Blood and Roses (1960)

A lonely and bitter young heiress - jealous of her cousin's engagement to another woman - becomes dangerously obsessed with legends surrounding a vampire ancestor, who supposedly murdered the young brides of the man she loved.

Director:

Roger Vadim

Writers:

Claude Brulé (original story), Sheridan Le Fanu (novel)

Stars:

Mel Ferrer, Elsa Martinelli, Annette Stroyberg

Cast

Cast overview:
Mel Ferrer	...	Leopoldo De Karnstein
Elsa Martinelli	...	Georgia Monteverdi
Annette Stroyberg	...	Carmilla (as Annette Vadim)
Alberto Bonucci	...	Carlo Ruggieri
René-Jean Chauffard	...	Dr. Verari (as R.J. Chauffard)
Gabriella Farinon	...	Lisa (as Gaby Farinon)
Serge Marquand	...	Giuseppe
Edith Peters	...	The Cook (as Edith Arlene Peters Catalano)
Nathalie Lafaurie	...	Marie (as Nathalie LaFaurie)
Carmilla Stroyberg	...	Martha (as Camilla Stroyberg)
Marc Allégret	...	Judge Monteverdi

Storyline

Young Carmilla is jealous of her friend's engagement, and her obsession leads her to the tomb of a female vampire. The vampire possesses her and leads her to kill and terrorise the inhabitants of the estate. But is it all in her mind, or is she really under the control of an ancient vampire ancestor?

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Plot Keywords:

1960s | female vampire | carmilla | possession | psychotronic film | 

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Taglines:

Beyond Reason! Beyond Belief!

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

14 September 1960 (France)

Also Known As:

Blood and Roses

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Documento Film, Films EGE

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound)

Color:

Black and White (dream sequence) Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Christopher Lee was originally considered for the role of Count Karnestein, (probably as to make the film marketable for fans of his Hammer vampire films) but the part eventually went to his friend Mel Ferrer.

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Goofs

In three shots from the same scene, the bloodstain on Carmilla's dress moves from the right to the left side, then back to the right side again.

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Alternate Versions

The new French DVD is fully uncut, expect for the infamous dream sequence, which is almost entirely cut and re-edited.

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Connections

Featured in The Flesh and the Fury: X-posing Twins of Evil (2012)

User Reviews

and to die of pleasure

I saw this film a long time ago in the television. I can still remember the atmosphere and gentle horror that permeate the film. "Et mourir de plaisir" is based on "Carmilla", an horror tale written by Sheridan Le Fanu. I had already read the book as a child and had liked it very much. Later on I saw this film on television and I was deeply impressed - the atmosphere, the castle and landscape surrounding it, the two girlfriends running together and laughing (one of them will die because the other one is in reality a vampire), beautiful flowers ... weave together a delicate tapestry.

Contrary to the Hammer film "The Vampire Lovers" in which the girls relationship is explored very briefly and superficially, "Et Mourir de Plaisir" shows in more detail the delicate love story between two girls lived until death did them part.

I don't remember so well the film after such a long time, but some images remained with me, and those images dictate the words I'm writing now.