Review: The Blood-Spattered Bride

Maribel Martin has just married Simon Andreu, but when they get to the hotel for their honeymoon and he starts making wedding night advances, she freaks the hell out. Eventually they go back to Andreu’s family estate, and Martin starts to have dreams at night where a beautiful woman entices her to kill Andreu. Before long the couple are running into that woman naked on the beach. She’s Carmilla (Alexandra Basterdo) and she’s got plans in mind for the newlywed couple.

 

Notorious 1972 Spanish version of J. Sheridan Fanu’s Carmilla from writer-director Vincente Aranda doesn’t particularly deliver the goods from a Sapphic vampire perspective. Thankfully it delivers in enough other ways to earn a soft recommendation at the very least. It really could’ve been an exploitation classic, unfortunately the narrative is all over the shop (the reveal of a new teacher comes far too late), the pacing is slow, and as I said it’s not one of the better displays of Sapphic vampirism you’re going to see. Also, epileptics are warned that we get some of the worst strobe lighting FX of all-time. That’s a shame because it’s otherwise a very nicely shot film, somewhere in between Hammer and Jess Franco. The scenery and architecture are especially lovely.

 

More psychological horror than lesbian vampire film, this film does work relatively well on the former level. There’s some really weird shit in this, and the disturbing dynamic between the married couple is interesting and well-done. You also can’t accuse the title of lying, there’s plenty of blood spatter. The performances are all terrific, with Simon Andreu making for a believable entitled prick in particular.

 

Overrated but decent horror film that plays less like a lesbian vampire film than a slow-burn psychological horror film that just happens to have its basis in a famous Sapphic vampire story. Well-acted, well-shot, but if you’re looking for sexy fun you’re better off sticking with “Vampyros Lesbos” or “The Vampire Lovers”.

 

Rating: B- 

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