As a kid I grew up watching the Hammer films of the sixties. While they were true to the vampire legend, they pulled back from the base elements of sex and eroticism that is implicit in the vampire story. However their atmosphere and visual imagery was unsurpassed. The films were well acted and the narrative true to Bram Stoker's "Dracula." But the variations on the theme were pretty much worn out and the vampire story was ready to go in another direction. And so vampire erotica became Europe's contribution to the sexploitation films of the 1970's.
While directors like Jean Rollin and Jess Franco cared little about being faithful to the Stoker legend, their departure from Hammer's formula did bring some originality to the vampire story. And while they did incorporate some very bizarre imagery as well as sex and nudity in their films, they lacked the production values of the Hammer films. And like many of the sexploitation films they used nudity as the lure to get people to watch their films. Often their efforts merely substituted nudity for eroticism, coming up short on both counts. But the formula was a winner: lesbian vampires. Really, you almost can't screw that up. While the classic "Daughters of Darkness" by Harry Kumel stands head and shoulders above all others, Franco's "Vampyros Lesbos" and "Female Vampire" as well as Rollin's "Requiem For a Vampire" are worthy contributions.
Jose Ramon Larraz's "Vampyres" is among the higher quality films of this era. Starring two beautiful women, Marianne Morris and Anulka, this film is long on atmosphere, imagery and eroticism. Our two hungry beauties spend their evenings lurking by the dark and lonely roads of the English countryside, waiting for their next victims. Their long black capes, flowing hair and vacant stares as they creepily hide behind dead trees waiting for their chance is an incredible contrast to the statuesque model quality beauty of the two stars. They, of course, live in a creepy old mansion in the country where they take their victims. And it is here, in Larraz's carefully constructed sets, that the movie is on its most solid ground. Larraz creates some striking scenes that more than make up for the films uneven pacing. In one such scene the girls are each in their rooms partaking of their victims. One of the vampires, in that telepathic communication that they have, becomes alarmed and rushes out of her room to find her blood covered sister, in an almost catatonic state of euphoria, wandering the corridor with a sexy, vacant look in her eyes. In another brilliant scene they retreat to the catacombs to rest where one sleeps on top of some kind of coffin and the other crouches in a stone alcove with her cape pulled up over her head. Strange but effective.
The storyline takes a back seat to what we are seeing and is not what we take from this film. Even for those who believe that story is what matters there is little chance of becoming bored. Plenty of sex, nudity and blood will keep your attention very nicely. However Larraz has done an excellent job of giving the film the feeling of foreboding and excitement that we all crave in a vampire movie. Definitely worth a view.
While directors like Jean Rollin and Jess Franco cared little about being faithful to the Stoker legend, their departure from Hammer's formula did bring some originality to the vampire story. And while they did incorporate some very bizarre imagery as well as sex and nudity in their films, they lacked the production values of the Hammer films. And like many of the sexploitation films they used nudity as the lure to get people to watch their films. Often their efforts merely substituted nudity for eroticism, coming up short on both counts. But the formula was a winner: lesbian vampires. Really, you almost can't screw that up. While the classic "Daughters of Darkness" by Harry Kumel stands head and shoulders above all others, Franco's "Vampyros Lesbos" and "Female Vampire" as well as Rollin's "Requiem For a Vampire" are worthy contributions.
Jose Ramon Larraz's "Vampyres" is among the higher quality films of this era. Starring two beautiful women, Marianne Morris and Anulka, this film is long on atmosphere, imagery and eroticism. Our two hungry beauties spend their evenings lurking by the dark and lonely roads of the English countryside, waiting for their next victims. Their long black capes, flowing hair and vacant stares as they creepily hide behind dead trees waiting for their chance is an incredible contrast to the statuesque model quality beauty of the two stars. They, of course, live in a creepy old mansion in the country where they take their victims. And it is here, in Larraz's carefully constructed sets, that the movie is on its most solid ground. Larraz creates some striking scenes that more than make up for the films uneven pacing. In one such scene the girls are each in their rooms partaking of their victims. One of the vampires, in that telepathic communication that they have, becomes alarmed and rushes out of her room to find her blood covered sister, in an almost catatonic state of euphoria, wandering the corridor with a sexy, vacant look in her eyes. In another brilliant scene they retreat to the catacombs to rest where one sleeps on top of some kind of coffin and the other crouches in a stone alcove with her cape pulled up over her head. Strange but effective.
The storyline takes a back seat to what we are seeing and is not what we take from this film. Even for those who believe that story is what matters there is little chance of becoming bored. Plenty of sex, nudity and blood will keep your attention very nicely. However Larraz has done an excellent job of giving the film the feeling of foreboding and excitement that we all crave in a vampire movie. Definitely worth a view.