the beautiful Anne. It's the classic love at first sight, which ended in a big and elegant wedding at the castle owned by Lansac, inhabited by two "Freak" characters that act as servants.

Shortly before the ceremony, however, Anne argues with the jealous Moira and ends, a bit 'in a daring, into the fire. She Remains disfigured.

The castle from a joyful place became a dark and unapproachable place where Anne lives dressed in black and Frederic with memories of times gone by. The hope reborn, however, when Frederic meet Dr. Romer, former great surgeon in ruins who thinks he can return the beauty to Anne. Stealing it.

Definitely a good horror, for a director in his second job and before the change from genre cinema, to porn. Here Mulot or Lansac or if you prefer, has the lucky to work with a cast of level running from Philippe Lemaire a prolific actor, known for the movie "Cartouche" in 1962.

Anne the beautiful and unfortunate protagonist is played by young actress Anny Duperey a woman with a dramatic past. She breaks through in the cinema thanks to a series of successful films as "Stavisky" with Belmondo and "A éléphant ça trompe énormément" and "Bobby Deerfild" of Pollack with Al Pacino. Anny later became a successful writer and spokesperson for humanitarian campaign. Finally, directly from the list of loyalists of Jesus Franco we find Howard Vernon, which needless to say plays the Dr.Romer. With his disturbing face and great skill Vernon is an expert "doctor movie" that we have already seen at work with the same role in "Dr.Orloff."

Other Titles : Das blutige Schloss der lebenden Leichen, Die geschändete Rose, Horror Maske (Germany), Devil's Maniac, H comme horreur (France), Ravaged (UK), The Blood Rose (USA), The Burnt Rose, The Flayed Rose ( International), Three drops of blood to a rose (Italy)

Cast: Philippe Lemaire, Anny Duperey, Elizabeth Teissier, Olivia Robin, Michèle Perello, Valérie Boisgel, Jean-Pierre Honoré, Howard Vernon