The Vampire Lovers (1970)

Director:

Roy Ward Baker

Writers:

Sheridan Le Fanu (story)
Harry Fine (adaptation) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 October 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Beautiful temptress ...... or Bloodthirsty monster?

Plot:

The Countess is called away to tend a sick friend and imposes on the General to accept her daughter Marcilla as a houseguest...

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | General | Daughter | Villager | Terror

Cast

Ingrid Pitt	...	Marcilla / Carmilla / Mircalla Karnstein
George Cole	...	Roger Morton
Kate O'Mara	...	The Governess (Mme. Perrodot)
Peter Cushing	...	General von Spielsdorf
Ferdy Mayne	...	Doctor
Douglas Wilmer	...	Baron Joachim von Hartog
Madeline Smith	...	Emma Morton
Dawn Addams	...	The Countess
Jon Finch	...	Carl Ebhardt
Pippa Steel	...	Laura (as Pippa Steele)
Kirsten Lindholm	...	1st Vampire (as Kirsten Betts)
Janet Key	...	Gretchin
Harvey Hall	...	Renton
John Forbes-Robertson	...	Man in Black
Charles Farrell	...	Landlord
Shelagh Wilcocks	...	Housekeeper
Graham James	...	1st Young Man
Tom Browne	...	2nd Young Man
Joanna Shelley	...	Woodman's Daughter
Olga James	...	Village Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jill Easter	...	Woodmans Wife (uncredited)
Lindsay Kemp	...	Jester (uncredited)
Sion Probert	...	Young Man In Tavern (uncredited)
Vicki Woolf	...	Landlords Daughter (uncredited)

Directed by
Roy Ward Baker

Writing credits
Sheridan Le Fanu		(story "Carmilla")
Harry Fine		(adaptation) and
Tudor Gates		(adaptation) and
Michael Style		(adaptation)
Tudor Gates		(screenplay)

Produced by
Harry Fine	....	producer
Michael Style	....	producer
Louis M. Heyward	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Harry Robertson		(as Harry Robinson)

Cinematography by
Moray Grant

Film Editing by
James Needs

Art Direction by
Scott MacGregor

Costume Design by
Brian Cox

Makeup Department
Tom Smith	....	makeup supervisor
Pearl Tipaldi	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Tom Sachs	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Whitehurst	....	assistant director

Art Department
Bill Greene	....	construction manager
Michael Finlay	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Claude Hitchcock	....	sound recordist
Roy Hyde	....	sound editor
Tony Lumkin	....	recording director
Dennis Whitlock	....	dubbing mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Neil Binney	....	camera operator
Bob Jordan	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laura Nightingale	....	wardrobe mistress

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Betty Harley	....	continuity

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP) (as An American International - Hammer Films Production)
• Hammer Film Productions (as An American International - Hammer Films Production)
• Fantale Films (uncredited)

Distributors

• MGM-EMI (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• American International Pictures (AIP) (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Nelson Entertainment (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Orion Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• Triunfo (1974) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Valio-Filmi (1972) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Exclusivos Triunfo
• Koch Media (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Nordic Film Group (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• TV3 (1992) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Associated British Studios  studio

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:X (original rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1973) | Portugal:M/18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (Approved No. 22545)

Filming Locations:

Associated British Picture Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

The role of the Man in Black was offered to Christopher Lee but he declined the role and John Forbes-Robertson was cast instead. Forbes-Robertson would also later replace Lee in Hammer's The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The story is set in the late 1700s, but at the General's ball the orchestra plays a couple of pieces by Johann Strauss (1804 - 1849) and Delibes (1836-1891).

Quotes:

Baron Joachim von Hartog:They were all evil and remain evil after death.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Perfect Scary Movie (2005) (TV)

Who wouldn't love these vampires???

Where would the horror field be if it weren't for the legendary Hammer Studios? With their constant creativity and new variations on the general topic of vampirism they delivered some of the most important genre-films ever. Roy Ward Baker's film the Vampire Lovers is one of the most essential movies Hammer ever released and it meant a landmark turning point for the sub-genre of bloodsuckers. Due to THIS film, vampirism afterwards always got immediately associated with eroticism and lust. The Vampire Lovers influenced notorious directors like Jess Franco (Vampyros Lesbos, Les Avaleuses) or Jean Rollin (Lips of Blood, The Living Dead Girl) who practically made an entire career out of lesbian vampire movies. But this is the real thing! A stunning screenplay, based on a classic tale by Sheridan Le Fanu, solid acting performances and an atmospheric – almost dreamlike – photography. Ingrid Pitt plays the best, most memorable role of her career as the gypsy vampire Carmilla. Her sensual character seduces attractive young girls at the homes of prominent men where she's at guest and turns them into weak, lifeless slaves. The worried men have to uncover the origin of this vampire wench in order to destroy her forever.

'The Vampire Lovers' offers a nearly perfect combination of atmosphere, beauty and tension. Mostly thanks to the female cast led by Ingrid Pitt, this is the most bewitching horror tale Hammer ever told. The ravishing naked bodies of Pitt, Madeline Smith (Theathre of Blood) and Kate O'Mara (Horror of Frankenstein) will give this film a spot in your memory forevermore. And that's not a sexist remark; it just needs to be said. Other than the charismatic female appearances, this production also depends a lot on the eerie set pieces and the nightmarishly dark images of graveyards, ruins and castles. Overall, a splendid horror film and a must see for all fans of Hammer, vampirism or gorgeous beauties.