Horror Classics: Daughters of Darkness

This one is...weird. Welcome back to the Horror Classics series everyone! For this instalment we'll be looking at 1971's Daughters of Darkness. Buckle up guys and gals, it's a long and weird ride ahead.

The Revival of Horror Films

Throughout the late 1950s and early 60s, England's Hammer Films dominated the box office. The company was known for making high quality films on shoestring budgets. They only ever made a few film series' on Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Mummy. These series' saw considerable success...at least at first.

Towards the 70s, Hammer Films, while still making money, were starting to lose their sparkle. Audiences were growing tired of Dracula and Frankenstein, they wanted something different. So, in what is considered a desperate, last-ditch effort to save the company from bankruptcy, Hammer released The Vampire Lovers in 1970. This film would be followed by Lust for a Vampire and Twins of Evil the following year.

These films set off the trend of lesbian vampire films, which meant that Daughters of Darkness came out at a...weird time.

The Plot

The plot follows a newlywed couple, Stefan and Valerie as they're on their honeymoon and on their way to visit Stefan's parents. Along the way, they stop to spend the night at a hotel and find themselves sharing company with one Countess Bathory - a descendant of Erzsebet Bathory. What follows is an unnerving night while the Countess tries to seduce Valerie.

What Works?

Okay, so what works? Well, for starters, the performances are pretty good. Delphine Seyrig's performance as the Countess Bathory is suitably creepy. Danielle Ouimet's portrayal of the naïve Valerie is also great, she's also absolutely gorgeous!

The tone and pace of the film is consistent. The creepy, gothic atmosphere has a slow pace that serves to unnerve the audience. As for the music, it's also pretty good.

This film also boasts one of the creepiest vampire feeding scenes I've ever seen.

What Doesn't Work?

Okay, so admittedly there was only one thing that I really took issue with; the relationship between Stefan and Valerie. Frankly, this is the perfect example of a toxic relationship if ever I saw one. Stefan has some definite issues. Apart from refusing to say 'I love you' to his WIFE, which is already weird, he beats and rapes her at one point - mostly off-screen but still - and then the next time we see him he doesn't even acknowledge that it happened.

The ending also didn't make much sense to me. Valerie and the Countess leave the hotel together and end up in a car wreck which sees the Countess impaled on a tree branch. She, of course, dies as a result. We cut to some point in the future, Valerie is now talking with the Countess' voice and trying to seduce a couple at a country club.

Is the idea that Valerie has now become the Countess or that the Countess has somehow possessed her body? This is an aspect of the film that's been bugging me for ages because I can't make sense of it at all. If Valerie is now a vampire, which would sort of make sense all things considered, why is she talking with someone else's voice? Has she just gone loopy and begun imitating the Countess' speech and mannerisms? If that's the case, why?

To be clear, I'm not saying the ending is a bad one; it lends itself really well to the overall creepiness of the film, but it's also really confusing!

Final Thoughts

Overall, Daughters of Darkness isn't bad. It still looks good and is a fun romp with which to waste a Friday night with a bag of chips and a bottle of Coke - the drink, guys, don't do drugs. It's not going to be universally enjoyed by everyone who watches it, but that's true of all movies. If you haven't seen this one, I can cautiously recommend it.

All that said, I hope you guys enjoyed the review. Do let me know if you've seen this one, what did you think of it?