Vampyres (José Larraz, 1974)

[videohunter]

Keeping with the "vampire films" theme , which is slowly becoming my favorite genre, is VAMPYRES , DAUGHTERS OF DRACULA , this one however has a fantastic DVD release from Blue Underground ?

anyhow regardless of the DVD release , as far as collectabilty is concerned , no other release of this film beats the JAPAN VHS artwork ....

[DarkMother]

Bought the Anchor Bay release a few months back a fairly decent package with a good featurette from the 2 "very unnatural ladies" and a commentary. Sadly i haven't watched this for a while.

[Timmy Lea]

Possibly my favourite vampire film of all time, and maybe the greatest ever use of the English countryside in a horror movie. I haven't heard the commentary, but I imagine the ladies (and we don't even have to go into detail as to how lovely they are) have a tale or two to tell.

Now, I'm going to post a separet thread on this anyway, but as we're on the subject, does ANYONE know what became of Larrz regular Karl Lanchbury? His career seems to have dried up sometime around 1978. Is he even still alive? If he is, he'd be about 63 or 64 now.

[MarcMorris]

Vampyres and Daughters of Darkness are my two fave vampire movies.

[DarkMother]

Daughters of Darkness is such a beautiful film. Vamp is probably my favorite vampire film though.

[MarcMorris]

Vamp? You are surely jesting? It's hardly comparable is it? I thought it was a rather dire attempt at comedy, but each to his own...

Seems like a favourite vampire movie thread is needed rather than stray off-topic.

[DarkMother]

I did say probably. But jesting ? No sir. Yes it's tacky, yes it has that bad multi-coloured 80's lighting and yes poor elements of comedy. But really good Vampire films are few and few between in my opinion. Only the more recent 30 Days of Night and Tobe Hooper's Salem's Lot come to mind

[jacksmith1983]

But really good Vampire films are few and few between in my opinion. Only the more recent 30 Days of Night and Tobe Hooper's Salem's Lot come to mind

Hmm, sorry but I really can't agree about there being an absence of good vampire movies out there mate. Off the top of my head we have Martin, Near Dark, The Hunger, Fright Night, Innocent Blood, Herzog's Nosferatu, Blacula and its sequel Scream, Blacula, Scream, Lifeforce, Blood For Dracula, Grave Of The Vampire The Fearless Vampire Killers and if you move over to the continent you have things such as Mario Bava's Black Sabbath with its superb "Wurdulak" segment and the erotic vampire fantasies of Jean Rollin, etc.

There are lots of good vampire movies out there, it's just that as with any over-populated subgenre the good are swamped down by hundreds of poor and indifferent ones. The same can equally be said of zombie, slasher and haunted house films too.

At any rate perhaps a debate worthy of its own thread?

[Shadowalker]

I just watched Vampyres two nights ago. I liked it! Its done really well. I will say that as far as erotic horror goes, Daughters of Darkness is definately my favorite.

[ecc]

The initial Anchor Bay US DVD was cut. The subsequent Blue Underground disc restored the missing footage. Was the Anchor Bay UK release uncut?

[Punk Rich]

The Anchor Bay UK release was as the Blue Underground DVD.

[Count Yorga]

Ive yet to see a Jean Rollin film. (Not counting Zombie lake, which was bad, and not in a so bad its good way )
Im not sure that they are something for me, as they seem very artistic and slow. Is there a film that is supposed to be his most "mainstream", in lack of a better word.

[Punk Rich]

Start off with something like GRAPES OF DEATH or LIVING DEAD GIRL and then work backwards.

[Shadowalker]

My favorite Rollin films so far would have to be LIPS OF BLOOD, FASCINATION, and THE IRON ROSE. I've liked most of his films I've seen so far, but they certainly aren't all good.

[ecc]

DVDBeaver review of the BluRay (compared with the SD release).

[christats]

I love this film but the DVD vs Blu comparison isn't exactly a huge leap to my eyes, as the DVD is a good enough picture.

Then again everyone should buy as many cult Blu discs to keep the demand up.

[silverferox]

Vampyres and Daughters of Darkness are my two fave vampire movies.

But Daughters of Darkness just eclipses it, right?

[Pinback]

Ive yet to see a Jean Rollin film. (Not counting Zombie lake, which was bad, and not in a so bad its good way )
Im not sure that they are something for me, as they seem very artistic and slow. Is there a film that is supposed to be his most "mainstream", in lack of a better word.

A good place to start is Night of the hunted, starring the gorgeous Brigitte Lahaei.

[ecc]

Possibly my favourite vampire film of all time, and maybe the greatest ever use of the English countryside in a horror movie. I haven't heard the commentary, but I imagine the ladies (and we don't even have to go into detail as to how lovely they are) have a tale or two to tell.

SYMPTOMS also makes effective use of the English countryside.

[Jerry Cornelius]

Vampyres and The Dracula Business (BBC, 1974)
I was interested to see a short segment of behind-the-scenes material from the film included in Dan Farson's documentary The Dracula Business (BBC TV, 1974). It shows Larraz directing his two naked vampires as they lie on a bed, one bloody around the mouth. The documentary commentary drily notes that they are lesbian vampires.
The film is not named or credited, although several other film excerpts are.