If all bloodsuckers were like Carmilla Karnstein, the luscious blonde vampette in Lust for a Vampire, we wouldn't have any need for Buffy. Lust for a Vampire has a reputation as a B-grade Hammer film (which is like being a C-grade Hollywood flick), but really it's a wry, energetic, and fun example of the heaving bosom school of old fashioned gothic horror.

The film opens with a good old-fashioned virgin sacrifice and a nifty vampire resurrection. Before long we meet novelist Richard Lestrange (Michael Johnson), who arrives in a small European town only to discover the colorful locals terrified of a vampire legend. He visits a spooky castle, fortuitously situated next to a finishing school for nubile little Euro-skanks. Our lecherous hero makes googly eyes at the students, particularly Carmilla (Swedish starlet Yutte Stensgaard) who has a secret (albeit one that isn't kept secret from us): She's a vampire. Her vampire family consists of the former residents of that castle, including Count Karnstein (Mike Raven, a Christopher Lee knock-off).

A variety of kooky scenarios fills much of the film's modest running time, including a great performance from Ralph Bates as the Renfield-like school teacher and another, more subtle turn from the charming Suzanna Leigh as the Grecian gym teacher and the film's straight woman. The fiery finale leaves the film in a somewhat ambiguous position, but ninety minutes of sarcastic asides, blood-shot eyes, psychedelically tinted dream sequences, and lesbian neck-biting make Lust for a Vampire more than just a pop-cult artifact.

VIDEO:
The widescreen anamorphic video is surprisingly good. The colors are strong while retaining that earthy Hammer look. The print is amazingly clean and the transfer is crisp and expertly handled.

AUDIO:
The Dolby Digital mono soundtrack is also a nice surprise. It features bold production and vibrant music. Dialog is clear and the mix makes the most of mono's strengths.

EXTRAS:
This disc also features a fine extras section. The commentary track is really a good one. It features the excellently named director Jimmy Sangster and actress Suzanna Leigh, and is moderated by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn. Hearn fills in lots of details about Hammer history while Leigh and Sangster add real insider color. All three have sharp personalities and Leigh's recollections in particular are often very funny. They don't just pay lip-service to the film either, revealing certain weird details, like that close-up shots of Christopher Lee's eyes were used instead of Raven's, leading that actor to storm out of the premiere. In fact, at one point Hearn mentions that Raven, a popular radio personality at the time, had his voice dubbed over by another actor throughout the film, which apparently was news to Sangster, who's involvement with the film ended with the principal photography. A lively and entertaining discussion.

The trailer is pure madness. ("It's the finishing school that really finshes you off!") Radio spots, stills, posters, and bios are also included.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Lust for a Vampire's story is not necessarily new, but its combination of various legends, from Dracula and Frankenstein to old English boarding school dramas and naughty schoolgirl nudies, plus a healthy dose of humor, make it a perfect creaky midnight chiller.