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Horror Cult Classic

A young woman's inheritance leads her to a castle of secrets, where the living are scarce—and the undead are family.

A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD

1973 · 1h 19m · NR · Horror · IMDB TMDB
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What is A Virgin Among the Living Dead about?

A Virgin Among the Living Dead is a 1973 Belgium, France, Italy, and Liechtenstein horror film directed by Jesús Franco about a young woman who visits her family's remote castle and discovers her eccentric relatives are not quite alive.

Details & Specs
Director
Jesús Franco
Writers
Jesús Franco, Paul D'Ales
Release
1973
Runtime
1h 19m
Country
Belgium, France, Italy, Liechtenstein
Language
French
Genres
Horror
Also Known As
Gli zombi cannibali, Une vierge chez les morts vivants, I desideri erotici di Christine, Christina, princesse de l'érotisme, Los sueños eróticos de Christina, La noche de las estrellas fugaces, Das Grauen von Schloss Montserrat, Девственница среди живых мертвецов, El infierno de los sentidos, Christina chez les morts vivants, Christina - Prinzessin der Lust, Mia parthena gia tous zontanous - nekrous, Una vergine tra i morti viventi, Dziewica wsród zywych trupów, Uma Virgem entre os Mortos-Vivos, Virgen entre los muertos vivientes, Una virgen en casa de los muertos vivientes, Zombie 4: A Virgin Among the Living Dead, Among the Living Dead, Eine Jungfrau in den Krallen von Zombies, Original title: La nuit des étoiles filantes

Overview

Christina Reiner, a boarding school student, is summoned to the Montserrat countryside for the reading of the will of her estranged father, whom she never met. Upon arrival, she is warned by the locals that the family castle is uninhabited, but soon finds herself escorted there by the mute servant Basilio. Inside, she encounters a cadre of eccentric relatives—Uncle Howard, Cousin Carmencé, Aunt Abigail, and a dying stepmother—whose behavior and surroundings are anything but ordinary. As Christina waits for the attorney, her reality blurs with strange dreams and ominous encounters, setting the stage for a gothic horror experience steeped in familial unease and troubling mysteries.
Ending Explained Spoilers — click to reveal

Christina discovers her relatives are all dead, and her decision to remain with them leads her into a nightmare world of visions and impending sacrifice.

The revelation that Christina's family is undead amplifies the film's gothic and surreal horror. Her inability to escape and ultimate submission to the castle's macabre rituals underline Franco's themes of inescapable fate and erotic doom, blurring the lines between reality and nightmarish madness. The climax cements the film's reputation for melding eroticism with existential dread.

Why Cult

Gothic Castle Atmosphere

The film's setting in a remote Montserrat castle delivers an eerie, old-world vibe essential to classic European horror.

Euro Horror Sexploitation

Blending gothic horror and sexploitation, this film is infamous for its unabashed nudity and erotic surrealism.

Bizarre Family Reunion

Christina's relatives are far from ordinary, offering a uniquely morbid twist on the family gathering trope.

Jesús Franco Direction

Cult director Jesús Franco’s signature style mixes surreal horror with exploitation, making for a one-of-a-kind viewing.

Threat File

Trigger

Christina visits her family's castle

Threat

Undead relatives

Effect

Nightmares, danger, and morbid encounters

Setting

Montserrat countryside castle

Cast & Crew

View all →
Director: Jesús Franco Writers: Jesús Franco +1 more
Christina von Blanc Christina von Blanc Christina Benton Carmen Yazalde Carmen Yazalde Carmencé Rosa Palomar Rosa Palomar Aunt Abigail Anne Libert Anne Libert The Queen of the Night Howard Vernon Howard Vernon Uncle Howard Jesús Franco Jesús Franco Basilio Paul Müller Paul Müller Ernesto Pablo Reiner, Christina's father LH Linda Hastreiter Blind Girl (uncredited) Antonio de Cabo Antonio de Cabo Notary (uncredited) NG Nicole Guettard Female Doctor (uncredited) RK Rose Kiekens (uncredited) Alice Arno Alice Arno Princess of Eroticism (added scene) (uncredited) WD Wal Davis Garden orgy (added scene) (uncredited) FN France Nicolas Garden orgy (added scene) (uncredited) PT Pierre Taylou Garden orgy (added scene) (uncredited)

Scene Gallery

Trailers & Clips

Questions from the Vault

What is A Virgin Among the Living Dead about? +

A Virgin Among the Living Dead is a 1973 Belgium, France, Italy, and Liechtenstein horror film directed by Jesús Franco about a young woman who visits her family's remote castle and discovers her eccentric relatives are not quite alive.

When was A Virgin Among the Living Dead released? +

A Virgin Among the Living Dead was released in 1973.

Who directed A Virgin Among the Living Dead? +

A Virgin Among the Living Dead was directed by Jesús Franco.

How long is A Virgin Among the Living Dead? +

A Virgin Among the Living Dead has a runtime of 79 minutes.

What genre is A Virgin Among the Living Dead? +

A Virgin Among the Living Dead is a horror film.

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