José Ramón Larraz has given us some of the best exploitation and genre films ever made and I hope to see them all. Starting with Whirlpool (1970) then onto the sick satanic sleazefest Black Candles (1982) and hilariously wild horrorshow The National Mummy (1981) - this Spanish director fucking rules. So, let's check off another Larraz flick, with hopefully many more on the way.
The famous Oakley Court is used as the setting for the film. It was used for several Hammer films, and for The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).
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Inside, Fran (Marianne Morris) and blonde Miriam (Anulka Dziubinska) are having a lesbian tryst. Suddenly a gunman enters the room and shoots both of them dead. Quite an opening. I also love that this vampire tale isn't the typical backstory - instead, they're almost like two ghosts.
John (Brian Deacon) and Harriet (Sally Faulkner) have taken their caravan for a quiet getaway near the manor.
Harriet keeps seeing strange things, but John insists it's just her imagination.
When he wakes up, Ted thinks that Fran is dead. Her eyes are open and she's unresponsive.
Harriet and John continue their quaint vacation, getting more and more intrigued by the goings on around the manor.
Miriam brutally murders the man she brings home. Fran excitedly grabs a dagger. Fran and Miriam devour his blood like rabid animals.
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Painting in the forest, Harriet has a strange encounter with the vampires.
Ted just can't stay away. Can you blame him? Fran drains his blood, leaving him barely alive.
Fran goes nuts sucking Ted's blood, then Miriam joins in.
This is one helluva scene. Fran and Miriam writhe around nude next to Ted. This is what got the film an X rating for sure.
This is the first film credit for Anulka Dziubinska; she'd follow it up with Lisztomania the next year, then spots on tons of American TV shows such as Hello, Larry, Magnum PI and Love Boat. She was also on the great Tomorrow People.
Harriet snoops around the estate. She finds Fran and Miriam in the darkened lower levels.
Miriam invites over a swaggering playboy (Michael Byrne). The playboy doesn't know it, but his time is about up.
Meanwhile, in the caravan, Harriet and John have sex.
Ted, near death, comes banging on their door.
An amazingly effective and memorable moment as the vampire ladies approach, swarming the camera. John is killed. Harriet is grabbed and brought to the manor.
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A very brutal scene, with Harriet screaming her lungs out - her clothes are ripped off. Completely naked, Harriet is held down by Miriam, and Fran approaches with a dagger. Her throat is cut and she flops to the ground, dead.
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Fran and Miriam run through the forest. The next scene has a realtor showing the manor, and we are to presume the vampires continue to haunt the estate.
José Ramón Larraz is the motherfucking man. This guy is almost batting a thousand [minus Madame Olga's Pupils (1981)]. Sleazy as all hell, but also incredibly effective. I can picture Jean Rollin making this film, and it would be all style and erotica - but Larraz manages to saturate it with gothic mojo without compromising style over substance. The film looks beautiful, maintains interest, and has some genuinely horrifying moments. A banger from start to finish.
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