Excellent production values highlight this slow-moving Gothic horror yarn from Hammer in which all of the action is confined to the beginning and end of the movie. The middle part consists of lots of atmosphere building sequences which can feel laboured and do drag a little life from the film. It's the slow-paced nature of the tale which stops it from being a total Hammer classic, although it's still very good. It reminds me of Hammer's Dracula, which is also a slow moving tale as both films dwell on victims gradually falling weaker as they're preyed on by the vampire menace.
On the plus side, the film contains lots of the same ethereal atmosphere (with scenes of nightdress-clad beauties wandering through mist-enshrouded countryside at night) as the films of French auteur Jean Rollin, and is very suspenseful and thrilling when it needs to be. It's just a shame that so much time is taken up with non-action as most of the leading men leave the film for the middle duration and the resulting women seduce and are victimised by each other. What we're left with are numerous scenes of Ingrid Pitt and Madeline Smith being naked which do get a little repetitive despite the premise.
The film benefits from an extremely strong cast of British character actors. George Cole (taking a break from his usual comedy genre) stars as Roger Morton, whose beautiful daughter Emma (played by Madeline Smith, a regular young British beauty from the period) is seduced and preyed upon by the voluptuous Carmilla. Ingrid Pitt takes the lead in her first Hammer Horror appearance and makes for an unforgettably sexy vampiress, although she's romantic rather than scary. Kate O'Mara has a supporting role as a French governess although her role is limited and extraneous.
Genre fans will be pleased to hear that Peter Cushing also has a small role in the film, and it is he who gets to confront Ingrid Pitt in explicitly gory scenes at the end of the film which make up for the non-action preceding those scenes. Despite playing a much different character, you can't help but see a flash of Van Helsing as Cushing does his duty. Cushing's authoritative performance is a highlight of the film. Supporting actors include Ferdy Mayne as the unfortunate family doctor, Douglas Wilmer as Baron von Hartog, an expert vampire killer who beheads his own sister in a gruesome opening scene, Dawn Addams as the briefly-seen Countess (her character unexplained and mysterious) and a very young-looking Jon Finch as the handsome young male lead. The familiar faces of Pippa Steele (who, despite dying, returns in the sequel) and John Forbes-Robertson (as the sinister "Man in Black" he is no less laughable here than his camped-up turn as Dracula in LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES) appear in minor roles, while Harvey Hall puts in an excellent turn as the loyal manservant Renton.
The film's strength is in playing it all totally seriously, even the so-called "erotic sequences", with none of the tacky cheesiness which overwhelmed the sequel, LUST FOR A VAMPIRE. The film concentrates on the sex rather than the horror aspects with plenty of lesbian tension and Pitt wandering around in a low-cut dress for the entire course of the film. The violence, on the other hand, is limited to a couple of decapitations and some splashes of blood - admittedly colourful. The music is lyrical yet understated, the costumes immaculate and the ladies quite simply gorgeous. THE VAMPIRE LOVERS is a watchable Hammer film which is a must-see for fans, yet by not including any of the trademark excitement or style that another director would have brought to the movie it just misses 'total classic' status. I'm surprised to admit it, but Roy Ward Baker's journeyman direction is merely perfunctory.
On the plus side, the film contains lots of the same ethereal atmosphere (with scenes of nightdress-clad beauties wandering through mist-enshrouded countryside at night) as the films of French auteur Jean Rollin, and is very suspenseful and thrilling when it needs to be. It's just a shame that so much time is taken up with non-action as most of the leading men leave the film for the middle duration and the resulting women seduce and are victimised by each other. What we're left with are numerous scenes of Ingrid Pitt and Madeline Smith being naked which do get a little repetitive despite the premise.
The film benefits from an extremely strong cast of British character actors. George Cole (taking a break from his usual comedy genre) stars as Roger Morton, whose beautiful daughter Emma (played by Madeline Smith, a regular young British beauty from the period) is seduced and preyed upon by the voluptuous Carmilla. Ingrid Pitt takes the lead in her first Hammer Horror appearance and makes for an unforgettably sexy vampiress, although she's romantic rather than scary. Kate O'Mara has a supporting role as a French governess although her role is limited and extraneous.
Genre fans will be pleased to hear that Peter Cushing also has a small role in the film, and it is he who gets to confront Ingrid Pitt in explicitly gory scenes at the end of the film which make up for the non-action preceding those scenes. Despite playing a much different character, you can't help but see a flash of Van Helsing as Cushing does his duty. Cushing's authoritative performance is a highlight of the film. Supporting actors include Ferdy Mayne as the unfortunate family doctor, Douglas Wilmer as Baron von Hartog, an expert vampire killer who beheads his own sister in a gruesome opening scene, Dawn Addams as the briefly-seen Countess (her character unexplained and mysterious) and a very young-looking Jon Finch as the handsome young male lead. The familiar faces of Pippa Steele (who, despite dying, returns in the sequel) and John Forbes-Robertson (as the sinister "Man in Black" he is no less laughable here than his camped-up turn as Dracula in LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES) appear in minor roles, while Harvey Hall puts in an excellent turn as the loyal manservant Renton.
The film's strength is in playing it all totally seriously, even the so-called "erotic sequences", with none of the tacky cheesiness which overwhelmed the sequel, LUST FOR A VAMPIRE. The film concentrates on the sex rather than the horror aspects with plenty of lesbian tension and Pitt wandering around in a low-cut dress for the entire course of the film. The violence, on the other hand, is limited to a couple of decapitations and some splashes of blood - admittedly colourful. The music is lyrical yet understated, the costumes immaculate and the ladies quite simply gorgeous. THE VAMPIRE LOVERS is a watchable Hammer film which is a must-see for fans, yet by not including any of the trademark excitement or style that another director would have brought to the movie it just misses 'total classic' status. I'm surprised to admit it, but Roy Ward Baker's journeyman direction is merely perfunctory.