Anoraks Assemble

Lust for a Vampire is a 1971 British Hammer horror film, written by Tudor Gates and directed by Jimmy Sangster.

The film, which is part two of the so-called Karnstein Trilogy, is set 40 years after 1970’s The Vampire Lovers, and tells the story of novelist Richard LeStrange, who comes to a village to do research for his books about the occult.

He is warned about the upcoming return of the mysterious Karnstein family who live in their remote castle and prey on young virgin women.

Obviously LeStrange thinks that it is all supernatural nonsense.

But is it?

Well, it is Hammer, so what do you think?

We start off with the count and countess attempting to resurrect their long-dead daughter (quite a startling scene, I have to admit), and end with marching locals carrying burning torches.

Typically Hammer fare, to be honest.

The positives are that it has a wonderful Gothic look about it. The film creates a fabulous atmosphere, due in no small part to the music. Some scenes are accompanied by very evocative choral singing, which makes the film quite beautiful to look at and very haunting.

As this is the 1970s, we have reached peak Hammer horror, with multiple boob shots, naked women, and one of the most bizarre love scenes ever.

Basically Yutte Stensgaard (she can’t act, but clearly she’s not there for her acting ability), as she is being seduced by Michael Johnson’s pound shop hero LeStrange, decides the best way to convey her feelings of ecstasy is by making herself cross-eyed. At the same time, the whole scene is accompanied by a modern-day pop song playing in the background.

It is unintentionally hilarious.

Apart from Ms. Stensgaard, the acting is okay. Michael Johnson is instantly forgettable, but Ralph Bates is as reliable as ever as the creepy Giles Barton.

It is definitely not one of the best, but an interesting example of the sexier, more explicit films of the 1970s.