Twins of Evil

Infobox Film
name = Twins of Evil
(aka "Daughters of Dracula")


caption = French Poster of "Twins of Evil"
director = John Hough
producer = Michael Style,
Harry Fine
writer = Tudor Gates
based on characters by Sheridan Le Fanu.
starring = Peter Cushing,
Dennis Price,
Mary Collinson
Madeleine Collinson
Damien Thomas
music = Harry Robertson
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = American International Pictures (USA, theatrical),
MGM
released = 1972
runtime = 87 min
country = flagicon|UKUK & flagicon|USAUSA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by = Lust for a Vampire
amg_id = 1:51351
imdb_id = 0069427

"Twins of Evil" is a 1972 horror film by Hammer Film Productions starring Peter Cushing.

It is the third film of The Karnstein Trilogy, based on the vampire tale "Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fanu. The film has the least resemblance to the novel and adds a witchfinding theme to the vampire story. It is sometimes seen as a prequel to The Vampire Lovers, the first film in the Karnstein Trilogy, as the set design and costumes give the film an 18th Century look and feel.

Much of the interest of the film revolves around the contrasting evil and good natures of two beautiful sisters, Frieda and Maria Gellhorn (played by twin Playmates Mary and Madeleine Collinson). Unlike the previous two entries in the series, this film contains only a brief vampire lesbian element.

Synopsis

, abducting several young women at night and burning them at the stake.

Both twins resent the sternness of their uncle and one of them, Frieda, looks for a way to escape. Resenting her uncle, she is driven to resent "good, if doing good is singing hymns and praying all day long" and fascinated by the local Count Karnstein, who has the reputation of being "a wicked man".

.

The Count soon notices the lovely young twins and Frieda, following his invitation, at night steals away to the castle, while Maria covers for the latter's absence. In the castle, the Count invites Frieda to join him in punishing his maid Gerta and bites Frieda, transforming her into a vampire. He then offers Frieda her first victim, which Gerta, chained in his castle. Frieda approaches the girl slowly, then bites Gerta on her breast. Frieda returns home and threatens Maria to keep covering for her nightly excursions but secretly is also afraid that she bite her sister, if she stayed at home.

Meanwhile Maria is more interested in the handsome young teacher, Anton, who is initially more infatuated with the more mysterious Frieda. Anton has studied what he calls "superstition" and though his denunciation of the Brotherhood has made him an enemy of Weill, he advises him that "if vampires exist" he should kill them properly (not by burning at the stake but by a stake through the heart or decapitation). Anton is convinced of the existence of vampires when his sister falls victims to one.

One night, when Frieda attacks a member of the Brotherhood, she is captured by her uncle and put in jail. While the Brotherhood debates, the Count and his servants kidnap Maria and exchange her with Frieda in the cell, so that good Maria will be burned and evil Frieda can cause more havoc. Anton goes to see Maria, not knowing that she is actually Frieda. She tries to seduce him but warned by the lacking reflection in the mirror he fights and defeats her with a cross. Anton rushes to stop the burning, insisting that the bound girl is Maria. She is given a cross, which she kisses, revealing her innocence. Weill is horrified to realize he almost killed an innocent girl.

Weill now listens to Anton's advice and takes some comfort with Anton's insistence that if a vampire has a shred of goodness in their soul (which was hinted at earlier, when Frieda was afraid she could kill her sister), death sends them not to hell but to God. Weill and Anton lead the Brotherhood and villagers up to Karnstein Castle. As the Count learns that the attackers are equipped with crosses, stakes and axes, he tries to sneak out together with Frieda through a secret way. They are surprised by Weill who beheads his niece. Maria, feeling that something has happened to Frieda, searches for her and is captured by the Count, who uses her as a shield. Weill challenges the Count and is killed, but this gives Anton the opportunity to pierce the distracted Count's heart. Anton and Maria are united.

Cast

* Peter Cushing as Gustav Weil
* Kathleen Byron as Katy Weil
* Mary Collinson as Maria Gellhorn
* Madeleine Collinson as Frieda Gellhorn
* David Warbeck as Anton Hoffer
* Damien Thomas as Count Karnstein
* Katya Wyeth as Countess Mircalla
* Roy Stewart as Joachim
* Isobel Black as Ingrid Hoffer
* Harvey Hall as Franz
* Alex Scott as Hermann
* Dennis Price as Dietrich
* Sheelah Wilcox as Lady in Coach
* Inigo Jackson as Woodman
* Judy Matheson as Woodman's Daughter
* Kirsten Lindhol as Young Girl at Stake
* Luan Peters as Gerta
* Peter Thompson as Gaoler

Production

* Both Collinson twins' voices were dubbed.
* Ingrid Pitt was offered the part of Countess Mircalla but she refused.
* The same sets were used for "Vampire Circus".
* Harvey Hall is the only actor to appear in all three films of the Karnstein trilogy, although in different roles in each one. Peter Cushing also played one of the leads in the first first, "The Vampire Lovers", and also Luan Peters, who plays a small role in this film, also appeared in the second film "Lust for a Vampire".

External links

*imdb title|id=0069427|name=Twins of Evil
* [http://taliesinttlg.blogspot.com/2006/06/twins-of-evil-review.html Online Review]