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Vampyres

Vampyres

List Price: $19.95
Your Price: $17.96
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Classic European Lesbian vampire action
Review: I cannot stress the beauty of this film and its lovely stars. It is brimming with atmosphere and a dark sexuality that only the masters of Spanish Horror could muster. Buy this DVD! If you are looking for sex, violence, and a very fine Playboy playmate bathing nude in blood with her lovely sister, you WONT be disappointed!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Female Vampires at ther Best
Review: I collect all these Vampire moves, spcially on's with female vampires. The acting and setting is some of the best in the genera. The sex is erotic not tacky. Overall a well done and orginal take on the theme. The ending is a bit of a cope out, but just go with the story and forget the hangover.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Haunting
Review: I saw this movie in 1974 as a double billing with "Black Christmas" and both films scared me in a different way. They are both excellent films. OK Vampyres "Their lips are moist and very very red" so the caption tells us and it is certainly correct. This remastered edition is excellent UNCUT & UNCENSORED and u won't find any fangs here which I think is why I enjoyed it all the more. Fran and Miriam kill their victims with whatever is at arms reach or mouths reach. The music is subtle the house is creepy (same house used in "Rocky Horror picture Show") Watch in the dark late at night.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Sexy Seventies Horror Fun
Review: I was a kid in the 1970s and loved horror movies. I watched a lot of late night creature features and read every book on horror films I could find. The books normally included a photo from VAMPYRES but my chance of ever seeing it were beyond remote at the time. From what I read then, I could see that the film was the next logical progression after watching Hammer Films and reading Vampirella comics at the time: blood-soaked lesbians out of control!

So, when I found a DVD version I could order through Amazon, I bought it. I think waiting so long to see it has really helped. Very Seventies! The music definitely took me back by mixing spooky organ music with electric guitars. The girls were (and still are!) very sexy. I really appreciated the interviews with them now.

I would definitely recommend this to any horror fan, especially of the 1970s. (Not for kids though--even by today's standards, I found this a very erotic film).

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: severly disappointed
Review: i was severly disappointed to this film. i had very high expectations for this film. the only good scene was the first minute were the 2 vamps were shot, besides that it was boring. i wouldnt even bother buying this movie

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: It's not good enough for most viewers to bother watching.
Review: I would have given this film more stars, but there a serious plot problems. _Vampyres_, when it even has a plot, is so repetitive that I lost all interest in the story 30 minutes into the viewing. As another reviewer mentions, everyone is just walking through moody interior and exterior shots not doing or saying anything of any particular interest.

Two bisexual vampires lovers hitchhike on a nearby road to pick up men. They take the men back to their mouldering mansion, get them drunk and kill them. Innocently viewing the actions of the vampires is a couple on a weekend getaway, living out of an RV that is parked practically on the front lawn of the mansion. That's it. That's the story. On a couple of occasions, there appears to be some foreshadowing of darker forces at work...but both of those hints are just left hanging by the end of the film.

The movie was originally marketed as an "adult horror film" which I interpret as meaning soft porn with a horror theme. Maybe it's too much to expect plot from that kind of production. If you're looking for a good story or great acting, don't bother with _Vampyres_. You'll just be wasting your time and money.

On the other hand, with regard to mood, lighting, set decoration, location, makeup special effects (the blood, in particular) and filming techniques, _Vampyres_ is a beautiful film to watch. It was originally released in 1974 and I have to admit that, aesthetically speaking, it has either aged well or the remastering worked wonders. There was something intoxicating about the soft-focused, low-light, grainy quality of the images. It put me in the mind of a lot of those old vampire films (especially the Italian horror films) I watched as a young man on Saturday afternoons back in the 70s.

The sex scenes were somehow entertaining -- not for the sex itself (which were either badly choreographed or just clumsily executed) but more for the blood-letting aspect of their carnal endeavors. If you saw Bram Stoker's Dracula (a la F.F. Coppola) then you'll probably remember the three vampire brides feeding on poor stupid Keanu Reeves. The scenes in that film were very Hollywood, very stylized. No so in _Vampires_. I'd describe the depiction of the blood orgies in this film as "natural." The kills seemed quite realistic to me.

So, if you are looking for more stuff like _The Lost Boys_, _Interview With The Vampire_ or _Bram Stoker's Dracula_, you should look elsewhere and leave this one to everyone who loved _The Keep_.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Watch for the sex not the story!
Review: If you watch this movie for anything other than the sexual content you are most likely to be disappointed. The plot is paper thin (hell, I could have written it!) and poses numerous questions without bothering to answer any of them. Even the film's title is a bit of a misnomer. But, let's face it...the whole point of the film is to set up situations that allow the two female "vampyres" to disrobe and display their bodies (no complaints here!). Getting to view the two stunning ladies repeatedly in nude scenes is enough to earn this film four stars in my book! Seriously though, this film does have a Hammeresque quality to it and the setting is very atmospheric (nice blend of mid-70's style with a touch of gothic). The acting is pretty good, too. But, the film loses a star due to it's lack of storyline and departure from classic vampire lore. Classic horror? No. Classic erotica? Yes.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Sexy, fun vampire flick
Review: In a cinema dominated by PC- PG-13 horror movies afraid to push the limit on gore and sex, it's great to see a movie that is more than willing to push the boundaries. "Vampyres" is a fun flick, sort of Hammer Films meets Late Night Cinemax. It has some pretty spooky scenes and a couple of very sexy lesbian encounters. In terms of plot, well..it's not that great. And it fails to explain things such as why the young couple in the motor home decide to stay near the mansion when its obvious something weird is going on. Still, one can't complain. The twist ending is rather silly, but at least it tries to be different.
The Blue Underground DVD is excellent. The commentary is fun. And its great to see both Anulka and Marianne in recent interviews. By the way, they still look great.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An unusual turn for British horror...
Review: In an unusual turn for the British horror film, Spanish-born director José Larraz helmed a trio of interesting, sometimes overlooked U.K. genre efforts: SCREAM AND DIE (aka THE HOUSE THAT VANISHED), VAMPYRES, and SYMPTOMS. Of the three, VAMPYRES is the one that garnished a considerable cult following to this day, as it's an outstanding slice of erotic goth that compares favorably to similar bloodsuckers from Jean Rollin and Jess Franco, and is far bolder than the classic sexy Hammer vamps of the period.

A pre-credit sequence shows two beautiful nude young ladies making love, and then being shot by an unseen assailant. We later see these ladies alive and well and black-garbed. Fran (Marianne Morris) and Miriam (Anulka Dziubinska) have a habit of flagging down cars on the countryside highway, and getting strange men to pick them up for insidious reasons.

VAMPYRES is one of the finest British horror films of the 70s, utilizing the lesbian vampire to full effect, and brimming with atmosphere and crimson-soaked grisliness. Although very inexperienced at the time and post-dubbed by other actresses, Marianne Morris and Anulka Dziubinska are mesmerizing as the female savages, easily alluring men and quickly caught up in a frenzy of animalistic blood drinking that becomes a carnal ordeal for them. Larraz keeps the duo very ambiguous, as the word "vampire" is never mentioned, they don't possess fangs, and their onscreen presence is often ghost-like. Although plotted in modern day and bathed in sex and violence, the film is furnished in a traditional gothic style, with the famous Oakley Court--the manor house of numerous Hammer films and THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW--providing haunting exteriors, and some decaying interiors as well.

VAMPYRES was previously available on DVD from Anchor Bay, and fans who own that disc will not want to hesitate to upgrade to Blue Underground's definitive release. Letterboxed in its theatrical ratio of 1.85:1 with Anamorphic enhancement, the excessive grain present in the older disc is not to be found here. The image also appears sharper and the palette of mostly warm colors is stable. Audio is a Dolby Digital mono mix, and does the film justice. Blue Underground's disc is also completely uncut, restoring approximately 30 seconds of climatic bloodshed not present in the Anchor Bay release.

An audio commentary with director Larraz and producer Brian Smedley-Aston is carried over from the Anchor Bay release. The heavily accented Larraz and the British editor- turned- producer Smedley-Aston provide a nice talk, reflecting a friendly working relationship and rather contrasting personalities. Smedley-Aston provides a lot of info about the production, while Larraz gives comments and recollections with a wry sense of humor (his pronunciation of the "F word" is a hoot).

A really nice treat is a new video interview (14 minutes) with Marianne and Anulka, who still look as beautiful as ever. You'll be charmed as you get to hear their true voices, as they discuss their involvement in VAMPYRES to great detail, unveil how proud they are to be associated with it all these years later, and tell us what they are up to today. Also included is a photo reconstruction of the "lost caravan scene" not in the completed film; both the international and U.S. trailer, which added "Very Unusual Ladies" to the title; an extensive poster & still gallery with lots of press ads, poster art, PR photos, and numerous behind-the-scenes shots; a glamour photo gallery of lovely Anulka; a bio of Larraz, and lastly; a DVD-ROM option for "VAMPYRES: A Tribute to the Ultimate in Erotic Horror Cinema," an expanded version of an excellent publication by Tim Greaves.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An unusual turn for British horror...
Review: In an unusual turn for the British horror film, Spanish-born director José Larraz helmed a trio of interesting, sometimes overlooked U.K. genre efforts: SCREAM AND DIE (aka THE HOUSE THAT VANISHED), VAMPYRES, and SYMPTOMS. Of the three, VAMPYRES is the one that garnished a considerable cult following to this day, as it's an outstanding slice of erotic goth that compares favorably to similar bloodsuckers from Jean Rollin and Jess Franco, and is far bolder than the classic sexy Hammer vamps of the period.

A pre-credit sequence shows two beautiful nude young ladies making love, and then being shot by an unseen assailant. We later see these ladies alive and well and black-garbed. Fran (Marianne Morris) and Miriam (Anulka Dziubinska) have a habit of flagging down cars on the countryside highway, and getting strange men to pick them up for insidious reasons.

VAMPYRES is one of the finest British horror films of the 70s, utilizing the lesbian vampire to full effect, and brimming with atmosphere and crimson-soaked grisliness. Although very inexperienced at the time and post-dubbed by other actresses, Marianne Morris and Anulka Dziubinska are mesmerizing as the female savages, easily alluring men and quickly caught up in a frenzy of animalistic blood drinking that becomes a carnal ordeal for them. Larraz keeps the duo very ambiguous, as the word "vampire" is never mentioned, they don't possess fangs, and their onscreen presence is often ghost-like. Although plotted in modern day and bathed in sex and violence, the film is furnished in a traditional gothic style, with the famous Oakley Court--the manor house of numerous Hammer films and THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW--providing haunting exteriors, and some decaying interiors as well.

VAMPYRES was previously available on DVD from Anchor Bay, and fans who own that disc will not want to hesitate to upgrade to Blue Underground's definitive release. Letterboxed in its theatrical ratio of 1.85:1 with Anamorphic enhancement, the excessive grain present in the older disc is not to be found here. The image also appears sharper and the palette of mostly warm colors is stable. Audio is a Dolby Digital mono mix, and does the film justice. Blue Underground's disc is also completely uncut, restoring approximately 30 seconds of climatic bloodshed not present in the Anchor Bay release.

An audio commentary with director Larraz and producer Brian Smedley-Aston is carried over from the Anchor Bay release. The heavily accented Larraz and the British editor- turned- producer Smedley-Aston provide a nice talk, reflecting a friendly working relationship and rather contrasting personalities. Smedley-Aston provides a lot of info about the production, while Larraz gives comments and recollections with a wry sense of humor (his pronunciation of the "F word" is a hoot).

A really nice treat is a new video interview (14 minutes) with Marianne and Anulka, who still look as beautiful as ever. You'll be charmed as you get to hear their true voices, as they discuss their involvement in VAMPYRES to great detail, unveil how proud they are to be associated with it all these years later, and tell us what they are up to today. Also included is a photo reconstruction of the "lost caravan scene" not in the completed film; both the international and U.S. trailer, which added "Very Unusual Ladies" to the title; an extensive poster & still gallery with lots of press ads, poster art, PR photos, and numerous behind-the-scenes shots; a glamour photo gallery of lovely Anulka; a bio of Larraz, and lastly; a DVD-ROM option for "VAMPYRES: A Tribute to the Ultimate in Erotic Horror Cinema," an expanded version of an excellent publication by Tim Greaves.


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