'Vampyros Lesbos' is one of the high points of 1970s exploitation movies. This movie has something for everybody! Vampires, gratuitous nudity, violence, pretentious symbolism, some aesthetically pleasing scenery and camera work, all bound together by one of the most unique genre-busting rock scores ever, chock full of fuzz guitars and electric sitar.
Whether it is the story, the atmosphere, the camera, the scenery, the beautiful women, or the famous psychedelic soundtrack, Vampyros Lesbos is Jess Franco's masterpiece. Is not one of his greatest films, it is certainly up there among his memorable ones, both for its cult-value as one of the essential Lesbian Vampire flicks of the 70s and for its surreal atmosphere.
This is a different type of vampire movie. Even though the script is weak or perhaps the subtitles to English are not totally accurate, the movie manages to deliver a sheer of brilliance for 90 minutes. Spanish director Jess Franco captured so many details in this movie to make it a classic in the genre.
The imagery and foreshadowing are elements that he knew how to handle and adapt to his movie.
The plot is, of course, secondary. Linda Westinghouse (Ewa Strömberg), a foxy blonde female lawyer, has recurring dreams of lesbian experiences with a mysterious beauty (Soledad Miranda)... As said, Miss Miranda is doubtlessly the greatest quality of the film. The other female cast members are also beautiful and (as usual for Franco films) extremely exhibitionist, but Soledad Miranda is simply too beautiful to be true. Sexy, seductive, and dangerous, it is tragic how this beautiful actress died so early.
As in other Franco films, the gorgeous Soledad Miranda enlightens the screen and delivers the best performance in her short career by portraying Countess Nadine Carody; Count Dracula's widow, a vampiress thirsty for female blood and full of anger against men. Not much in the way of horror but enjoyable.
My Rating
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