{"id":69769,"date":"2021-02-23T11:26:24","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T18:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=69769"},"modified":"2021-09-21T13:36:39","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T20:36:39","slug":"daughters-of-darkness-1971","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=69769","title":{"rendered":"Daughters of Darkness (1971)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Love can be stronger than life &#8212; stronger, even, than death.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Poster-196x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"196\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-69770\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Poster-196x300.png 196w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Poster-670x1024.png 670w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Poster-84x128.png 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Poster-177x270.png 177w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Poster.png 719w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen a sadistic man (John Karlen) and his beautiful new wife (Danielle Ouimet) stop at a nearly deserted Belgian inn on their way back home, they meet a mysteriously ageless woman (Delphine Seyrig) and her loyal companion (Andrea Rau), who seem deeply interested in befriending the couple.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Delphine Seyrig Films<\/li>\n<li>Horror Films<\/li>\n<li>Lesbianism<\/li>\n<li>Newlyweds<\/li>\n<li>Vampires <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that &#8220;Belgian writer-director Harry Kumel&#8217;s English-language lesbian vampire film is among the most stylish of horror films and probably the most perverse.&#8221; He argues that this &#8220;cult film is flawed, yet it masterfully combines traditional horror elements with outrageous, often ludicrous wit; and no other horror film can match the eroticism that pervades every scene.&#8221; He adds that &#8220;it&#8217;s a rare horror film with social relevance: it more than expressed feminist themes &#8212; it actually had a decidedly anti-male attitude, despite being made by men.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Rau-Seyrig.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Rau-Seyrig-1024x616.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"385\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69779\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Rau-Seyrig-1024x616.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Rau-Seyrig-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Rau-Seyrig-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Rau-Seyrig-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Rau-Seyrig-449x270.png 449w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Rau-Seyrig.png 1196w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The film centers on Seyrig&#8217;s character, who &#8220;claims to be <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory\">Elizabeth Bathory<\/a> &#8212; the name of the &#8216;Bloody Countess&#8217; who lived and murdered scores of virgins for their blood three centuries before&#8221; and is played by Seyrig &#8220;with the sense of irony and melancholia that we associate with the roles of Seyrig&#8217;s friend Marlene Dietrich&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-Drink.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-Drink-1024x616.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"385\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69781\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-Drink-1024x616.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-Drink-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-Drink-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-Drink-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-Drink-449x270.png 449w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-Drink.png 1196w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary notes that &#8220;like Stephanie Rothman&#8217;s similarly plotted <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=99\"><em>The Velvet Vampire<\/em><\/a>, this vampire film shows that female vampires can win over a woman completely through the unbeatable combination of willpower, mind control, and sex appeal.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>Peary goes on to write that the &#8220;film contains horror-movie conventions &#8212; mist, too-loud suspense music, bloody violence, vampires who cast no reflections, don&#8217;t drink alcohol, and peer into bedroom windows from balconies &#8212; but Kumel (influenced by former friend Josef von Sternberg) handles nothing conventionally&#8221;, instead cleverly using &#8220;sound, music, his wonderful sets, colors (especially red):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Red.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Red-1024x616.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"385\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69777\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Red-1024x616.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Red-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Red-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Red-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Red-449x270.png 449w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Red.png 1196w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; clothes, character placement, and weird camera angles (often he shoots from above, or at a great distance to convey the terrible isolation <em>each<\/em> character feels).&#8221; Peary elaborates upon his <em>GFTFF<\/em> review in <em>Cult Movies 2<\/em>, where he notes that the &#8220;film can be intentionally silly&#8221;, &#8220;downright horrifying&#8221;, or &#8220;utterly outrageous, in a macabre sort of way&#8221; &#8212; then shift to being &#8220;surreal, as in the magnificent shot of Elisabeth surrounding Valerie [Ouimet] with her cape as they stand on a cliff, the full moon shining behind them.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Cape.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Cape-1024x616.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"385\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69772\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Cape-1024x616.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Cape-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Cape-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Cape-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Cape-449x270.png 449w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Cape.png 1196w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>He argues that while this &#8220;may be a wicked film&#8221;, and &#8220;it is no gem&#8221;, he finds it &#8220;sexy, imaginative, amusing, and undeniably fun.&#8221; While I acknowledge Peary&#8217;s appreciation for <em>Daughters of Darkness<\/em>, I can&#8217;t say I feel the same way. This films seems to me to be all style and no substance, and I honestly don&#8217;t understand the &#8220;point&#8221; (which I know is probably asking too much of a vampire film). Very little actually <em>happens<\/em>, other than ongoing seductions and killings. Intriguing narrative threads &#8212; i.e., Karlen calling home to his &#8220;mother&#8221; (Fons Rademakers) &#8212; are introduced, then dropped:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Mother.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Mother-1024x616.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"385\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69776\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Mother-1024x616.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Mother-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Mother-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Mother-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Mother-449x270.png 449w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Mother.png 1196w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and the lead characters are either unlikable or not particularly sympathetic (i.e., we don&#8217;t learn enough about Ouimet to relate to her). While fans of vampire flicks will surely want to check this one out, it&#8217;s not must-see viewing for all film fanatics.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Delphine Seyrig as Elisabeth Bathory<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-1024x616.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"385\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69773\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-1024x616.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig-449x270.png 449w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Seyrig.png 1196w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine cinematography and set design<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Still3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Still3-1024x616.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"385\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69774\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Still3-1024x616.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Still3-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Still3-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Still3-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Still3-449x270.png 449w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Daughters-of-Darkness-Still3.png 1196w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though fans of the genre will of course want to check it out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0067690\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1971\/05\/29\/archives\/film-artistic-vampires.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/horror\/daughters-of-darkness-1971.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=91\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/daughters-of-darkness-1972\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Love can be stronger than life &#8212; stronger, even, than death.&#8221; Synopsis: When a sadistic man (John Karlen) and his beautiful new wife (Danielle Ouimet) stop at a nearly deserted Belgian inn on their way back home, they meet a mysteriously ageless woman (Delphine Seyrig) and her loyal companion (Andrea Rau), who seem deeply interested in befriending the couple. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Delphine Seyrig Films Horror Films Lesbianism Newlyweds Vampires Response to Peary\u2019s Review: Peary writes that &#8220;Belgian&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=69769\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=69769"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76340,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69769\/revisions\/76340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=69769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=69769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=69769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}