I finally saw this film it's eternity.

So I'm going to give my thoughts, for context one might to read my thoughts on The Vampire Lovers here.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066518/board/nest/148149390?p=1

In some ways I'm less inclined to be critical of this as it isn't a direct Adaptation. The film way better than I thought, even thou there is less Lesbian content now, and Carmilla is given a male love interest, both things I'm not fond of, the story still flows quite nicely and consistently, unlike all to foB horror films. And the acting is for the most part not bad.

There are only like 3 Lesbian scenes this time, but their all pretty decent.

They actually explain why Carmilla doesn't look like Ingrid Pitt, which is interesting. But we are supposed to believe Mike Raven is the same as the Man in Black from TVL which he obviously isn't. Another continuity problem is how the names Mircalla and Camilla are used is switched around, I'd have just had her use a new Anagram of the name.

Count Karnstein in this was fairly interesting and cool, but ultimately just felt like a pale imitation of Christopher Lee's Dracula.

It may not be particularly popular to say but I do rather prefer Yutte Stensgaard to Ingrid Pitt as Camarilla, not to knock Pitt, but she was to old for the part by that time. Neither looks entirely like how Camarilla is described din the book, as having thick Dark hair. But Yutte in her performance comes much closer, you not quite there, to the Seductive, Manipulative yet Sad and surprisingly tragic character Carmilla has in the book.

Janet Playfair seems like a surprisingly well written good girl for a Hammer film. I'm not exactly a Hammer expert, but from what I've seen besides the Vixens Female characters in Hammer films are not usually to compelling, however attractive they may be. Playfair however is a strong character, and I was impressed by Suzanna Leigh's performance as well.

Especially in the scene where Carmilla briefly uses her hypnotic glare on her. Often when an actor is portraying being in a Vampire's Thrall they just go and glassy eyed and Zombie like, but not here, in Leigh's eyes you can see her trying to fight, yet failing and being frightened by the failure, and a little confused on how it's even possible. Not and easy acting job to pull off. And it makes it for me the most erotic scene of the movie.

The film also has an interesting example of a Vampire feeding being a metaphor for Sex. Towards the end of the film when Michael is pounding on the dorm room door saying "I know your in there with someone" and we see Carmilla sucking form a topless dazed brunette, the tone of the scene isn't that she's killing the girl, but that she's cheating on her lover. And to make all the more humiliating for him is doing so with another Woman rather then a man.

One odd complaint I have thou Si the priest saying Fire Is useless at the end. I knows the rules for Vampire weakness soften change, but to me nothing makes less sense then a being that is clearly still an Organic life form not being able to burn. ON top of that the only thing this detail adds the film is to leave it open for a Sequel that was never made, by leaving the Count and Countess alive so the next film could presumably begin the exact same way this did. But they wound up doing a Prequel instead, and one that continuity wise didn't line up at all.

So, those are my thoughts, feel free to add you own.

"It's not about money.... It's about sending a Message..... Everything Burns!!!"