Customer Reviews

Vampyres

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

VAMPYRES (UK 1974): A motorist (Murray Brown) is lured to an isolated country house inhabited by two beautiful young women (Marianne Morris and Anulka) and becomes enmeshed in their free-spirited sexual lifestyle, but his hosts turn out to be vampires with a frenzied thirst for human blood...

Taking its cue from the lesbian vampire cycle initiated by maverick director Jean Rollin in France, and consolidated by the success of Hammer's 'Carmilla' series in the UK, Jose Ramon Larraz' daring shocker VAMPYRES pushed the concept of Adult Horror much further than British censors were prepared to tolerate in 1974, and his film was cut by almost three minutes on its original British release. It isn't difficult to see why! Using its Gothic theme as the pretext for as much nudity, sex and bloodshed as the film's short running time will allow, Larraz (who wrote the screenplay under the pseudonym 'D. Daubeney') uses these commercial elements as mere backdrop to a languid meditation on life, death and the impulses - sexual and otherwise - which affirm the human condition. Shot on location at a picturesque country house during the Autumn of 1973, Harry Waxman's haunting cinematography conjures an atmosphere of grim foreboding, in which the desolate countryside - bleak and beautiful in equal measure - seems to foreshadow a whirlwind of impending horror (Larraz pulled a similar trick earlier the same year with SYMPTOMS, a low-key thriller which is all mood and very little action, until it erupts into a frenzy of violence during the final reel). However, despite its pretensions, VAMPYRES' wafer-thin plot and rough-hewn production values don't really amount to very much, and while the two female protagonists are as charismatic and appealing as could be wished, the male lead (Brown, past his prime at the time of filming) is woefully miscast in a role that should have gone to some beautiful, twentysomething stud. A must-see item for cult movie fans, an amusing curio for everyone else, VAMPYRES is an acquired taste. Watch out for Bessie Love, star of the silent era, in a brief cameo at the end of the movie.

Originally released on DVD by Anchor Bay in incomplete form (29 seconds of carnage were accidentally omitted from one of the climactic sequences), Blue Underground's definitive disc - beautifully presented and packaged - restores all the missing footage to its rightful place. Picture quality is as good as the low-budget film stock will allow, though it's still a little grainy in places, and the mono sound is adequate. Extras include trailers, interviews with Morris and Anulka (both are older and wiser, yet still radiant), and a lively audio commentary with Larraz and producer Brian Smedley-Aston, along with an unexpurgated version of Tim Greaves' much-admired booklet 'Vampyres - A Tribute to the Ultimate in Erotic Horror Cinema', here presented in DVD-ROM format which this writer was unable to access.

NB. Blue Underground's DVD includes an insert which replicates vivid artwork for an Italian release print (OSSESSIONE CARNALE), featuring a prominent Techniscope credit. However, the movie wasn't photographed in any kind of scope format, and viewers are assured the disc's 1.85:1 ratio is correct.

87m 29s
1.85:1 / Anamorphically enhanced
Mono 2.0
Optical mono [theatrical]
No captions or subtitles
All regions

YES, THIS IS A FLIM THAT RISES ABOVE THE REST IN THE VOLATILE TIME OF EROTIC VAMPIRE FILMS IN THE EARLY 1970'S. TWO VOLUMPTOUS, BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRES USE THEIR FEMININE TALENTS AND THE AGE OLD ONE NIGHT STAND AS A FACADE TO LURE OVER-ANXIOUS MEN TO THEIR BREATHTAKING, DECREPIT OLD COUNTRY HOME. THE MEN FALL ALL TOO EASILY FOR WHAT THEY THINK WILL BE A SEXUAL RENDEZVOUS WITH TWO STRANGE, DARK WOMEN. AFTER THEY ARE ENTERTAINED, THEY FALL VICTIM TO SAVAGE DEATHS, BLOODLETTING, AND HUMILIATION. THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE AND THE BREATHTAKING OLD HOME CREATES A SUPERIOR AMBIENCE THAT IS CONDUCIVE FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE, EROTIC, LURID FILM. THIS FILM WILL LEAVE YOU WANTING NEVER TO RETURN TO REALITY. DARK, EVIL, BEAUTIFUL, IMPERATIVE.

Okay, 1974's VAMPYRES admittedly has numerous nude scenes--full frontal female nude scenes, in some cases--that was a prerequisite for the sexploitation horror pouring out of Europe in the 1970s. And yes, the two female players have hourglass figures, ample bosoms, and beautiful faces. However, this British indie film, directed by Spanish auteur José Ramón Larraz, has a cinematic aesthetic that makes it stand out above its contemporaries as a horror film of true quality. Larraz does a fantastic job of directing, working in close conjunction with cinematographer Harry Waxman to ensure that nearly every shot of every scene is a balanced, well-framed image. In keeping with the spooky atmosphere of the moldering English manor house and surrounding grounds used for location shooting, production designer Ken Bridgeman maintains the perfect ambiance throughout. And unlike many other buxom sexploitation actresses of the era, erotic stars Marianne Morris and Anulka (Dziubinska) can actually act, and they do a superb job in making the eponymous characters both scary and sympathetic.

In addition to the outstanding efforts of cast and crew, the tight, well-written script is refreshingly new--even from this vantage point of some thirty years hence. Avoiding the usual vampire clichés, these VAMPYRES are really more like ghosts who have some inexplicable but insatiable desire to feed on the blood of the living. They don't have fangs, they can tolerate moderate sunlight, and instead of resting in musty old caskets, they sleep in a wine cellar during the brightest of the daylight hours. They also can eat, drink liquids other than blood, and seem to genuinely enjoy sex. And they even sometimes have sympathy for their victims, a characteristic that may lead to their ultimate downfall.

The myth of the vampire has always been regarded as sexual in nature, especially the intimacy of the flesh-penetrating bite on the neck. VAMPYRES carries this metaphor to the extreme, with heterosexual vampiric coitus portrayed as an intensely passionate, rigorous event that includes feasting on the blood of the non-vampiric partner. And the eponymous characters in VAMPYRES don't gently suck from two pricks in the neck; in the midst of sexual passion, they tear open their victims and lap up the crimson liquid with ferocious, writhing pleasure.

In short, VAMPYRES is an excellent British erotic horror flick that is superior to most others from its era of origin, and it can even stand up against many straightforward, non-sexploitation horror films. It is well written, well acted, and has high production values throughout--and all this in spite of a low, low budget. Director Larraz and his co-scripters have take an idea that they could play for camp or sheer sexploitation and, instead, deliver a thought-provoking look at indiscriminate and promiscuous sex, physical obsession, and guilt. And on top of that, they still throw in lots of delicious T&A.

The DVD from Blue Underground is a great buy. Not only does it present a widescreen restored director's version of this excellent film--transferred primarily from the original negatives--but it also has lots of cool extras. It offers a feature-commentary track with director José Ramón Larraz and producer Brian Smedley-Aston that is both hilarious--due to Larraz's frank use of English colloquialisms--and informative. And there are also recent interviews with Marianne Morris and Anulka Dziubinska, the film's beautiful stars; a lost scene recreated via production stills; U.S. and European trailers; and more. This is a piece of erotic artistic cinematic history that any serious horror fans will want to add to their collections.

Even allowing for the fact that this film is low budget, and from the 1970s, doesn't make up for its monotony. Its mix of sex and cheap blood effects may have seemed avant-garde to some back then, but it sure doesn't cut any edge now. Except for a few thrills at the end, this film is like a long walk to nowhere (in fact, there are too many scenes in this movie of just that - long walks).

It's too bad really, because in the right hands, the story of two vampire seductresses luring passersby to their castle could have been creepy fun.

Not enough story, and bad direction make this a "passerby". Current interviews with the lovely female stars prove to be the most interesting part of this package.

In an unusual turn for the British horror film, Spanish-born director José Larraz helmed a trio of interesting, sometimes overlooked U.K. genre efforts: SCREAM AND DIE (aka THE HOUSE THAT VANISHED), VAMPYRES, and SYMPTOMS. Of the three, VAMPYRES is the one that garnished a considerable cult following to this day, as it's an outstanding slice of erotic goth that compares favorably to similar bloodsuckers from Jean Rollin and Jess Franco, and is far bolder than the classic sexy Hammer vamps of the period.

A pre-credit sequence shows two beautiful nude young ladies making love, and then being shot by an unseen assailant. We later see these ladies alive and well and black-garbed. Fran (Marianne Morris) and Miriam (Anulka Dziubinska) have a habit of flagging down cars on the countryside highway, and getting strange men to pick them up for insidious reasons.

VAMPYRES is one of the finest British horror films of the 70s, utilizing the lesbian vampire to full effect, and brimming with atmosphere and crimson-soaked grisliness. Although very inexperienced at the time and post-dubbed by other actresses, Marianne Morris and Anulka Dziubinska are mesmerizing as the female savages, easily alluring men and quickly caught up in a frenzy of animalistic blood drinking that becomes a carnal ordeal for them. Larraz keeps the duo very ambiguous, as the word "vampire" is never mentioned, they don't possess fangs, and their onscreen presence is often ghost-like. Although plotted in modern day and bathed in sex and violence, the film is furnished in a traditional gothic style, with the famous Oakley Court--the manor house of numerous Hammer films and THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW--providing haunting exteriors, and some decaying interiors as well.

VAMPYRES was previously available on DVD from Anchor Bay, and fans who own that disc will not want to hesitate to upgrade to Blue Underground's definitive release. Letterboxed in its theatrical ratio of 1.85:1 with Anamorphic enhancement, the excessive grain present in the older disc is not to be found here. The image also appears sharper and the palette of mostly warm colors is stable. Audio is a Dolby Digital mono mix, and does the film justice. Blue Underground's disc is also completely uncut, restoring approximately 30 seconds of climatic bloodshed not present in the Anchor Bay release.

An audio commentary with director Larraz and producer Brian Smedley-Aston is carried over from the Anchor Bay release. The heavily accented Larraz and the British editor- turned- producer Smedley-Aston provide a nice talk, reflecting a friendly working relationship and rather contrasting personalities. Smedley-Aston provides a lot of info about the production, while Larraz gives comments and recollections with a wry sense of humor (his pronunciation of the "F word" is a hoot).

A really nice treat is a new video interview (14 minutes) with Marianne and Anulka, who still look as beautiful as ever. You'll be charmed as you get to hear their true voices, as they discuss their involvement in VAMPYRES to great detail, unveil how proud they are to be associated with it all these years later, and tell us what they are up to today. Also included is a photo reconstruction of the "lost caravan scene" not in the completed film; both the international and U.S. trailer, which added "Very Unusual Ladies" to the title; an extensive poster & still gallery with lots of press ads, poster art, PR photos, and numerous behind-the-scenes shots; a glamour photo gallery of lovely Anulka; a bio of Larraz, and lastly; a DVD-ROM option for "VAMPYRES: A Tribute to the Ultimate in Erotic Horror Cinema," an expanded version of an excellent publication by Tim Greaves.

Although a lot of the reviews have focused on the sex in this movie (and yes, there are plenty of soft-core scenes), this movie was quite unsettling. The violence is truly shocking and disturbing, and by the end, I was more than a little creeped out and quite glad I'd left the lights on. The actresses really go all out and appear quite unhinged and bloodthirsty, and the director makes so much of his cast and locations that you'd hardly know this was shot on a shoe-string budget.

Ever since I read about this movie in a British horror magazine I wanted to watch it. And finally - it was released by Blue Underground on DVD, for the first time ever uncut (a former DVD release missed about 30 seconds of footage, former videotape releases were even more cut, totalling sometimes up to three minutes) Needless to say I ordered it. And I was not disappointed.
VAMYPRES is undoubtedly the best erotic horror movie ever committed to celluloid. The plot concerns two VERY sexy female vampires, mysterious, ample Fran (Marianne MORRIS) and the blonde, more fragile Miriam (ANULKA). They are unusual vampires: daylight does not harm them and they do not have fangs. At dawn the duo leaves their rundown castle (a really beautiful and very gothic building), ask male motorists for a lift and invite them to their castle for vine and sex. After killing them and feasting on their hapless victims' blood, the bloodsucking duo deposes of the corpses in staged car accidents. (Wouldn't so many traffic accidents within such a small area arouse suspicion? Okay, okay, I admit, I'm nitpicking here.) One of Fran's victims, Ted, awakens in the castle after a night of lovemaking and boozing, to find his arm severely cut. He thinks he hurt himself with a shade of glass the other night due to his inebriation. (Contrary to her usual habit, Fran did not kill Ted immediately.) Ted gets weaker and weaker and though he gets increasingly suspicious, finds himself unable to leave the castle, because he fell for Fran (small wonder!)
All the while, a young couple holidays outside the castle in their caravan, and the wife gets increasingly nervous about the strange duo of women...
Will Ted survive? Will the young couple be able to uncover the dark secret of the castle?
Well, watch for yourself... I won't give it away, but let me assure you that you won't be disappointed.
VAMPYRES will be enjoyed by any fan of horror movies for a large number of reasons. Firstly and most importantly, VAMPYRES is super ultra sexy!!! Rarely did I see an actress with the outstanding good looks and sex appeal of Marianne MORRIS. And there is lots and lots of nudity and (surprisingly graphic) sex in the film! The script provides many opportunities for the vampires to appear in the nude.
Secondly, there is enough bloodshed to appeal to horror fans. However VAMPYRES does not entirely rely on sex and violence to keep you entertained, it is also beautifully shot, exceptionally well written and with the mood and feel of a vampire film of the well-known HAMMER studios. The castle and the autumn season, during which VAMPYRES was shot, add immensely to the gothic feeling.
As is appropriate for an outstanding movie, Blue Underground's DVD presentation is very impressive. The film is presented in the correct widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85 : 1 and offers a lot of extras. There is a 14 minute interview with the lead actresses Marianne MORRIS and ANULKA. Despite being in their early 50ies by now, both (and MORRIS in particular) still look very good today. Both comment on the film shot, provide anectodes about the director, reveal how they felt during the more lascivious scenes and remark on their further live post VAMPYRES. (It is a shame that MORRIS did not pursue her acting career after this film, but opened a refurbishing company instead.) Both are proud of their participation in VAMPYRES.
There are also two trailers, the international one and the US trailer. Both are very good, with the US having the advantage, but unfortunately give away too many highlights.
Another interesting feature is a recreation of a scene, which did not made it in the final cut. The footage is now lost, so some stills give you an impression of the scene.
There are also very extensive picture galleries with interesting behind-the-scenes photoes, promotional material and stills from the film (including many nudity stills). And there is a socalled ANULKA glamour gallery (actress ANULKA was photomodel before and after her lead role in VAMPYRES) There are scores of pictures to watch!
Also included is a rather short biography and filmography of director Jose Ramon LARRAZ.
There is even a small poster of the Italian version of VAMPYRES in the keepcase.
Believe my raving and buy this DVD! I'm sure, you'll like it as much as I do!

I was a kid in the 1970s and loved horror movies. I watched a lot of late night creature features and read every book on horror films I could find. The books normally included a photo from VAMPYRES but my chance of ever seeing it were beyond remote at the time. From what I read then, I could see that the film was the next logical progression after watching Hammer Films and reading Vampirella comics at the time: blood-soaked lesbians out of control!

So, when I found a DVD version I could order through Amazon, I bought it. I think waiting so long to see it has really helped. Very Seventies! The music definitely took me back by mixing spooky organ music with electric guitars. The girls were (and still are!) very sexy. I really appreciated the interviews with them now.

I would definitely recommend this to any horror fan, especially of the 1970s. (Not for kids though--even by today's standards, I found this a very erotic film).

Up until recently, Anchor Bay Entertainment used to be the undisputed king of releasing horror, exploitation, foreign, art house and cult cinema on DVD with all the bells and whistles that rabid collectors love. However, former Anchor Bay head honcho (not to mention notable genre director) Bill Lustig has since focused his talents on making Blue Underground the premiere distribution company amongst those who know their cult cinema...

Take their treatment of Jose Ramon Larraz's evocative vampire (make that vampyre) classic. Previously available on the format in a slightly censored print from Anchor Bay, Blue Underground have released what is likely to be the definite release of VAMPYRES on DVD and anyone who has even a passing interest in foreign horror films should already own this fantastic disc... The extras (including a commentary track and a featurette) are plentiful, the print is cleaned up and, most importantly, the film is UNCUT and UNCENSORED!

The movie itself is much like your standard vampire story, albeit done with a little more style that we're accustomed to seeing in this sort of film... European horror film directors always seem to have a better sense of atmosphere and visual direction than their American counterparts and it certainly shows here... Larraz makes full use of the autumnal settings and injects some real class in the film with some top-notch lighting at key moments... A scene where three characters share a drink in a wine cellar benefits greatly from this... you yourself feel as if you're down there with them by the candle-light. Outdoor scenes are particularly surreal in the way that they're shot...

Of course, this is a horror film so genre fans can expect an ample amount of blood to be shed over the course of the film. Much of it isn't very explicit but I found myself shocked at least once because I wasn't really expecting it... the deaths in VAMPYRES come quick and mercilessly, as I suppose they should. There's also quite a bit amount of nudity to be found here as well, a good portion of it softcore lesbian erotica (VERY softcore... don't expect the film to slip into Jess Franco territory at all).

In any case, they most certainly DON'T make them like this any more... If you even consider yourself a fan of vampire movies, or the 70s European exploitation scene in general, you should definitely have this minor classic in your collection... Not only does it provide fans with the lurid thrills that they're accustomed to seeing but it does so with just a bit of class, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Make no mistake this film is a cult classic along side the other female vampire film Vamyros Lesbos. It is bloody and sexy and fun.

Other reviews have done a great job of describing the film but one point about the DVD releases, while AnchorBay does a great job on plenty of Fulci titles they dropped the ball with their Vampyres DVD as it is actually slightly cut. Get the Blue Underground DVD as it is uncut and has some remakable special features.