TWINS OF DRACULA
UK, 1970, 87 minutes, Colour.
Peter Cushing, Madeline and Mary Collinson, Kathleen Byron, Dennis Price.
Directed by John Hough.
Twins of Dracula achieved a certain notoriety at the beginning of the 1970s by receiving an X Certificate. It was in the long tradition of Hammer Films with the focus on horror with the touch of the erotic. This time Peter Cushing is not Van Helsing, pursuing Dracula, but Gustav Weil, a local puritanical leader in a village in Austria in the 17th century. The brotherhood is dedicated to stamping out vampires. In the meantime, Count Karnstein is interested in the occult and is transformed into a vampire. He pursues the two nieces of Gustav Weil, one becoming a vampire lover, the other becoming the instrument of his destruction. The twins of Dracula are played by Playboy models Mary and Madeleine Collinson.
Peter Cushing is at home in this kind of horror film. He is supported by Kathleen Byron as his wife.
The film was written by Tudor Gates who also wrote The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire at this time and wrote the screenplay for Roger Vadim’s Barbarella. Decision is by John Hough who began his career in television (with episodes of series like The Avengers) and moved into films with The Legend of Hell House and Treasure Island. He went somewhat upmarket with Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry and Brass Target. However, his main work continued in television.
1. How does this film rate as a Vampire horror film? Why?
2. The film blends two horror strands: Puritan witch-hunting and Karnstein vampirism. Which strand is the more interesting in this film? Why?
3. How ell were the Vampire elements handled - Karnstein, the
sacrificial blood-rite, the incarnation pf Mircalla, the vampirising of the Count and of Frieda, Frieda's murders, her substitution by Maria, the, final decapitation and piercing of the Count?
4. What is the meaning of the Vampire legend? Why did it originate? Why has it become so popular recently? Is it a healthy interest?
5. How important was the character of Gustav Weil for the film? What kind of man was he? Why did he stand for righteousness? What was the purpose of the Brotherhood? How were they shown as being, evil in their righteousness?
6. What was the significance of the substitution of the twins at the fire? - to all intents and purposes, good and evil look alike on the surface : Evil is within. The Brotherhood looked only at the surface.
7. The Brotherhood were fanatics; so were the Vampires - what comment on the evil of fanaticism did the film make?
8. Comment on the sets, the use of light and darkness, - colours - especially fire - for the success of the film. Their Gothic Castle
is necessary; what of the puritan meeting-house, costumes, the rides through the woods, Weil's house and Peter Cushing’s performance as Weil?
9. Was this a good horror film? Why?
