Lust for a Vampire (1971)

Director:

Jimmy Sangster

Writers:

Tudor Gates (screenplay)
Sheridan Le Fanu (based on characters created by)

Release Date:

2 September 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

A vampire's lust knows no boundaries...

Plot:

In 1830, forty years to the day since the last manifestation of their dreaded vampirism, the Karnstein...

Plot Keywords:

Castle | Human Sacrifice | Obsession | Family Curse | Resurrection

Cast

Ralph Bates	...	Giles Barton
Barbara Jefford	...	Countess Herritzen
Suzanna Leigh	...	Janet Playfair
Michael Johnson	...	Richard Lestrange
Yutte Stensgaard	...	Mircalla / Carmilla Karnstein
Helen Christie	...	Miss Simpson
Pippa Steel	...	Susan Pelley
David Healy	...	Raymond Pelley
Harvey Hall	...	Inspector Heinrich
Mike Raven	...	Count Karnstein
Michael Brennan	...	Landlord
Jack Melford	...	Bishop
Christopher Cunningham	...	Coachman
Judy Matheson	...	Amanda
Christopher Neame	...	Hans
Erik Chitty	...	Prof. Herz (as Eric Chitty)
Caryl Little	...	Isabel
Jonathan Cecil	...	Biggs
Kirsten Lindholm	...	Peasant Girl
Luan Peters	...	Trudi
Nick Brimble	...	First Villager
David Richardson	...	Second Villager
Vivienne Chandler	...	Schoolgirl
Erica Beale	...	Schoolgirl
Mel Churcher	...	Schoolgirl (as Melinda Churcher)
Melita Clarke	...	Schoolgirl
Jackie Leapman	...	Schoolgirl
Sue Longhurst	...	Schoolgirl
Patricia Warner	...	Schoolgirl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Valentine Dyall	...	Count Karnstein (voice) (uncredited)
Christine Smith	...	Schoolgirl (uncredited)

Directed by
Jimmy Sangster

Writing credits
Tudor Gates		(screenplay)
Sheridan Le Fanu		(based on characters created by) (as J. Sheridan Le Fanu)

Produced by
Harry Fine	....	producer
Michael Style	....	producer

Original Music by
Harry Robertson		(as Harry Robinson)

Cinematography by
David Muir		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Spencer Reeve

Art Direction by
Don Mingaye

Makeup Department
George Blackler	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Tom Sachs	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Bracknell	....	assistant director
Terry Pearce	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Bill Greene	....	construction manager
Wally Hockings	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Len Abbott	....	dubbing mixer
Ron Barron	....	sound recordist
Tony Lumkin	....	recording director
Terry Poulton	....	sound editor
Len Shilton	....	dubbing mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Chic Anstiss	....	camera operator (as R. Anstiss)

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

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Betty Harley	....	continuity
Babbie McManus	....	choreographer
Pearl Tipaldi	....	hairdressing supervisor
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions

Distributors

• Anglo-EMI Film Distributors (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• American Continental Films Inc. (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• International Film Distributors (1971) (Canada) (theatrical)
• MGM-EMI (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• Talma Filmes (1974) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• StudioCanal (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Thorn EMI Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• EMI Film Productions  copyright holder
• Levitt-Pickman  releasing agency: USA

Also Known As:

"Love for a Vampire" - USA (bowdlerized title)
"To Love a Vampire" - USA (TV title)

Runtime:

95 min | USA:91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | UK:18 (video rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | Iceland:16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Norway:16 | Portugal:M/18 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

Despite Mike Raven being a well-known radio presenter, his voice was dubbed by Valentine Dyall.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Towards the end, there is a shot from the top of a carriage bursting out the castle gates. The entire camera crew is visible for several seconds in front of the cart.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Vampire Circus (1972)

Soundtrack:

Strange Love

Horny for Hammer!

With just a few minor changes here and there, "Lust for a Vampire" easily could have been a progressive and even groundbreaking porno-movie! The title is already a-okay, don't you agree? Well so are the settings, locations and female casting choices! The film is largely set in a private school for girls in their late teenage years, and the only conditions of entrance here seem to be luscious behavior and having at least a D-cup. All the male characters are typically weak-minded losers whose actions are exclusively instructed by hormones and even the sensual music emphases the erotic atmosphere. The only thing missing is hardcore sex, in fact. But it's also still somewhat a Gothic Hammer horror movie, loosely based on the works of Sheridan Le Fanu and revolving on the notorious Camilla Karnstein myths. It's the second entry in Hammer's trilogy on the subject matter and unquestionably worse than both "The Vampire Lovers" and "Twins of Evil". This is possibly due to the cast & crew that worked on the film, though. Every avid horror fan (or, at least, avid HAMMER fan) knows that director Jimmy Sangster is not on the same quality level as Terence Fisher, Ralph Bates is no Peter Cushing and Mike Raven is just a pathetic imitator of the almighty Christopher Lee. But still, "Lust of a Vampire" lacks something else. Like a coherent script for example, or Gothic sequences that completely lack suspense. The downright stunningly beautiful Danish actress Yutte Stensgaard stars as Mircalla Herritzen, the indescribably sexy reincarnation of malicious vampire queen Carmilla Karnstein. Simultaneously with her arrival in a little town that lies near a spooky castle, other town girls turn up murdered with suspicious teeth marks in their necks. Tourist and writer Richard LeStrange decides to investigate the events, but he can't resist the gorgeousness of Mircalla's flesh. There are quite a lot of gory moments and (for their time) nasty make-up effects, but if you're hoping for genuine frights you better look elsewhere. In case you're already satisfied with some neatly morbid set pieces and a truckload of authentic sleaze, "Lust for a Vampire" is warmly recommended.