Le seuil du vide (1971)

After an aborted affair with a married diplomat (Michel Lemoine), Vanda is distraught and decides to try her luck in Paris. As soon as she arrives to the train station, an old stunted woman offers her a triangle-shaped room for a very cheap price, a godsend on which Vanda throws herself immediately. She's told she'll be able to paint in peace as long as she does not open this condemned mysterious door. But curiosity is a pretty ugly defect…

Adapted from a Kurt Steiner novel, published at Fleuve Noir editor, LE SEUIL DU VIDE constitutes a beautiful homage to the disturbing and fascinating world of the author. Supernatural and onirism are skillfully mixed, helped by a body of very good actors; Michel Lemoine always has a strong and fascinating presence, that is unfortunately here underexploited.

Torn between DORIAN GRAY and a less celebrated Raphaël Delpard effort, LA NUIT DE LA MORT, the narrative exploits the hantise of ageing and the worship of the eternal youth cult. The employed means border on cannibalism but remain in the occult domain; one does not seize all that's happening very well, and the metaphysical torments of the heroin lack a little veracity. Davy really innovates in some delirium scenes. The special effects are very impressive for the time the movie was shot…