Starring Peter Cushing, Dennis Price, Mary Collinson, Madeleine Collinson, Isobel Black
Directed by John Hough
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
While the obsessed Gustav Weil hunts down and murders any living impure lives, his nieces arrive to live with him, one of whom becomes fascinated by the one man Weil cannot touch, the evil Count Karnstein.
The third of Hammer Films' productions based on Sheridan Le Fanu's tale Carmilla, it's a less salacious film than its predecessors, although twins Mary and Madeleine Collinson's curves are certainly showcased. It's still violent and gory, and benefits from one of Peter Cushing's most intense performances, as well as colorful art direction, and a driving music score. I never really took to the first two films in the series, although The Vampire Lovers featured a memorable performance by Ingrid Pitt as a predatory vampire who counted men and women among her conquests. Lust For A Vampire seemed little more to me than an exercise in titillation. As for this picture, I think it's better than the other two, largely because of a less exploitative story and the fine work of Cushing, although it could have used another stronger presence like his in the cast. It wastes the excellent Dennis Price in a throwaway part and kills him off for little reason. I also wanted to mention that my friend Dominique Lamssies raised the point that she thinks Cushing is difficult to watch in the movie, because he was in pain from the death of his beloved wife and believes it shows on screen. To be honest, I didn't see this to that extent in his performance on first viewing except perhaps when Weil softens near the end, but acknowledge he must have been suffering, and perhaps I'm not as perceptive.
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