A vampire slayer named Baron Hartzog (Douglas Wilmer) is on the hunt for the lustful Carmilla Karnstein (Ingrid Pitt) as she resides at a remote rich area in Germany in which she is attracted to the rich family and putting them under her spell especially with Emma Morton (Madeline Smith) and she suddenly becomes ill as Hartzog tries to find a way to end the wicked and nasty curse she is putting on everyone residing at the local home by planning to drive a stake through her heart.
The film leaves off a great start with a narration by the character Baron Hartog discussing a situation on his battles with vampiress' in which there's great shots on a hooded vampiress' as well as him tracking her down adding alot of mysterious moments here. Plus there's some good shots on her fangs and about to attack as well as him decapitating her as there's perfect horror shocking timing when we spot all of this and should please the fans of this type of genre for sure.
There's a perfect moment with people ballroom dancing and associating with one another in which it almost looked like a Disney type family oriented situation by how everything was set out. Also a good mysterious moment when we spot the man in black spying on others there as this makes you wonder if he's a vampire or not. Plus good settings on him in his horse in the mist with Carmilla standing there too.
Plus there's perfect timing when we spot interactions with Laura Spielsdorf talking to her ballroom dancer as well as Carmilla eyeing her while dancing with a guy too adding good flavor to the story on what we will spot later on leaving a good horror impression here.
Also a nice apporach by Carmilla towards Laura acting warm and caring like a sister by what we spot here along with her coming on very strong towards her leaving some nice suggestive lesbian moments here. Definetely shows some strange twisted situations while we keep spotting on what's going on here.
We spot some neat dark moments with Laura sleeping and spotting evil cats eyes as well as great close up shots on her waking up and screaming as this all looked perfectly done for a horror flick and wanting to watch for more on what will unravel with her later on.
There's also a perfect camera shot on a woman trying to run away in the wooded forest with shots on a camera chasing after her as you wonder what is going to happen next since we see her falling to the ground and then screaming as well as a mysterious vampiress about to bite her neck. This moment for sure looked like a classic.
We spot an artsy situation with the newcomer Emma entering and having a discussion with Carmilla while she's taking a bath as well as having situations with her on taking her clothes off showing a strange type of charm to all of this along with a good moment on Emma being under her spell too while we keep watching this as this also looked pretty impressive to watch.
We spot more moments here with their discussions like Carmilla staying in a shady area while Emma questions her about this which leaves a perfect impression that she's a vampiress along with her strange reactions when she spots a funeral ceremony about to happen too which seemed a bit original on a vampiress not to be happy on all of this.
Also a perfect moment when we suddenly spot a lesbian moment with Carmilla coming onto the Countess in the dark which also looked well shot and leaving you thinking as top what will unravel here.
Also a nice moment on the butler Renton talking in his local bar on his sarcasm with cvampires and everyone gets disturbed and quiet as well as acting shocked which showed nice timing for a horror story. Also impressive moments when he talks to the Countess while bringing garlic flowers into Emma's room to keep safe from vampire's and she acts weird and crazy by it all as this leaves an impression that she's a creature of the night.
There's another good moment with Carmilla getting lustful towards Renton which was carefully paced while we spot on what she does towards him and seeing his change of thoughts on everything adding more nice creepy and mysterious tastes by being put under her spell.
A perfect situation with Carmilla waking up Emma and she tells her she is very weak in which was well written in for the story since we have an eerie feeling that she has deadly plans for her along with a perfect intense moment while Carmilla does something deadly towards the Countess in front of her making you wonder how she will manage to escape with little energy while encountering this moment. This moment looked fairly intense for it's time.
A perfect struggle in the woods with the character Carl Ebhardt against Carmilla avoiding to get bitten as you watch very carefully with this suspenseful situation wondering if he will survive this deadly struggle as this was well energised.
A perfect camera shot on the man in black with his horse cackling adding more perfect horror touches to what we spot in the scene.
A nice natural moment with everyone planning to slay the vampiress as this looked exciting by what they were talking about as well as good scenery while doing so exposing mist as well as a coffin exposing Carmilla and then ready to drive the stake through her heart with a good shot on Emma screaming in terror in another situation as this looked well done too.
Bottom line is that this was a unique Hammer horror flick showing some more original situations in certain spots of the story and can be well entertained for all who love vampire films. It certainly seemed to be influential espcially Warhol's version of Dracula and so fourth. If you're in the mood for 70's exploited flicks such as this one then get ready to be entertained.
The acting was very well performed in which lead actress Ingrid Pitt (Marcilla / Carmilla / Mircalla Karnstein) stole the film within her performance and one of the earliest scream queens as well. Does a nice job acting smooth and cool on how she breezes through with her conversations while dancing in a ballroom. Also shows off a good mysterious charming attitude as well and really getting into this a great deal too. Also shows a nice silent attitude in the night and really getting into her vampiress' mode or acting vicious with her blocking while trying to attack and bite someone just showing great energy while doing this. Was great with her tempting and lustful mode while acting too friendly while greeting someone new and coming on to them as she studied this scene perfectly well. Showed some perfect disturbed aggression and intensity in certain parts when she spots something that she doesn't like. Also has a nice soothing wicked attitude later in in the film. She's the gal for this adding a perfect versatality within everything that she did here. Two thumbs up for her.
Madeline Smith (Emma Morton) came across nicely onto the camera as someone who looked like a healthy and wholesome type with an outgoing type of attitude and showing nice energy whenever she spoke which also came off perfectly. She does well acting full of life whenever she does an activity which also looked impressive. Plus shows great fearful energy whenever she screams waking up and telling a story on what she had encountered just letting it out. Also got into the picture a great deal when she starts to act weak and focusing well on this. Does well acting out of it too.
Dawn Addams (The Countess) seemed to come across as believeably motherly along with having a convincing level headed type of attitude too. She had the perfect looks for all of this as well. Really got into her role when she gets into a comversation or acting conforting as well. Shows a perfect versatality into her role when she is put under a spell acting paranoid which came across nicely along with her acting crazy at times or desperate which also showed off nicely whenever we watched her act like this.
Harvey Hall (Renton) does his part really well with good dramatic taste with his sharp attitude as well as coming across as someone whom is caring and protective and convincingly wise too. Does well by giving serious orders as well as having a hunoress and sarcastic side making this moment look convincing as well. Also does well by getting aggressive and cold like when he's under a spell as well as intimidating while getting demanding too. All of this came to life a great deal.
Ferdy Mayne (Doctor) does a good job with his seriousness and really studied this role pretty well by what he does as well as showing a good concerned type of behavior drawing in his mysterious personality by what he knows. He adds alot to his role as well doing a good job acting anxious during his final performance with his struggles against the terrors that surround him in which he adds alot of good energy into all of this.
Douglas Wilmer (Baron Joachim von Hartog) had the most effective key supporting role in which he spoke clearly in his narration during the beginning of this film as well as having a good strong voice within this. He shows a great nervousness into what he does and was great by acting anxious showing fearful expressions too. He was a ball of energy by doing all of this. Also had the perfect looks within this part so all in all he was a perfect choice.
Janet Key (Gretchen) played a perfect housemaid as she shows a perfectly still attitude as well as being good and calm with her words while speaking as well as acting perfectly cuatious in certain parts of the story. Does a good job acting unsure when having an order given to her and acting hesitant at first which this came off nicely too. She was a good character actress.
Pippa Steel (Laura Spielsdorf) only breezed halfway into this film was to anyone who saw this flick can fondly remember her performance as she showed a perfect bubbly type of personality into what she did just acting perfectly likeable as well as having the girl next door type of appeal to her looks and a good clean cut pretty girl looks too. She seemed to show off a ton of spunk and also knew on how to scream hysterically after having a nightmare letting it out big time.
There's a few scene's with someone pulling down a woman's top revealing her breasts spotting two teeth marks.
Carmilla is having a bath full breasts revealed as well as exposing her butt. She takes it off a few times revealing her breasts while acting lustful to others and putting them under her spell.
Emma Morton pulls down her top to reveal her breasts.
A head is chopped off in the beginning and near the end of the film.
Many bloody neck bites.
A stake is driven through someone's heart.
The composing sounded marvellous and one of a kind eerie classical music in which there's echoey quiverring violin music and low trombone playing too. Plus many harp magical type playing in many of the scene's too. There's also nice piano playig as well as perfect music score for some ballroom dancing making it sound very peaceful. A nice eerie feel to a scene with someone running away in the woods giving it a perfect effect. Plus we do hear the odd clairinet and flutwe sounds in other aspects of the story too. Some nice peaceful and mysterious sounds for certain dialogues in the storymaking these moments a perfect match. All of this was nicely put together by Harry Robertson.
Marcilla: You must die! Everybody must die!
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