Twins of Evil (1971)

Director:

John Hough

Writers:

Tudor Gates (screenplay)
Sheridan Le Fanu (characters)

Release Date:

June 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Drama

Tagline:

Which is the Virgin? Which is the Vampire?

Plot:

In nineteenth century middle-Europe, orphaned teenage twins Maria and Frieda go to live with their uncle Gustav Weil...

Plot Keywords:

Twins | Castle | Vampire | Sacrifice | Female Nudity

Cast

Inigo Jackson	...	Woodman
Judy Matheson	...	Woodman's Daughter
Peter Cushing	...	Gustav Weil
Harvey Hall	...	Franz
Alex Scott	...	Hermann
Shelagh Wilcocks	...	Lady in Coach (as Sheelah Wilcox)
Madeleine Collinson	...	Frieda Gellhorn (as Madelaine Collinson)
Mary Collinson	...	Maria Gellhorn
Kathleen Byron	...	Katy Weil
Roy Stewart	...	Joachim
Luan Peters	...	Gerta
Damien Thomas	...	Count Karnstein
Dennis Price	...	Dietrich
Maggie Wright	...	Alexa
Katya Wyeth	...	Countess Mircalla

Also Known As:

The Evil Twins (UK) (alternative title)
The Gemini Twins
The Virgin Vampires (UK) (pre-release title)
Twins of Dracula

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:16 | Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 | Australia:R | Finland:(Banned) (1972) | Portugal:M/18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2002) | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | Norway:(Banned) (1972-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Black Park Country Park, Wexham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

According to Damien Thomas,Dennis Price was Ill and in a great pain while filming his brief cameo.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Count Karnstein sacrifices the girl in the altar, in one shot we see her face while the knife hits her heart, and she is looking to her right screaming. On the next shot, while the Count puts the knife out, she is dead and looking to her left.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Wicker Man Enigma (2001) (V)

Hammer Double Trouble.

In my opinion a Hammer Vampire Classic. It's early 70's, so Hammer Studios are mixing blood sucking with naked buxom wenches. Prior to this, punters had to be content with heaving bosoms, rather than the full monty.

This is the 3rd part of the Karnstein Trilogy, with Vampire Lovers and Lust For A Vampire being the other movies in the series. They are all a similar take on the same story - Vampire Lovers has a lesbian flavour, and Lust For A Vampire is set in a finishing school for girls. All have the Karnstein family as the predatory vampires in one form or another.

Twins Of Evil has Playmates Mary and Madeleine Collinson in the title roles, the twist being one is good and one evil. The evil one is drawn to the roguish Count on the hill, and falls prey to his blood-sucking tendencies. Meanwhile, Uncle Gustav (Peter Cushing) is hunting down suspected witches in a puritanical fervor, leading to him doubting the purity of his twin nieces. Satanic undertones and a love interest with handsome Anton Hoffer are thrown in to keep the movie rolling along.

Hammer Horror Films are always full of great sets, costumes and stirring music (usually re-used from the previous five movies) and this scores high on all three. The Collinson twins are better Playmates than actresses, but fill their parts and costumes magnificently. Peter Cushing had just lost his wife, and his acting has a harder edge to it than normal - perhaps due to this sad loss.

Anything from the 70's is going to look a bit dated now, but I think that Hammer got the Gothic feel and sex-horror mix about right with this fine outing. It's a Midnight Matinee vampire romp that should not disappoint.