The female vampire Mircalla Karnstein (Ingrid Pitt) enjoys seducing young women, and her bloody kiss turns them into vampires. Not everyone is thrilled about this, and when General von Spielsdorf (Peter Cushing) arrives, the hunt for the lesbian vampires can truly begin.
Hammer Horror and Ingrid Pitt deliver a vampire film filled with sexual desire, unlike anything the world had seen in the early seventies—this time in a new and far more direct way.
The British Hammer Films collaboration with American International Pictures resulted in the first of three films in a series based on Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla from 1871. The novel strongly focuses on desire, seduction, and the lesbian vampire. American International Pictures had experience with gothic horror, particularly through Roger Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations, and the first of the three films, The Vampire Lovers, is a highly successful production. Lust for a Vampire and Twins of Evil followed the next year, both of which were also very well received. Each film maintains a consistent visual style, with set designs and atmosphere that even Tim Burton would envy.
With Roy Ward Baker behind the camera and Peter Cushing and Ingrid Pitt in front of it, the quality of this film is almost a given. This is also, notably, one of Hammer’s last truly great films. While a few noteworthy productions followed, this marked the beginning of the end for one of the greatest horror film studios of all time.
Of course, this film isn’t for everyone. If the idea of a lesbian vampire film doesn’t sound appealing to you from the outset, then this probably isn’t for you. But know this—when it comes to lesbian vampire films, The Vampire Lovers is among the best of its kind.
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