Der Fluch der schwarzen Schwestern (1973)

Director:

Joseph W. Sarno

Writer:

Joseph W. Sarno (writer)

Release Date:

1974 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Unga svenska stjärnfyndet Marie Forså i en erotiskt laddad thriller

Plot:

A lesbian vampire's soul is kept on in the bodies of her descendants.

Plot Keywords:

Castle | Vampire | Lesbian Vampire | Lesbian | Basement

Cast

Nadia Henkowa	...	Wanda
Anke Syring	...	Julia Malenkow
Ulrike Butz	...	Monika
Nico Wolferstetter	...	Peter Malenkow (as Nico Wolf)
Flavia Keyt
Alon D'Armand
Claudia Fielers		(as Irina Kant)
Natasha Michnowa
Eric Mancy
Christa Jaeger
Heidrun Hankammer
Marie Forså	...	Helga

Directed by
Joseph W. Sarno

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Joseph W. Sarno		writer

Produced by
Dominik Huser	....	executive producer
Chris D. Nebe	....	producer: Monarex
Sture Sjöstedt	....	executive producer: Saga Film

Original Music by
Rolf-Hans Müller

Cinematography by
Steve Silverman

Film Editing by
Karl Fugunt		(as K. H. Fugunt)
Dietmar Preuss

Set Decoration by
Armin Rye
Peggy Steffans		(as Cleo Nova)

Costume Design by
Peggy Steffans

Makeup Department
Alexandra de Jongh	....	makeup artist
Erika König	....	makeup artist
Helmut Pohl	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Marijan Vajda	....	production manager (as Marijan Vajda Sr.)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marijan David Vajda	....	assistant director (as Marijan Vajda Jr.)

Sound Department
Thomas Faber-Hume	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Helmut Flieger	....	gaffer
Norbert Friedländer	....	assistant camera
Gert S. Kreutschmann	....	still photographer

Other crew
Micky Kley	....	script supervisor (as Mickey Kley)

Production Companies

• Monarex
• Saga Film

Distributors

• Omni Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ambassador Film Distributors (1974) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Leisure Time Booking (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (retitled re-release)
• Another World Entertainment (2009) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Force Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (DVD) (as "Vampire Ecstasy")
• Mediumrare Entertainment (2013) (UK) (DVD)
• Retro-Seduction Cinema (2005) (worldwide) (all media)
• Saga Film
• Ventura Distribution (1999) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"The Devil's Plaything" - UK, USA (DVD title)
"Veil of Blood" - Hong Kong (English title), USA (working title)
"The Curse of the Black Sisters" - USA (literal English title)
"Vampire Ecstasy" - USA (video title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, graphic nudity and brief violence (edited version)

Runtime:

Germany:115 min | 103 min (DVD)

Country:

Sweden | Switzerland | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:15 | USA:X | USA:R (edited version) | Portugal:M/18 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Germany

Company:

Monarex

Unfortunately dull

Der Flutch der Schwarzen Schwestern (called by it's UK release title The Devil's Plaything, on my copy)is an experiment in eroto horror that never really takes off.

What plot there is to be had involves the spirit of a vampiric baroness whom has been kept alive by her cult of attendants, so as to possess the body of a young woman and be reborn. Once resurrected, she can continue her bloodlust eternally, provided she drinks the blood of the descendants of her executioners.

The stilted dialogue and even worse acting make the storyline damned hard to follow (worsened by a very poor audio mix and no subtitles).

It's pretty evident the plot is a wash about 15 minutes in, and had there been enough half clothed starlets, all would've been forgiven.

Instead there's random cut scenes of naked girls dancing to bongos(while wearing body paint reminiscent of extras from Laugh In), lots of spell induced heavy breathing in sheer nighties(resembling those shampoo as orgasm Herbal Essences commercials) and a weird incest subplot, with the girls being fairly below par overall (The castle's housekeeper/leader of the cult is probably the worst of the lot, looking like a man in drag in most camera angles) This movie is fence sitting between the two genres, and it's lack of commitment to either is what makes it a lot less interesting than it could've been. There's too little plot to be scary (having actors look about aimlessly is not an effective suspense building tool) and too little quality skin to be sexy.

3 stars. (1 for genuine castle setting, 1 for the god awful shadow puppet special effects in the bat attack scene, 1 for an interesting but wasted premise)