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La Maîtresse du vampire

Original title: L'amante del vampiro
  • 1960
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
724
YOUR RATING
La Maîtresse du vampire (1960)
Horror

A troupe of beautiful young dancers find themselves stranded in a sinister, spooky old castle, not knowing that it is home to a group of vampires.A troupe of beautiful young dancers find themselves stranded in a sinister, spooky old castle, not knowing that it is home to a group of vampires.A troupe of beautiful young dancers find themselves stranded in a sinister, spooky old castle, not knowing that it is home to a group of vampires.

  • Director
    • Renato Polselli
  • Writers
    • Renato Polselli
    • Giuseppe Pellegrini
    • Ernesto Gastaldi
  • Stars
    • Hélène Rémy
    • Tina Gloriani
    • Walter Brandi
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    724
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Renato Polselli
    • Writers
      • Renato Polselli
      • Giuseppe Pellegrini
      • Ernesto Gastaldi
    • Stars
      • Hélène Rémy
      • Tina Gloriani
      • Walter Brandi
    • 25User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos48

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    Top cast16

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    Hélène Rémy
    Hélène Rémy
    • Luisa
    • (as Helene Remy)
    Tina Gloriani
    • Francesca
    Walter Brandi
    Walter Brandi
    • Herman
    Isarco Ravaioli
    • Luca
    Gino Turini
    • Giorgio
    • (as John Turner)
    Pier Ugo Gragnani
    • Il professore
    • (as Ugo Gragnani)
    Brigitte Castor
    Lut Maryk
    Ombretta Ostenda
    Bava Sanni
    Marisa Quattrini
    Giorgio Braccesi
    Titti Valeri
    Stefania Sabatini
    Franca Licastro
    María Luisa Rolando
    • La contessa Alda
    • (as Maria Luisa Rolando)
    • Director
      • Renato Polselli
    • Writers
      • Renato Polselli
      • Giuseppe Pellegrini
      • Ernesto Gastaldi
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews25

    5.6724
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    Featured reviews

    7curtis_in_slc

    A refreshingly surreal departure from typical vampire fare

    Despite its obvious shortcomings...this early 60's Italian horror film is compelling for reasons other than ranking high on the fright index. The Vampire and The Ballerina is frankly anything but horrifying for the most part. Although, the expressionistic black and white photography lends the film a surreal and hypnotic quality that can't be dismissed. This is NOT your classical vampire flick. Thank God. Having endured the relentless tedium of countless Hammer vampire horror films, I can be grateful for that fact alone. No, the performances are not stellar but given the cheesecake Euro-babe thrust of the movie, they didn't have to be. The convoluted storyline is something David Lynch would appreciate. And so is the fixation on visual imagery such as the storm winds whipping those mysterious trees repeatedly whenever there is a hint of menace. The effective contrasts of shadow and light throughout the film does create a certain surreal moodiness that renders the need to frighten meaningless. It was simply enough for this viewer to be swept away by a tide of tight black leotards and fishnet stockings. A fetishistic confession? Perhaps...although what red-blooded vampire could possibly resist the urge to pray on a troupe of jazz-dancing nymphets posing as ballerinas?
    thomandybish

    cheesey Italian horror mess

    The first time I saw THE VAMPIRE AND THE BALLERINA, it was in an 8-millimeter version that belonged to my cousin(remember the old 8 and Super 8 millimeter versions of old movies you could buy at K-mart and show on your folks home movie projectors?)That abbreviated version only included the final scene, and honestly, that was the best part of this Italian-made horror cheapie that obviously filled out many a drive-in double feature or "shock theater" spooky show on independant television. A troupe of dancers come to a spooky medieval castle for . . . some reason. It's not clear. At any rate, they're accompanied by several males: a choreographer, a male dancer, and a boyfriend(if I remember). The next door neighbors in the ajoining castle are a strange, imperious woman and her male servant who, in his more interesting moments, turns into a mouldering, rubber-faced vampire. But who are they really? Is the woman the master of the vampire, or the vampire the master of the woman? The vampire attacks one of the dancers(the "ballerina" of the title)and makes her his slave, which leads two of the male characters to chase the vampire and the mysterious lady to a thrilling rooftop climax! Inbetween there's lots of nonsensical action, such as dialogue with long meaningful pauses, sequences in which the dancers are alternately chased or are following people, usually traversing steep banks in stiletto heels, and dance rehearsal scenes in which nary a hint of a ballerina is seen--unless all ballerinas rehearse by doing cartwheels and interpretive dance moves while wearing black leotards and character shoes. Go figure. If you rent this thing, fast forward to the last ten minutes. Therein lies the payoff.
    8HumanoidOfFlesh

    Arguably the first Italian horror movie of early 60's.

    A group of sultry Italian ballerinas is terrorized by the vampire and his countess Lucia in an old and dusty castle."The Vampire and the Ballerina" is arguably the first Italian horror movie of early 60's.Mario Bava's immortal "Black Sunday" went into production three months later.The film is worth seeing for its vintage B&W atmosphere,a subtly erotic elements and glorious Gothic mood.All the ladies are strikingly beautiful and there is some tame bloodsucking action.Actually one of the dancers is a very young Femi Benussi."The Vampire and the Ballerina" was shot in Piccolomini castle built in 1470 on the remains of a previous fortified structure and now surrounded by a wonderful green park.If you are a fan of Italian horror watch this stylish mood piece as soon as possible.8 out of 10.
    7EdgarST

    The Vampires and the Ballerinas

    Seen 54 years after its initial release "L'amante del vampiro" (1960) was a most pleasant surprise, a good horror film that introduced vampires with fangs into the golden age of Italian "cinéma fantastique", including (and often mixing) horror, péplum, spy spoof, comic-book heroes, giallo, and even science-fiction. When discussing this film directed by Renato Polselli, most sources indicate the influence of Terence Fisher's "Dracula" (United Kingdom, 1958), but I would say that Fernando Méndez's "El vampiro" (Mexico, 1957) was also a source of inspiration: the constant irruption of the Italian vampire (Walter Brandi) into the house of the ballerinas, is evocative of the menacing presence of a Eastern European vampire in the Mexican hacienda. It is evident that the financial resources were scarce, but this little film was made with conviction, imagination and a lot of humor. I suppose the erotic elements came mostly from Polselli, who would eventually direct a few pornographic films: in this case he handled them with the typical restraint of mainstream cinema of its day, but they are by no means deprived of sensuality. First, the film includes two welcome dance sequences, one even emerging from the beautiful ballerinas' sudden inspiration. Any dance academy would love to have this kind of students, who are good-looking, suggestive, dance well and can choreograph themselves! Then there is the vampire baroness (Maria Luisa Lombardo), a lady constantly in heat, even when she is wearing medieval gowns; while the erotic undercurrent rises whenever hunk Gino Turini (as Giorgio, the choreographer) appears bare chested, in bathing suits or in bed with his lover. The most sensual moment though, is when ballerina Luisa (Hélène Remy) moves ardently in bed, waiting for the vampire to arrive. The castle used as the vampires' lair is superb, with actors obviously working in very cold conditions; the black and white cinematography is a big plus, and even the ugly vampire's evident mask points to one important plot element. But I believe that the great strength of "L'amante del vampiro" is the music by Aldo Piga, even if some find it annoying. He not only added rhythm to scenes shot at a slow pace, but he also did a great job combining suspenseful contemporary music with a portentous and dramatic score that magnifies the terror described. Renato Polselli was not the most inspired director, yes, and it shows that he handled the material just adequately. But everybody involved in this production contributed more than the usual quota of professionalism and enthusiasm, and I believe that this is what has contributed to make "L'amante del vampiro" an attractive and interesting horror work up to this day.
    7goblinhairedguy

    Campy-cool Gothic antics

    Here's an early entry in the Italian horror revival of the 60s, following on the heels of Freda's "I Vampiri". It fits in well with the contemporaneous Gothics "The Playgirls and the Vampire", "Slaughter of the Vampires", etc., but is more superficial and haphazardly constructed. Most horror buffs have dismissed it as a clumsy imitation of its cinematic cousins. As proved by his later, supremely bizarre contributions to the horror genre, Polselli was a hack with no interest in continuity or story structure, but he certainly could sustain a ferociously obsessional, surrealistic atmosphere, and this title can be quite hypnotic despite its poor make-up and effects and relentless lack of narrative drive.

    On the other hand, if you're a fan of kitschy early-60s Euro-chic, then by all means check this one out (if you can find it -- it only seems available on hazy grey-market copies that may have been clipped of brief sights of nudity and lasciviousness). The proceedings come to a halt every so often to allow the (supposedly classical) ballet troupe of leggy, leotard-clad bambinas an opportunity to break into sultry, acrobatic jazz ballet (shades of Chicago and Cabaret), to some mind-bending cocktail lounge music. It's as if José Benazeraf checked in one afternoon as guest director on a Bava picture! Definitely a cheeky, retro-chic cross-pollination, along the lines of "The Hands of Orlac" (remake) and "Death on the Four Poster".

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Casting for the film involved Gino Turini who put in part of the money for the film and Hélène Rémy as the film was originally going to be a co-production deal with France. Writer Ernesto Gastaldi once noted that the casting of Tina Gloriani was due to her being the director's lover at the time.
    • Goofs
      Girl dancing with chair in vampire number has a snag in her hose.
    • Quotes

      Giorgio: [to ballerinas] There's a vampire in the area! Wear strings of garlic and crucifixes!

    • Connections
      Featured in Shiver & Shudder Show (2002)

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    FAQ13

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 29, 1963 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • Italy
    • Language
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • The Vampire and the Ballerina
    • Filming locations
      • LUCE Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy
    • Production company
      • Consorzio Italiano Film (CIF)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 25m(85 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1(original ratio)
      • 1.66 : 1

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