Though filmed in England, high-spirited Spanish director Jose Ramon Larraz works hard not to bring a coy, prurient perspective to this joyous celebration of steamy eroticism, lesbianism and vampirism. If he had failed (he doesn't), we would have been saddled with a sexless, potentially arousing work such as Jimmy Sangster's LUST FOR A VAMPIRE, a non-classic that wasted the carnal talents of the smoldering Yutte Stensgaard.
Featuring some of the most delicious scenes of rampant, sexually-charged blood drinking ever, VAMPYRES (not to be confused with John Carpenter's raw but uneven vampire entry) is a minor classic hampered only by a half-baked, meandering script and static dialog.
Negatives aside, it still manages to be poetic, sensual, dream-like and gloriously subversive. Afterall, it is a film of genuine atmosphere.
The vampire leads, exuberantly played by the beautiful Marianne Morris and Anulka Dziubinska, are extraordinary, a horror fan's wet dream made flesh. Images of them haunting country roads in search of victims or dashing through a cemetery in the late afternoon tattoo themselves into your psyche.
One sequence, where they brutally and bloodily ravage a "lucky" victim, is almost pornographic in its single-minded intensity and intention.
Sometimes titled VAMPYRES: DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS, it has little in common with Harry Kumel's superb telling of the Elizabeth Bathory story and nothing in common with Hong Kong's gleefully vile sleazefest of the same name.
Harry Waxman's stylish cinematography is a major asset, as is James Clark's subtle score.
Stronger than any Hammer film.
Recommended highly for exotic tastes.
Featuring some of the most delicious scenes of rampant, sexually-charged blood drinking ever, VAMPYRES (not to be confused with John Carpenter's raw but uneven vampire entry) is a minor classic hampered only by a half-baked, meandering script and static dialog.
Negatives aside, it still manages to be poetic, sensual, dream-like and gloriously subversive. Afterall, it is a film of genuine atmosphere.
The vampire leads, exuberantly played by the beautiful Marianne Morris and Anulka Dziubinska, are extraordinary, a horror fan's wet dream made flesh. Images of them haunting country roads in search of victims or dashing through a cemetery in the late afternoon tattoo themselves into your psyche.
One sequence, where they brutally and bloodily ravage a "lucky" victim, is almost pornographic in its single-minded intensity and intention.
Sometimes titled VAMPYRES: DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS, it has little in common with Harry Kumel's superb telling of the Elizabeth Bathory story and nothing in common with Hong Kong's gleefully vile sleazefest of the same name.
Harry Waxman's stylish cinematography is a major asset, as is James Clark's subtle score.
Stronger than any Hammer film.
Recommended highly for exotic tastes.