The Velvet Vampire (1971)

Thanks for the memories!

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

I wasn't expecting a lot when I sat down to watch this Roger Corman vampire production, but to a degree I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. Director Stephanie Rothman managed to take a low budget and limited resources and made some very memorable moments. There is some real atmosphere here - the desert landscapes are striking, and the horror sequences have (ahem) some bite to them. And the expected scenes of nudity and sex do have a little eroticism to them. Rothman is also helped by some striking cinematography and an excellent musical score. Unfortunately, the movie does have a lead weight attached to it that prevents it from becoming a B movie classic, and that is the script. Even though the movie only runs about eighty minutes in length, the story is padded out to a ridiculous length. What story there is could have been told in half the time. It's hard to believe that it took three screenwriters (including Rothman) to write this extremely thin story. Because of this unsatisfying script, the movie just manages to escape being labelled a cult classic. While I don't regret watching it, in the end the movie is only for a select (and patient) audience.

Sleepy-eyed nice guy Lee Ritter and his vapid, but pretty wife, Susan accept the invitation of mysterious vixen Diane LeFanu to visit her in her secluded desert estate. Tensions arise when the couple, unaware at first that Diane is in reality a centuries-old vampire, realize that they are both objects of the pale temptress' seductions.Like vampires, the movie sucks. Plain and simple. It rambles, is poorly directed and has no purpose. The script is non existent and the costuming laffable.One of the few Roger Corman bombs.BTW the vampires come out in the bright desert sun! Ugh

Sweet Susan Ritter (an appealing performance by adorable blonde Sherry Miles) and her easygoing husband Lee (Michael Blodgett in fine cocky form) accept an invitation from the alluring and enigmatic Diane LeFanu (expertly played to the seductive and entrancing hilt by the gorgeous Celeste Yarnall) to visit her in her secluded dessert estate. However, the couple are unaware that Diane is really a lethal and predatory centuries old bisexual vampire. Director Stephanie Rothman, who also co-wrote the quirky and intriguing script with Charles S. Schultz and Maurice Jules, does an ace job of creating and maintaining a deliriously dreamy and erotic atmosphere, makes excellent use of the arid and isolated setting, and offers some inspired and interesting tweaking of the standard bloodsucker lore (Diane drives a dune buggy in broad daylight, doesn't have fangs, eats raw meat, and can see her reflection in a mirror, but still drinks blood to stay alive and has an aversion to crucifixes). Moreover, Rothman brings an unusual artsy and stylish quality to this movie which in turn gives it its own singular identity (a surreal recurring dream set piece in particular possesses a certain oddly hypnotic pull). The sturdy acting from a capable cast rates as another substantial asset: The three attractive leads all do praiseworthy work (Yarnall especially is quite stunning throughout), Jerry Daniels contributes a solid portrayal of Diane's loyal servant Juan, and biker flick regular Robert Tessier has a cool bit as a -- what else? -- biker. Of course, there's also a pleasing amount of yummy nudity and sizzling soft-core sex. Daniel Lacambre's striking cinematography boasts a few artful dissolves and makes bold use of bright color. The funky jazzy prog-rock score by Roger Dollarhide and Clancy B. Grass III hits the right-on groovy spot. A nicely different 70's drive-in horror winner.

The Velvet Vampire isn't a particularly good film, but it does feature four things in its favor: the alabaster beauty of Celeste Yarnall, here playing sexy desert-dwelling vampire Diane LeFanu; podgy Beyond the Valley of the Dolls veteran Michael Blodgett, cast as dimbulb horndog Lee Ritter; a yellow dune buggy, and a genuinely spectacular score. Credited to Roger Dollarhyde and Clancy B. Grass III, the score is an amazing blend of raga rock, pre-Dark Side of the Moon Floydian atmospherics, Joe Byrd-inflected electronica, and Fahey-esque guitar picking. I don't believe this score has ever had a commercial release, but soundtrack buffs would snap it up in an instant, so if anyone from Trunk Records or Film Score Monthly is reading this, buy the rights! The story revolves around fairly routine bloodsucking stuff, but director Stephanie Rothman's work reflects the influence of Antonioni with scenes reminiscent of both Red Desert and Zabriskie Point. That's something I never thought I'd write about a New World release, but I swear it's true.