THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (1970)
Collector's Edition Blu-ray
Label: Scream Factory
Region Code: A
Rating: R
Duration: 88 Minutes
Video: 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Roy Ward Baker
Cast: Ingrid Pitt, George Cole, Kate Mara, Peter Cushing, Dawn Addams
Hammer's The Vampire Lovers (1970) markedthe beginning of what would become The Karnstein Trilogy, opening with a weird pre-credit sequence with vampire hunter Baron Hartog (Douglas Wilmer, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad) who witness a vampiress (Kirtsen Lindholm, Lust for a Vampire) rise from her grave like a creepy specter shrouded in ghostly flowing linens. She attempts to seduce the Baron when she is stricken by the sight of his crucifix which comes into contact with her ample breasts, momentarily weakened the Baron thrusts a wooden steak into her dead heart and decapitates her with his sword. It's a great opening and quickly we know we're are in the good hands of Hammer Films for some bloodsucking Gothic thrills, were only a few moments in and we are already deeply drenched in copious amount of fog, creepy cemeteries, plunging necklines and porcelain skinned undead beauty.
The 19th Century Gothic vamp chiller The Vampire Lovers (1970) thrust Ingrid Pitt (Countess Dracula) into the spotlight as the libidinous, blood-thirsting lover of women, the story takes it's cues from the seductive vampire tale Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu and Hammer make the most of it's reasonably low budget to amp up the Gothic horror in this sexually charged entry. Pitt stars as Marcilla, a vampyric beauty whom befriends Laura (Pippa Steel, Lust for a Vampire), the naïve niece of General von Spielsdorf (Peter Cushing, Corruption) in the village of Styria. It's hinted at not-so-subtly that the women are lovers, Laura is completely enthralled with her irresistible beauty and falls to her unearthly charms quite easily. Her health begins to deteriorates after she begins having strange nightmares of a large, unnatural cat menacing her, the girl's family is helpless to stop the mysterious illness that has befallen her and as the life-force quickly ebbs from her pale body Marcilla disappears leaving the General grieved at the loss of his beloved niece.
A short time later in a nearby village Marcilla, now going by the alias Carmilla, arrives at the home of Mr. Morton (George Cole, A Christmas Carol) and in a very similar manner befriends his daughter Emma (Madeline Smith, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell). Emma is young and naïve, just the way Carmilla enjoys 'em, and it's not long before the women are bathing topless and chasing her around the bedroom in a girlish fashion, just one step removed from a pillow fight, they are mostly nude and intertwined in a steamy girl-on-girl love affair of the flesh and blood. The nightmares of a menacing cat plague Laura and so to does her health begin to fade. When two small puncture wounds present themselves on Laura's breast her governess Mademoiselle Perrodot (Kate O'Mara, Corruption) and the butler Mr. Renton (Harvey Hall, Twins of Evil) suspect something supernatural has befallen their home and set out to destroy the vampiress.
The Vampire Lovers is a film that's drenched in sexuality, it was by most accounts the film that played up the sensual eroticism of the vampire film, not only in it's sequels but echoed in the films of Spanish auteur Jess Franco and French eroticist Jean Rollin. So, please let's take a moment to offer a deep debt of gratitude to novelist Sheridan Le Fanu, screenwriter Tudor Gates and director Roy Ward Baker for making eroticized lesbian vampires chic, not to mention to the vivacious Ingrid Pitt and the wide-eyed Madeline Smith for making such wondrous spectacle, whose nude scenes are truly a feast for the eyes. Horror cinema legend Peter Cushing's participation amounts to what is in effect a bookend cameo at the start and end of the film, he has a much more significant role in the final film of the trilogy Twins of Evil (1971) as witch hunter Gustav Weil but his presence here is appreciated.
As a Hammer film we get everything one could want, a period-set Gothic chiller steeped in fog-drenched atmosphere, spooky cemeteries, eerie woods, crumbling castles, plunging necklines and even a few gruesome decapitations with the occasional spurt of blood as sexy vamps either drain a victim or take a wooden steak to the heart, a very entertaining watch. It won't unseat the brilliantly bizarre Vampire Circus as my Hammer of choice but it's right up there with the best of 'em in my opinion.
Screenshot Comparison:
Top: Scream Factory Blu-ray (2013)
Bottom: Scream Factory Blu-ray (2021)
Audio/Video: The Vampire Lovers (1970) arrives on Collectors Edition Blu-ray from Scream Factory in 1080p HD framed widescreen (1.85:1). Scream Factory previously issued the Hammer vampire back in 2013, it wasn't exactly flawless image with quite a few instances of print damage throughout ranging from minor white specks to scratches, and muted colors - it was serviceable but not fantastic. For this new edition we get a brand new 4K Scan from the OCN that showcases lush natural looking film grain, the presentation reinvigorated with deeper, truer blacks and vibrant colors that breathe new life into it. The deeper blacks also bring more layered contrast, further enhanced with pleasing depth and clarity. The only mark against it is that there's a second of footage missing, a nude scene during a bathing sequence, which is unfortunate. If you have purchased the disc there is a disc replacement program in place here: https://www.discshipment.com/
The English language DTS-HD MA Mono has a limited sonic range with little depth but offers decent fidelity with only the occasional appearance of background noise and crackling, overall it's quite a good listen with well balanced dialogue, effects and the Harry Robertson (Hawk the Slayer) score.
Onto the special features we get a nice assortment of archival extras that were featured on the previous disc, these include an Audio Commentary with Roy Ward Baker (Director), Tudor Gates (Writer) and Ingrid Pitt (Carmilla) moderated by Jonathan Sothcotta - it's pretty decent, not sure when it was recorded but the participants do seem to be getting on in years, it's informative and fun, particularly Ingrid Pitt's reflections on the film and her recollection of Peter Cushing's suffering following the loss of his beloved wife, she sounds nearly in tears as she tells the story and it was deeply affecting to listen to it. I was humored by the fact that both Pitt and Ward insist that there are only suggestions of lesbianism, that it's there only if you want to see it, apparently I really wanted to see it, ha ha. Then into the Ballyhoo Motion Pictures produced featurette Femme Fantastique: Ressurecting the Vampire Lovers (10 min) featuring clips from the film and behind-the-scenes pics with interviews from film historians Ted Newson, John-Paul Checckett, Kim Newman Wayne Kinsey and Eric Hoffman. Great stuff, at just under 10 minutes they cram quite a bit of info into it. Ballyhoo produced a feature-length documentary on Synapse Twins of Evil Blu-ray called The Flesh and the Fury: X-Posing Twins of Evil which explores Hammer's Karnstein Trilogy in depth featuring many of the same talking heads, I highly recommend a viewing of it. Interview with Madeline Smith (21 min) is an interview with starlet Madeline Smith whom portrayed Emma is the film, she candidly discusses the film and her own virginal naivety during the shooting as well as heaping on the praise of director Roy Ward Baker. Next up is a neat audio feature, Excerpts from the novella Carmilla, read by Ingrid Pitt (12 min) as the starlet does just that, recorded in 2003 it's a seductive and breathy reading accompanied by short clips and a gallery of stills from the film. The last of the extras are a Photo Gallery (8 min) accompanied by score from the film, a Theatrical Trailer (2 min) and Radio Spot (1 min).
Now onto the new stuff, we get the 16-min To Love A Vampire – An Introduction By Actress Madeline Smith, plus a pair of commentaries, the first is a new one with Film Historian/Author Dr. Steve Haberman And Film Historian/Filmmaker Constantine Nasr - that's terrific, and another with Film Historians Marcus Hearn And Jonathan Rigby that I believe previously appeared on a UK Blu-ray. We also get the 2014 New Blood: Hammer Enters The 70s – Film Historians Discuss Hammer Films During The 70s that runs 26-min with BFI curator authors Jonathan Rigby, Dennis Meikle, Marcus Hearn and others discussing the late 60's/70's era of Hammer and it's decline. Then we have the 21-min The Rapture Of Cruelty: Carmilla In Classic Cinema – An Audio Essay Read By Actress Madeline Smith that examines the legend of Carmilla, the 19-min Carnal Crimson – Film Historian/Author Kim Newman On The Carmilla Legend who always gives a good genre film chat from his basement couch. The last of the new stuff is a 25-min Fangs For The Memories – Film Historian/Author Jonathan Rigby Remembers The Vampire Lovers who gives an in-depth accounting of the film's production, marketing and reception.
The disc is buttoned-up with a brief Deleted Shot Of The Opening Beheading, the 3-min Trailers From Hell: Mick Garris On The Vampire Lover's - which i always enjoy - and an extensive and racy 15-min Photo Galleries – Movie Stills, Behind-The-Scenes Stills, Posters, And Lobby Cards. The single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a sleeve of reversible artwork featuring the original illustrated movie poster and a new illustration by artist Mark Maddox, which is also featured on the limited edition slipcover and on the disc. It's an absolutely stacked release and the PQ is stunning, this comes highly recommended!
Special Features:
- NEW 4K Scan From The Original Camera Negative
- NEW Audio Commentary With Film Historian/Author Dr. Steve Haberman And Film Historian/Filmmaker Constantine Nasr
- NEW The Rapture Of Cruelty: Carmilla In Classic Cinema – An Audio Essay Read By Actress Madeline Smith (21 min)
- NEW To Love A Vampire – An Introduction By Actress Madeline Smith (16 min)
- NEW Carnal Crimson – Film Historian/Author Kim Newman On The Carmilla Legend (19 min)
- NEW Fangs For The Memories – Film Historian/Author Jonathan Rigby Remembers THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (25 min)
- Audio Commentary With Director Roy Ward Baker, Actress Ingrid Pitt, And Screenwriter Tudor Gates
- Audio Commentary With Film Historians Marcus Hearn And Jonathan Rigby
- Feminine Fantastique – Resurrecting THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (10 min)
- New Blood: Hammer Enters The 70s – Film Historians Discuss Hammer Films During The 70s (26 min)
- Madeline Smith: Vampire Lover – An Interview With Actress Madeline Smith (21 min)
- Reading Of Carmilla By Actress Ingrid Pitt (12 min)
- Deleted Shot Of The Opening Beheading (1 min)
- Trailers From Hell: Mick Garris On THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (3 min)
- Theatrical Trailer (2 min)
- Radio Spots (1 min)
- Photo Galleries – Movie Stills, Behind-The-Scenes Stills, Posters, And Lobby Cards (15 min)
More Screenshots from the 2021 Scream Factory Blu-ray:
