The Vampire Lovers

R

Released Oct 22, 1970

1h 28m

Horror

LGBTQ+

List

76%

17 Reviews

Tomatometer

60%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A general (Peter Cushing) and a baron hunt a vampire named Carmilla (Ingrid Pitt) who seduces and bites their daughters.

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Edward Porter

Times (UK)

... Brazen but still entertaining schlock.

Aug 22, 2022

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Fairly flat dialog doesn't provide much of the unconscious humor that usually gives a lift to this type of entertainment.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

This eroticized vampire tale resulted from the last significant surge of creative energy at Britian's Hammer Films, which thereafter descended into abject self-parody.

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Anthony Arrigo

Dread Central

Scream Factory is asking fans to double dip on this new remastered version, and with such stunning video quality and a ridiculous wealth of extras it seems easily worth it.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 9, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Sheridan Le Fanu's classic 1872 novella Carmilla has served as the basis for numerous vampire flicks, although it's probably safe to state that this blood-and-boob-filled adaptation from Hammer Films boasts the largest fan base.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 15, 2022

Full Review

Kevin Carr

Fat Guys at the Movies

It's kind of fun to watch, and the jiggle factor doesn't hurt.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 3, 2022

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Ian G

Oh dear.... I'd seen this thing roughly at its release time decades past only since at the time, I watched most films shown at my father's cinema in Fife, Scotland. Free of charge, naturally. And this was the first I remember not seeing on to the bitter end because as a collection of talented writers, production staff, and actors it was - lamentably dreadful. The lead vampire was the hard faced Ingrid Pitt, who reeled-in the goggle eyed by regularly stripping off her clothing to display her relatively splendid torso's attractions, which can't be said to have been devoid of appeal. But the laughable "plot", the music hall level ultrawooden "acting" from Ms Pitt, the hyper turgid directing by someone who should never, ever have been put in charge of an entire movie, all these combined to produce a result that dragged outrageously slowly past, where vampire hunters aware that time was of the essence still found time to reflect extensively and even somewhat dreamily on things gone past and who eventually heart-staked their vampires by ramming a strangely blunt section of hawthorn through vampire stomachs rather than their hearts.... having, it seemed, little notion of the placement of the heart in the human chest. None of those stakings touched a single heart, or would have had the stagings been the real thing. This flick might amuse those wanting to see just how utterly without the slightest sense of pace a movie might be while still not getting panned mercilessly by film "reviewers". Even now, it seems to have been found satisfactory by others, which seems inexplicable to me. It's a Hammer film, which in their day did attract those keen to avoid the terrible TV shows of the time by going forth and watching - for a small charge - a commonly lousy "horror" film with pretty girls and no other reason at all to find its viewing acceptable value for money. I've just seen it on Amazon Prime, which I take it will have bought in a bundle of old barely watchable flicks for a few shekels, at maybe a fiver a pop. It wasn't better this second time around, and I made a point this time of seeing it to its bitter end despite strong temptation to do otherwise and instead release myself to watch something more worthy. Like maybe "plan 9 from outer space"

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

10/22/23

Full Review

brad p

Visually entertaining but thin on story, Hammer's light erotic vampire thriller may not deliver all the goods but it is one of their more notorious titles and certainly worth watching.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Matthew D

In the wrong hands, a lesbian vampire movie would be nothing more than a dull skin flick. Hammer however saw its true potential; here the sexuality of classic Gothic horror is made blunt by way of earthier 1970's sensibilities. Nevertheless, it tells its gruesomely sensuous tale with style, intelligence and even class.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/19/21

Full Review

Audience Member

Despite its Infamous reputation for its depiction of gay lesbian romance that could be defined as soft-core porn at it's peak. This is by far one of the most faithful adaptations of the Vampire classic carmilla. As such I highly recommend viewing this film for the sake of historical and as a classic Hammer Horror film when in comparison to older generation black-and-white Universal Horror films.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Classic Hammer Horror movie. You know what you're getting here. Blood, boobs, and guts. Its easily the best adaptation of Carmilla to be put onscreen. The actors do a fine job, though some of the women can ham it up at times with the screaming. Still worth it for Ingrid Pitt's Carmilla alone.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

andrey k

I'm rooting for this movie, it's really good, even though may look at times silly and truly unconvincing, but only at times; the rest of it is good, especially considering what you are even expecting from a movie of its kind. It's atmospheric, has powerful imagery, eroticism is high-ranked, and a nice myth to boot.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Roy Ward Baker

Director

Peter Cushing

General von Spielsdorf

Ingrid Pitt

Marcilla

George Cole

Roger Morton

Madeline Smith

Emma Morton

Pippa Steel

Laura

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Synopsis

A general (Peter Cushing) and a baron hunt a vampire named Carmilla (Ingrid Pitt) who seduces and bites their daughters.

Director: Roy Ward Baker
Screenwriter: Sheridan Le Fanu, Harry Fine, Tudor Gates, Michael Style, Tudor Gates
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., Embassy Pictures, American International Pictures, Orion Pictures
Production Co: American International Pictures (AIP), Hammer Film Productions Limited
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 22, 1970, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 28m

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