‘Devils in female bodies… whose embrace is the kiss of death for man or woman!’
Lust For a Vampire is a 1970 British horror film directed by Jimmy Sangster from a screenplay written by Tudor Gates (Twins of Evil; Fright). It was produced by Harry Fine and Michael Style for Hammer Films.
The movie stars Ralph Bates – Horror of Frankenstein | Doctor Jekyll and Sister Hyde
Suzanna Leigh – The Deadly Bees | Son of Dracula
Barbara Jefford – The Ninth Gate
Yutte Stensgaard – Scream and Scream Again | Burke & Hare
Michael Johnston – Homebodies
Mike Raven – I, Monster – Crucible of Terror – Disciple of Death
[Raven’s voice was dubbed over by Valentine Dyall]
Luan Peters – The Devil’s Men
This was the second film in the so-called Karnstein Trilogy loosely based on the J. Sheridan Le Fanu novella Carmilla. It was preceded by The Vampire Lovers and followed by Twins of Evil. The three films do not form a chronological development, but use the Karnstein family as the source of the vampiric threat and were somewhat daring for the time in explicitly depicting sapphic themes.
The film has a cult following although some Hammer Horror fans have accused it of being overly camp and silly particularly due to the inclusion of the rightly-maligned pop song ‘Strange Love’. Its most noted imagery shows Yutte Stensgaard drenched in blood and partially covered by blood-soaked clothing, although the scene in the film is not as explicit as that shown in promotional material.
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“…Bates acquits himself well, and director Jimmy Sangster keeps enough tongue in cheek to overcome the fact that Stensgaard is no Ingrid Pitt – at least Ingrid could act.” Andy Boot, Fragments of Fear, Creation Books
“One of the better later offerings from Hammer, stirring in some sex and lesbianism with the usual vampire brew, but somewhat over-directed.” Alan Frank, The Horror Film Handbook
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“Sangster seized wholeheartedly on all the more decadent elements in the new genre; using all the visual devices at his disposal to convey an aura of potent cloying sensuality.” David Pirie, A New Heritage of Horror book
” … while not as good as the other two films in the series, has much to recommend it and does not deserve the invectives which have been hurled at it. Even the much-criticized song ‘Strange Love’ is fairly inoffensive and contains one of Harry Robinson’s loveliest of melodies.” Gary A. Smith, Uneasy Dreams book
‘ …makes for a nice, no-strain double-bill without ever scaling the heights of terror. It has a fair share of wit, at the expense of plot… Village Voice
Cast and characters:
Barbara Jefford … Countess Herritzen
Ralph Bates … Giles Barton
Suzanna Leigh … Janet Playfair
Yutte Stensgaard … Mircalla/Carmilla Karnstein
Michael Johnson … Richard Lestrange
Helen Christie … Miss Simpson
Mike Raven … Count Karnstein
Christopher Cunningham … Coachman
Harvey Hall … Inspector Heinrich
Michael Brennan … Landlord
Pippa Steel … Susan Pelley
Judy Matheson … Amanda McBride
Caryl Little … Isabel Courtney
David Healy … Raymond Pelley
Jonathan Cecil … Arthur Biggs
Erik Chitty … Professor Herz
Jack Melford … Bishop
Christopher Neame … Hans
Luan Peters … Trudi
Filming locations:
Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England
Hunton Park, Kings Langtry, Hertfordshire, England
Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
Film facts:
The original shooting title was To Love a Vampire.
Terence Fisher was originally slated to direct but broke his leg in a car accident.
There are almost subliminal close-up shots of Christopher Lee’s bloodshot eyes from a previous Dracula production.
Trailer:
Free online on YouTube minus a few secs of female nudity:
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