As Filhas de Drácula

In my opinion a Hammer Vampire Classic. It's early 70's, so Hammer Studios are mixing blood sucking with naked buxom wenches. Prior to this, punters had to be content with heaving bosoms, rather than the full monty.

This is the 3rd part of the Karnstein Trilogy, with Vampire Lovers and Lust For A Vampire being the other movies in the series. They are all a similar take on the same story - Vampire Lovers has a lesbian flavour, and Lust For A Vampire is set in a finishing school for girls. All have the Karnstein family as the predatory vampires in one form or another.

Twins Of Evil has Playmates Mary and Madeleine Collinson in the title roles, the twist being one is good and one evil. The evil one is drawn to the roguish Count on the hill, and falls prey to his blood-sucking tendencies. Meanwhile, Uncle Gustav (Peter Cushing) is hunting down suspected witches in a puritanical fervor, leading to him doubting the purity of his twin nieces. Satanic undertones and a love interest with handsome Anton Hoffer are thrown in to keep the movie rolling along.

Hammer Horror Films are always full of great sets, costumes and stirring music (usually re-used from the previous five movies) and this scores high on all three. The Collinson twins are better Playmates than actresses, but fill their parts and costumes magnificently. Peter Cushing had just lost his wife, and his acting has a harder edge to it than normal - perhaps due to this sad loss.

Anything from the 70's is going to look a bit dated now, but I think that Hammer got the Gothic feel and sex-horror mix about right with this fine outing. It's a Midnight Matinee vampire romp that should not disappoint.

Hammer has a lucky to be able to make this movie after the British movies raise age allowing from 16 to 18 years old to show more nudity scenes as gory neither, was the sexual revolution that gave an upgrade and freedom, after a strong wave of liberalism from Europe, then Twins of Evil was made with two premises, firstly the Brotherhood of the Puritans leading by the bigot Gustav Weil (Peter Cushing) whom pursuit young women supposedly by practice of witchcraft and burning all them at fire without mercy, in other hand the Count Karnstein (Damien Thomas) protect by the Emperor stays free to get their victms, Mircalla arose from the grave, just to justified the trilogy's name, in fact she wasn't in the plot, then appears on the little village a gorgeous twins Sister from Italy after lost her father, Frieda and Maria (the Maltese Collinson sisters) a soft sexploitation picture has just few scenes cut by censorship, the candle a dared suggestive scene and the when Frieda bites a woman breast, the DVD bring all scenes in fullness as conceived at this time, also some front nudity showing pubes, one greatest movies from Hammer fully restored !!!

Resume:

First watch: 2015 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.75

Mary and Madeleine Collinson play the title roles, and Peter Cushing and Damien Thomas are Protector and Tempter, respectively. The plot: in the 18th century a Vampire has terrorized the village for centuries. Members of the local church respond by going around and burning women as witches. The title girls arrive in the village and cause havoc, possibly because of their cleavage. One Twin is more Evil than the other; the viewer can predict the plot from there.

Vampire lore was changed to fit the filmmakers needs. Alert viewers will notice one Huge verbal mistake , and at least one visual goof.

The women under 40 are well endowed, and show as much cleavage as allowed. The color is more subdued than in some Hammer films. The gore is bright as ever, ketchup/catsup and red paint substituting for blood.

Not bad, but not essential horror viewing.

Gustav Weil (Peter Cushing) is the leader of a rampaging vigilante group determined to eradicate vampires and witches. Weil's job is complicated when his twin nieces move in with him, and one of them is attracted to the local bloodsucker. Frieda and Maria (Madeleine and Mary Collinson) discover the allure of sinister aristocrat Count Karnstein (Damien Thomas), and he unleashes the evil inherent in one of them ... but can Weil tell which one?

Netflix says this film features "busty teenage orphans". Not sure what to make of that. I guess it is true they do spend part of the time laying around in low-cut nightgowns, and another time the nightgown of one comes open when a crucifix is thrown at her, and they were Playboy models, but is this the selling point of the film?

From director John Hough ("Legend of Hell House"), based off of "Camilla" and being a Hammer Production, you know this is going to be good. Not sure what to make of the black servant who grunts and gesticulates wildly, being treated like Lassie, though.

Some reviews stress the way this film "tears" the audience: you do not want to root for the vampire, but you also do not want to side with the puritan. I thought the decision was pretty easy, but maybe some people get torn on issues like this.

Filmed on the same set as the better-known "Vampire Circus", this one is not to be missed. Really, any time Peter Cushing fights vampires is not to be missed.

Hammer movies seem to divide horror fans. You either dig them or you don't, and I most certainly do! In my opinion even the weaker movies from that studio are still worth a look, and 'Twins Of Evil' is one of the better ones, and therefore essential viewing. It may not be as great as 'The Vampire Lovers', which it has a tenuous link to (it isn't really a "sequel" as such but also deals with the wicked Karnstein family, so if you haven't seen the former, don't sweat it), but it's still damn entertaining. Horror legend and Hammer regular Peter Cushing puts in a strong performance as the overly zealous witchfinder Gustav Weil. He always can be depended upon to take the material seriously, sometimes more seriously than it deserves. The Collinson twins who play his nieces are pretty and can act adequately, but show nowhere near as much flesh as you might expect. They may be the stars according to the title of the movie but are easily overshadowed by Cushing and cult figures Dennis Price (Franco's 'Vampyros Lesbos', the Vincent Price black comedy 'Theatre Of Blood') and David Warbeck (Fulci's 'The Black Cat' and 'The Beyond', and Russ Meyer's little seen 'Blacksnake!'). The rest of the supporting cast are all fine, especially Damien Thomas as the decadent Count Karnstein. As I said 'Twins Of Evil' didn't impress me as much as 'The Vampire Lovers' which I still think is THE Hammer vampire classic, but along with 'Vampire Circus' it is an underrated movie that deserves to be seen by every horror buff. Director John Hough incidentally went on to make the frightening 'Legend Of Hell House' and the cult Peter Fonda road movie 'Dirty Mary Crazy Larry'. 'Twins Of Evil' is yet another solid effort from the much loved Hammer studios.