Lust for a Vampire
Lust for a Vampire, also known as Love for a Vampire or To Love a Vampire (the latter title was the one used on American television), is a 1971 British Hammer Horror film directed by Jimmy Sangster, starring Ralph Bates, Barbara Jefford, Suzanna Leigh, Michael Johnson, and Yutte Stensgaard. It was given an R rating in the United States for some violence, gore, strong adult content and nudity. It is the second film in the Karnstein Trilogy, loosely based on the 1872 Sheridan Le Fanu novella Carmilla. It was preceded by The Vampire Lovers (1970) and followed by Twins of Evil (1971). The three films do not form a chronological development, but use the Karnstein family as the source of the vampiric threat and were somewhat daring for the time in explicitly depicting lesbian themes.
| Lust for a Vampire | |
|---|---|
American Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jimmy Sangster |
| Screenplay by | Tudor Gates |
| Based on | characters by Sheridan Le Fanu |
| Produced by | Michael Style Harry Fine |
| Starring | Ralph Bates Barbara Jefford Suzanna Leigh |
| Cinematography | David Muir |
| Edited by | Spencer Reeve |
| Music by | Harry Robinson |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | MGM-EMI Distributors (U.K.) American Continental Films (U.S.) |
Release date |
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Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Production of Lust for a Vampire began not long after the release of The Vampire Lovers.
The film has a cult following, although some Hammer Horror fans have accused it of being overly camp. Its most noted scene shows Yutte Stensgaard drenched in blood and partially covered by blood-soaked rags, although the filmed scene is not as explicit as that shown in a promotional still.
Other notable actors in the film are Harvey Hall (who has a different role in each film of this series), David Healy and popular radio DJ Mike Raven as Count Karnstein. Karnstein's voice, however, is dubbed by an uncredited Valentine Dyall.