Director – Harry Kumel (The Legend of Doom House, Paradise Lost)
Starring – Delphine Seyrig (A Doll’s House, Diary of a Suicide), John Karlen (Dark Shadows, House of Dark Shadows), and Danielle Ouimet (Vital Signs, Dominique)
Release Date – 1971
Rating – 3/5
Blu Release – 4/5
A few days before Halloween I walked to my post office to check the mail when I found a good sized package from my friends over at MVD. Mail has been somewhat slow the last few weeks with Covid, which is understandable, but I was real excited to see what they had sent my way. The first film was Live Feed from the late Ryan Nicholson.
However, the second film in the box was the movie I was the most excited for. This was the 4K release of Daughters of Darkness from Blue Underground. I absolutely love BU and this one I had never seen before. Their previous 4K releases were phenomenal so I couldn’t wait to dig in. I want to thank MVD and BU for sending this one over!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a newlywed couple who vacation to an extravagant hotel. The newly married husband has a taste for the macabre with a little flair for sadism. Their honeymoon takes a weird turn when a stranger, Countess Bathory, arrives at the hotel with her beautiful servant. A string of murders coincide with the countess’ arrival and soon the young couple is thrust in the middle of a bloody nightmare. **Spoiler Alert**
When I talk about Blue Underground with genre fans films like Zombie, Maniac, and House by the Cemetery are movies that usually come up in conversation. Blue Underground has a knack for releasing some of the more bloodier horror films but I knew Daughters of Darkness wouldn’t be like those. I was right but I was not expecting a horror film with such an amazing atmosphere and tone. I was really impressed by this gothic horror tale set in a more contemporary setting.
The acting in this one is a little uneven but solid. Delphine Seyrig steals every scene she is in. She does a fantastic job as the countess and makes the movie what it is. The supporting cast is decent but no one delivers the performance that she does. The scale is definitely tipped in her way.
The story for this one is a little on the weak side but it does play on the classic vampire mythos while dating itself to the 70s instead of the typically gothic era like other vampire films of the time. What makes this film so entertaining is the how the characters drive the story. The plot points are scattered throughout the film and the characters, along with their interactions with one another, are what moves the story along. This is how a movie should be told instead of events taking place and having the cast react to it.
Finally, the film has some light blood but for those of you looking for amazing practical effects and unforgettable gore will be very disappointed. Overall, Daughters of Darkness is a well made horror tale about social class and vampires. The movie does have a few dull moments but the characters make it worth watching. This 4K release from Blue Underground looks fantastic and the new artwork for the film is gorgeous. The video and audio quality is damn near perfect. I highly suggest grabbing this one for your collections!
Special Features:
WORLD PREMIERE! New 4K Restoration from the long-lost original 35mm camera negative, supervised and approved by Director Harry Kümel
Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) and HD Blu-ray (1080p) Widescreen 1.66:1 Feature Presentation
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: 5.1 DTS-HD; English: 1.0 DTS-HD; French: 1.0 DTS-HD
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, English for French Audio
Audio Commentary #1 with Co-Writer/DirectorHarry Kümel
Audio Commentary #2 with Star John Karlen and Journalist David Del Valle
NEW!Audio Commentary #3 with Kat Ellinger, Author of Devil s Advocates: Daughters of Darkness
Locations of Darkness – Interviews with Co-Writer/Director Harry Kümel and Co-Writer/Co-Producer Pierre Drouot
Playing the Victim – Interview with Star Danielle Ouimet
Daughter of Darkness – Interview with Star Andrea Rau
NEW! Theatrical Trailers
Radio Spots
NEW! Alternate U.S. Main Titles
NEW! Poster & Still Gallery
BONUS! DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by François de Roubaix
BONUS!Collectible Booklet with new essay by Michael Gingold
BONUS!3D Lenticular Slipcover (First Pressing Only)
REGION FREE
