A Virgin Among the Living Dead

1

Written and Directed by

JESS FRANCO:

A VIRGIN AMONG E LIVING DEAD

Hello, anybody home?

- You're Miss Benton?

- Yes. How do you know my name?

hey told us you were coming.

Who?

Someone from the village.

He told me to show you to your room

and make sure you stay put.

At 5:
00 sharp, Mr. Basilio

will come in his car to pick you up.

Who is this Basilio?

How should I know?

I've heard the name,

but I don't know Mr. Basilio personally.

I'll show you to your room.

Do you know the owners

of Monteserate mansion?

Monteserate!

Nobody lives in that valley.

You can't be serious.

You're going there?

I am. I must go to the mansion.

I'm expected.

Well, don't say I didn't warn you.

As you can see,

I gave you the best room.

hank you.

You're not feeling well, miss?

It's so hot.

I had a terrible nightmare.

I can't get back to sleep.

Of course not, in this weather.

It's hot and damp here all year long.

- Do you live in the village?

- No, I'm just working here for now.

- Would you happen to be a writer?

- No, I'm a doctor.

ell me if I'm bothering you.

Not at all.

I'd like to ask your advice.

I'm so flustered I hardly know

where I am. It's strange.

Why did the innkeeper say that?

She says nobody lives at Monteserate.

But I know it's not true.

My whole family lives there.

I came from London to see them.

hey write me every week.

Shouldn't I go?

ell me what you think.

Yes, you should go.

Why such doubts?

You must be brave when you have a goal.

And your goal is Monteserate.

You must go there.

You mustn't back down.

"Basilio will drive you to the house.

Your uncle Howard."

Just a minute.

I'll get my suitcase.

For an hour, we've been driving

into the depths of the valley.

I feel like I'm in a strange dream.

Even the songs of the birds

are unfamiliar to my ears.

It seems that what I hear...

are birds of prey.

Birds of prey.

Come on.

It can't be.

At the bottom of a valley?

hese flowers...

these plants...

bursting with life...

and yet...

what strange colors...

such a troubling, unknown scent.

Where are we?

What is this realm

of soft shadows and silence?

As sad as a cemetery

on an autumn morning.

Weren't you expecting me?

"So quickly she crossed the field

that no one saw her after a moment.

hey were all quickly transformed

for she was such a beauty."

Isaiah, verse 777.

You must be Uncle oward.

Yes, I'm your old Uncle oward,

happy to welcome you to Monteserate.

he magic of this music

drew you to the depths of the valley.

You're the last one

Uncle Howard was expecting.

Finally, you've come here

from so far away.

Your face is ice cold!

erminia is expecting you.

Go very quickly.

What's happened to her?

She's dying, that's all.

And you sit here playing waltzes?

Would you rather

I played a funeral march?

Perhaps she'd like that.

I think she'd prefer the waltz.

You can't be serious.

You're wrong. Remember

that death is no laughing matter.

I know her tastes.

I know who she is.

She's welcome in this house.

I play in her honor.

Nothing is too good for her.

Aren't you going to say hello?

- hat's Carmenze.

- Who is she?

I told you. She's Carmenze.

She's part of the family.

Come.

- Why did you do that?

- No reason.

- What's wrong?

- Nothing.

I'd just like to follow

in dear Herminia's footsteps.

I'm going.

Are you Aunt Abigail?

Yes, I'm your aunt.

Stupid little b*tch!

It's obvious you come from a brothel!

Once a whore, always a whore!

You're always complaining!

Don't count on me to get

the worms out of your skin!

Your fatal insults slide right off

my cold, dead indifference!

Is that all-

Well, well.

You can't even manage

to cut off the head.

You're a real b*tch.

- ry one more time.

- Wait, I'll show you.

Christina, listen.

My name is Linda.

I won't harm you.

Don't be afraid of a blind woman.

I can tell you're very good

because I can see into souls.

Souls have colors,

just as all things.

Yours is pure white.

hat's why I've come to see you.

I'd like to help you.

But I can't do a thing.

I'm so unhappy.

ave you been blind for long?

Yes, very long.

I was plunged into the blackest night.

I will pray to heaven.

Yes, I will pray with all my heart

that heaven may help you...

help you...

help you, help you.

You'll have to make

your own breakfast tomorrow.

Of course.

That's quite normal, Carmenze.

Good morning, my dear Christina.

I trust you slept well.

Yes, I did.

But I had nightmares. And you?

ime passes just as slowly

by night or by day.

When it's dark, you hear the cries

of the vultures more clearly...

the macabre rustling of their great wings

against the windows.

Will you remain in this house for long?

When will you leave?

I have no idea. I came here to attend

the reading of my father's will.

he lawyer has to come.

It's a simple formality

and will be over quickly.

You're not eating?

We don't have much of an appetite.

ardly at all.

You're all so kind.

Thank you for making me feel at home.

I was six months old

when my mother died.

I don't remember anything.

I never met my father.

I was left at my boarding school

in London, all alone, without any news...

except for what

the headmistress told me.

I would have loved to see my father.

But he was far away

and too busy, it seems.

hen one day I was told

that he had married Herminia.

hen I got your letter

telling me that he had died.

I must thank you for

sending those photographs.

Otherwise, I never would have

known what he was like.

What a strange man.

He frightens me.

He's just a maniac.

But he's the one

who knows this mansion best.

He comes in handy.

Well, I think I'll go for a walk.

Don't go too far.

Why not?

Don't be ridiculous.

She's not a child.

Hey, come see!

Good gracious!

It's been so long since-

A beautiful girl like that

needs to be-

Count, what would you

like to do to her?

I'd like to bite her, to the bone!

Get out of here!

Quickly, Count!

Run, Count!

Miss!

Don't you know that nudism

is forbidden here?

- It's a private garden, isn't it?

- But you can be seen from above.

I didn't know. hanks.

Wait!

- Do you live around here?

- Yes, at the mansion.

But it's abandoned.

You don't know what you're talking about.

My whole family lives there.

Wait a minute!

- What do you want now?

- To know who you are.

What are you doing here?

I was born here.

- Got a job?

- Right now I don't.

Listen, here's what we'll do.

You come with me to the mansion.

hat way you'll have to face the facts.

You'll see Uncle oward,

Aunt Abigail, Carmenze.

And there are others as well.

hey're very strange, but nice.

- So are you coming?

- Yes, but I won't go in.

- Why not? It's a nice mansion.

- Maybe so, but I'd rather not go in.

What's wrong?

Don't tell me you're afraid.

- I want to go into the chapel.

- I don't think it's open.

It's closed.

Otherwise, I'd go in.

And I came a long way.

I always pray to St. Cecilia.

his is the only remaining chapel

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