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Hammer Films officially entered a new, more sexualized era with the release of 1970’s The Vampire Lovers, the first in a trilogy of vampire films known as ‘the Karnstein trilogy’, based on the novella Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu (Vampyr). Hammer’s loose adaptation centers around a vampire woman named Marcilla (Ingrid Pitt) who ingratiates herself into several German households in the late 18th century. Once welcomed by the families, she seduces the youngest female members of the households, drawing blood from them night after night until they pass away. After a general (Peter Cushing) sees fang marks on the bosom of his dead niece, he seeks out a baron (Douglas Wilmer) who encountered Marcilla’s vampire family years ago. Together, they seek out Marcilla’s grave to drive a stake through her heart before another young nymph (Madeline Smith) falls prey to Marcilla’s bloodlust.
The script by Tudor Gates doesn’t distinguish itself much from Hammer’s gothic horror formula. Peter Cushing’s character feels tacked on with little-to-no real bearing on the outcome, but the Marcilla character is somewhat interesting. She seems to genuinely adore her victims, almost conflicted about killing them — like a reluctant addict under the influence of a powerful drug. The sets, wardrobe, and score are all up to, or exceeding, Hammer’s usual high standards, but the acting is uneven at best — especially from the two women who have the most screen time. Pitt’s thick Eastern European accent gives her an exotic appeal, but she has trouble calibrating her performance. She overacts a few times, while underselling other key moments. She certainly fares better than Madeline Smith as the film’s primary victim. Smith’s breasts are award-worthy, but her acting is stiff and awkward. Kate O’Mara is much more convincing as Smith’s ward and protector. When Marcilla finally bewitches her, O’Mara does a great job conveying supernatural lust and obsession.
Even though it’s a mixed bag, The Vampire Lovers stands out for its bold new displays of controversial nudity. Pitt goes full-frontal when she steps out of a bath tub, just before she and Smith do a curious bit of nude rough-housing. And whenever Marcilla drinks from her victims, she chooses to bite into boobies far more often than necks. Even though the film indulges in such moments, director Roy Ward Baker (A Night to Remember, Quatermass and the Pit) somehow manages to keep them tasteful.
With Pippa Steel, Dawn Addams, and George Cole.