Today’s classic film is Daughters of Darkness, also known as Le Rouge aux Levres (The Lips of Red). It came out back in 1971, and is definitely one of the darker vampire films out there.
Daughters of Darkness was directed by Harry Kumel and stars Delphine Seyrig, Daniele Quimet and John Karlen (who was in Dark Shadows). From what I have heard, the film is said to be an intelligent and very erotic look at the legendary Countess Elizabeth Bathory, the woman who is believed to have killed over 600 young girls so that she could bathe in their blood, among other things.
Spoilers ahead!
In the film, the Countess is transported into the twentieth century, giving us a different type of look into the Bathory story. The Countess and her lover Ilona go to a hotel in Ostend where they end up meeting a couple on their honeymoon – Stefan (a sadist) and his wife Valerie (who doesn’t know that about him). Valerie soon learns just how sick and twisted her new husband is and tries to run away from him, however she becomes mesmerized by Elizabeth, who convinces her to stay. All while this is going on, Stefan seduces Ilona and ends up accidentally killing her. In spite of this, the newlyweds are quickly drawn into a relationship with the Countess.
Later, we learn that Valerie was the one Elizabeth really wanted, she introduces her to the vampire world and together they murder Stefan and drink his blood. To find out what happens to Valerie and Elizabeth next, you’ll have to watch the film. I can’t ruin the whole story for you, but I assure you this is definitely one of the more twisted vampire films I have heard of.
Have any of you seen Daughters of Darkness? If so, what did you think of it?
– Moonlight
I’ve seen it, and honestly your review doesn’t quite convey the sense of…well, decadence…that pervades the whole thing.
It wasn’t really a review, since I have never seen it. Just an overview really.
I liked it, but I didn´t love it. It had lot of style and nice atmosphere, it was amoral and languorous, refreshing antidote to these modern upstarts, but in the same time it left me a bit of cold. Perhaps I should give it new try.