10 French Horror Movies You Need To Watch
6. La Morte Vivante (The Living Dead Girl)
In Jean Rollin's horror-drama, toxic waste seeps into a cemetery, reanimating a young heiress called Catherine. Driven by intense memories of her childhood friend Hélène, Catherine does all she can to track her down. Unfortunately, the living dead girl's plan falls apart when she develops an insatiable taste for human meat.
La morte vivante goes against the zombie/vampire trope by giving the titular flesh-eater a conscience. Rather than embracing her primal cravings, Catherine acknowledges the evil she commits and begs Hélène to kill her. Unable to take the life of her friend, Hélène seeks out victims to quench Catherine's urges, creating a fascinating conflict.
Even though gore was tamer in the '80s, the violence in this undead thriller is anything but. While watching scenes depicting disembowelment, shredded jaws, and ripped throats, viewers will be wondering how the film got away with such grisliness.
The short answer is, it didn't. La more vivante was banned in many countries and went unreleased in the UK for 12 years, with the uncut version delayed for another 13 years. While the chemistry between the two leads and their unique dynamic is thoroughly entertaining, La morte vivante isn't for the faint of heart.