“Genre rules” seem to be most common in zombie and
vampire films, and it’s with these particular genres that breaking the “rules”
ends up being the most controversial. Yet, these so called rules are
non-existent, and filmmakers can do whatever they want. Of course, the big risk
with breaking too many rules is that so many people will already hate the movie
before/without even bothering to see it. On the other hand, sticking with the
rules and relying too heavily on clichés is too easy and contributes to
oversaturation of a genre. I personally enjoy the best of both worlds, classic
and innovative, the best of the old with the best of the new. Give me what I
came for, but surprise me too. Clichés are important but more for the sake of
maintaining a basis of familiarity.
Harry
Kümel’s emblematic, chic, and sensual vampire seduction Daughters of Darkness falls somewhere
in the middle ground between familiar and different. It probably isn’t even
worth mentioning the many parallels between this movie and The Blood Spattered Bride or The
Shiver of the Vampires, other than to note they were made around the same
time and manage to be so different from one another, even though they tell
similar stories. They all contain a common sapphic vampire story that owes a
lot to Sheridan Le Fanu’s novel Carmilla, which was adapted a year
earlier with The Vampire Lovers in
1970 and ten years before that with Blood
and Roses.
