Essay Films, 1974
starring: Marianne Morris, Anulka, Brian Deacon, Sally Faulkner
directed by: Joseph Larraz

the plot: Fran (Morris) and Miriam (Anulka) are two beautiful bisexual vampires who roam the English countryside looking for prey. They lure their victims back to their opulent estate for orgies of sex and bloodsucking. All goes according to plan until a young vacationing couple, John (Deacon) and Harriet (Faulkner), decide to park their camper near the castle for a few days. Harriet soon becomes suspicious when she repeatedly glimpses the strange women and makes up her mind to investigate.

why it’s good: This film is sometimes confused with the soft-core work of French director Jean Rollin, but the respective results are in two separate leagues. “Vampyres” (also known as “Daughters of Dracula”) announced itself as an intelligent, erotic work upon its initial release. Director Joseph (José Ramon) Larraz keeps Diana Daubeney’s smart script moving along with style. The suspense is intense (the slow draining of blood of one delirious victim is excruciating), the sudden, bloody shocks are truly disturbing, and the eroticism is subtle (the romantic interludes between the couple have a sweet, light touch). And the ending is horrific.

why you should own it: Born in Barcelona in 1929, Larraz was mostly relegated to exploitation fare and low budget flicks. This is a pity, as his talent and instincts were worthy of better material. The slow-motion shots of vampire bats flitting through the night behind the opening credits of “Vampyres” are marvelous, and Larraz coaxes more than superficial performances from Playboy centerfold Anulka and Marianne Morris. (The pre-credits sequence depicting the murders of the women as mortals also is intriguing.) The film made uninhibited use of Hammer’s old stomping grounds, and the estate is Oakley Court, used that same year as the setting for “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Heavily censored when released to theaters, Anchor Bay has made available an uncut and restored DVD transferred from the original negative. This includes a truly fascinating audio commentary with Larraz and producer Brian Smedley-Aston.