The Vampire Lovers

It really wouldn't be the Halloween season around here without watching one Hammer film.

This more came about because I just read Carmilla, the vampire book before Dracula and this is actually a pretty damn good adaptation of that story all things considered and it's been a good few years since last I saw it. The story is kind of a mix of perspectives revolving around a young woman named Mircalla who houses with two aristocratic families when illness and death starts looming around the land, and oh wouldn't you know it mysterious blood stained marks start appearing near necks. They clearly read the source material and crafted the movie around it, this was a joint production between Hammer and AIP of Roger Corman fame, and was made during the Hammer horror's last leg in the 70s where they definitely were upping the violence and the sex. Moreso the sex here with a lot more than just ample cleavage on display and at least an undercurrent of lesbianism, though personally I feel both in the book and the film it's not really that deep and hey man you don't form romantic attachments to your food. But the violence still packs a punch with decapitations, throats ripped out, and that classic red blood we love so much. Ingrid Pitt is our star and I find her performance so interesting in this, cause she can play this cunniving seductress but there's flashes of this almost regret and dismay at her vampiric nature that you really never see in these types of movies. I know, she's absurdly beautiful and that's typically what people remark on but I feel she did very well with this material and did capture the spirit of the Carmilla from the book, and even I'll admit the voice...it does a lot for me more than I dare to admit. Moving swiftly on to our dear Peter, huzzah! Now this took me for a loop when I first watched this cause I fully believed Peter would be playing a somewhat close approximation of Van Helsing who slowly but surely pieces the puzzle together and starts sharpening those stakes, but he's more of a minor character after a certain point as a general who loses his niece to the bosom biting beast but gets his glory kill near the end, and there will never be a day where I don't take such happiness and enjoyment from his performances. Pippa Steele and Madeline Smith play our young flowering victims Laura and Emma respectively, and once again was thrown for a loop cause I thought Pippa would be our main girl throughout but they pull a Hitchcock on us and Madeline is the next mortal doomed to die, and nothing but credit where credit is due. They really do just breathe light and innocence and both have very good chemistry with Ingrid where they do toe this line of friends but maybe edging towards something more, and as always I have nothing but the utmost respect for them doing nude scenes. I couldn't do it, and from the tales I heard both the director and Ingrid were very polite and accomodating to ease their co-stars apprehension which is nice to hear. Also I just have to shoutout Kate O'Mara, my love my beautiful queen it may have been a small part but I loved every last second of it. Production wise it is exactly what you would expect from Hammer, period costuming, bleak towns, castles, fog filled graveyards, dense forests, proving even in an age where they had to up the ante to compete with other modern horror films of the time they never forgot their gothic roots. Nice camera placements and interesting shots from time to time, subtle but effective makeup, good use of color throughout, it's another rock solid film in their catalogue. I have no doubt it has it's fans even if it's not often spoken in the same breath as The Mummy, Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, or Curse Of Frankenstein but if you're any fan of Hammer or just horror films of the very late 60s or early 70s I think you'll dig it! I give it 3 stars, 7.5/10, and we're jumping ahead to the new millenium next time.

The Wicker Man (1973)

Oh thank the flippin' celestial beings this film wasn't a complete and utter failing of cinema.

I have no issue saying The Wicker Man is a great if not even excellent movie, and I knew it was going to be in less than 10 minutes into the film. All of my complaints with the atrocity that is the remake have been remedied and made great, every aspect of the filmmaking process must be applauded. It's a very 1970s looking film in terms of production, but the editing, cinematography, and overall look of this film is a feast to the eyes. It is gorgeous at times and knows exactly how to build the proper atmosphere and mood. The music also was a surprising but regardless highly entertaining aspect of the film, to the point where one could argue it's a musical but it's just so nice to listen to you don't even mind, it honestly reminded me of more slow folk songs like Scarborough Fair by Simon & Garfunkel. I feel the less I say about plot the better, however for a brief synopsis, a police officer is called by an anonymous letter to investigate the disappearance of a child on a remote island and the subsequent investigation of what follows. And boy howdy did the mystery aspect actually work this time, mainly because no one is clearly a shifty eyed suspicious batshit crazy cultist, but I digress. I was genuinely interested to see such a clashing of ideologies, because our policeman Seargant Howie is a very faithful Christian and has endless problems trying to get over the fact that all the inhabitants on Summerisle believe in Pagan rituals and the old gods, it's handled well and while it is a product of a more closed minded time you must know that during such a time period this sort of thing was greatly unheard of. In a predominantly Christian world, Paganism was just too out there to comprehend and rarely seen but the film doesn't pick sides and just shows one ideology against another. Yeah, there's some stuff in the movie even I was slightly confused at but really when you get right down to it all religions are a bit crazy so I greatly appreciate that it's not deviant or sacrilege with these Pagan customs but just another way of life. Which is expertly personified by Lord Summerisle played by Christopher Lee who has went on record to say this was his most favorite role to the point where he worked for free and even pitched in money just to see it get made. Such dedication is not found nowadays. Edward Woodward is a very fine lead, who has intelligence and manners but still has limits and is simply trying to be a good police officer. You get a great feeling of this town and community, not so much in geography but the spirit of the place, it was shot entirely in Scotland and it looks spectacular. Several shots are worth having framed, there is such a precise and dedicated craftsmanship to these shots, they knew exactly how to shoot this movie and what they wanted to achieve with it. It does warrant the R rating but mainly just for some nudity which I'm sure was almost razed to the ground by protests claiming it was pornography, but it's just there to show a difference of culture and views. I love this movie, I seriously need to get my hands on a physical copy as soon as possible, and I dare even say this is the best film I've reviewed this month. This is easily a 4 star, 8/10, highly recommended movie you should treat yourself to watch. It's always interesting to see customs and traditions held by people that you never get to see, and I was always an open minded individual so it was just fascinating to watch this movie even if everything isn't completely accurate. I'm so just absolutely thrilled and so appreciative I got to see this movie, I can't even explain in words how happy I was to see such a expertly made and wonderfully executed film after the unspeakable shitstorm of a betrayal that the remake was. Watch this movie and do the world a favor and perhaps burn the copies of the remake. You might fall into good graces with somebody out there.