Daughters of Darkness

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“While passing through a vacation resort, a newlywed couple encounters a mysterious, strikingly beautiful countess and her aide.”

There was a giant boom of the lesbian vampire films in the 70’s and while most of them just included a ton of naked thriving to turn on a hetero-male audience, this movie aimed more at showing feminism fighting the patriarchy.

If you don’t know the myth of the Countess Bathroy, she was actually part of the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. So it’s very fitting that the vampiress be no other than she. This film also takes some from the sapphic story of “Carmilla,” another vampire classic.

The cinematography is beautiful and the hotel in the movie is still actually open today if you care to visit.

The two dominating polarities of Bathory and Stephan keep the tension going as Valerie seems to be torn between the two.

SPOILERS FROM HERE

I feel sorry for the Countess’ companion. She knew as soon as she saw Valerie that her time was over. Yet, the ever faithful, she still seduces Stephan and sacrifices herself.

The only real blood drinking scene is almost like a crucifixion. The bowl breaks, slitting Stephan’s wrists and he’s laid out like Christ as the two women feed. Ironic.