The Karnstein Trilogy
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The Karnstein Trilogy of vampire films were produced by Hammer Films, and were notable at the time for being somewhat daring in explicitly depicting lesbian themes. All three films were scripted by Tudor Gates. The films in the trilogy are:
- The Vampire Lovers (1970), featuring British actress Ingrid Pitt as the lesbian vampire Mircalla Karnstein otherwise known as Carmilla. The film was based on the 1872 novella Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. This film is considered the closest adaptation of the story and is among the most popular.
- Lust for a Vampire (1971), featuring Danish born actress Yutte Stensgaard as Mircalla. The film is a loose sequel to The Vampire Lovers.
- Twins of Evil (1972), featuring Damien Thomas as Mircalla's descendant, the evil Count Karnstein. Mircalla herself, played by German actress Katya Wyeth, appears only briefly. The plot revolves around two sisters Frieda and Maria Gellhorn (played by twin Playboy Playmates Mary Collinson and Madeleine Collinson). It is often considered a prequel, as the Karnstein family is still portrayed as living and the set design and costumes give the film a 17th Century look and feel. Critical reception of this film, especially in comparison to The Vampire Lovers varies widely.
A planned fourth film in the series, variously announced as Vampire Virgins and Vampire Hunters, never went beyond the early draft stage.
Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter mentions the Karnstein family, and is sometimes considered part of the same continuity.
The vampirology of Hammer's Karnstein films is different from that of the Dracula series, as the Karnstein vampires can walk about it daylight and are immune to fire.
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