Lesbian vampirism is a trope in 20th-century

exploitation film An exploitation film is a film that tries to succeed financially by exploiting current trends, niche genres, or lurid content. Exploitation films are generally low-quality "B movies", though some set trends, attract critical attention, become hi ...

and literature. It was a way to hint at or titillate with the

taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

idea of lesbianism in a

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

context outside the heavily censored realm of

social realism Social realism is the term used for work produced by painters, printmakers, photographers, writers and filmmakers that aims to draw attention to the real socio-political conditions of the working class as a means to critique the power structure ...

Origins and early history

The vampires based in Slavic mythology, the wąpierz, were said to sneak into houses at night and drink the blood of people. Countess

Elizabeth Bathory Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

also inspired the vampire myth, and her victims were all young women. It is believed that these two early additions to vampire lore, real and fictional, have contributed to the mythology of the vampire, in particular an attraction to young, beautiful women present in modern retelling of the vampire mythos. The portrayal of vampires has had sexual connotations since the Victorian era, but during that era it had more to do with demonising sexual behaviour. The women in Victorian era vampire media were often portrayed as sexually transgressive and then punished for said transgressions. As part of this moral panic, the trope of lesbian vampires appeared to reinforce heteronormativity.

'' Carmilla'' and its adaptations

The genre has its roots in Sheridan le Fanu's novella '' Carmilla'' about the love of a female vampire for a young woman:

Sometimes after an hour of apathy, my strange and beautiful companion would take my hand and hold it with a fond pressure, renewed again and again; blushing softly, gazing in my face with languid and burning eyes, and breathing so fast that her dress rose and fell with the tumultuous respiration. It was like the ardour of a lover; it embarrassed me; it was hateful and yet overpowering; and with gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips travelled along my cheek in kisses; and she would whisper, almost in sobs, 'You are mine, you shall be mine, and you and I are one for ever'. (''Carmilla'', Chapter 4).

Carmilla is a constant presence in the protagonist, Laura's life. Her role evolves from mother to lover, though their relationship revolves around Carmilla feeding on Laura. When Carmilla is discovered later in the novella, the story plays on themes of patriarchy and homophobia as Carmilla is seen to be corrupting and tarnishing these young women. ''

Dracula's Daughter ''Dracula's Daughter'' is a 1936 American vampire film, vampire horror film produced by Universal Pictures as a sequel to the 1931 film ''Dracula (1931 English-language film), Dracula''. Directed by Lambert Hillyer from a screenplay by Garrett F ...

'' (1936) gave the first hints of lesbian attraction in a

vampire film Vampire films have been a staple in world cinema since the era of silent films, so much so that the depiction of vampires in popular culture is strongly based upon their depiction in films throughout the years. The most popular cinematic adaptat ...

, in the scene in which the title character, portrayed by

Gloria Holden Gloria Anna Holden (September 5, 1903 – March 22, 1991) was an English-born American film actress, best known for her role as '' Dracula's Daughter''. She often portrayed cold society women. Early life Holden was born in London, England. She ...

, preys upon an attractive girl she has invited to her house to pose for her.Breen, quoted in Worland, Rick (2007). ''The Horror Film: An Introduction''. Blackwell Publishing. . p. 126 Universal highlighted Countess Zaleska's attraction to women in some of its original advertising for the film, using the tag line "Save the women of London from Dracula's Daughter!" Le Fanu's ''Carmilla'' was adapted by

Roger Vadim Roger Vadim Plemiannikov (; 26 January 1928 – 11 February 2000) was a French screenwriter, film director and producer, as well as an author, artist and occasional actor. His best-known works are visually lavish films with erotic qualities, su ...

as ''

Blood and Roses ''Blood and Roses'' (french: Et mourir de plaisir, lit=And die of pleasure) is a 1960 erotic horror film directed by Roger Vadim. It is based on the novella ''Carmilla'' (1872) by Irish writer Sheridan Le Fanu, shifting the book's setting in 1 ...

'' in 1960. ''Terror in the Crypt'' (1964) follows suit, with a portrayal of subtle lesbian attraction between a Karnstein descendant (possessed by Carmilla) and her victim. More explicit lesbian content was provided in Hammer Studios production of

the Karnstein Trilogy The Karnstein Trilogy, a series of vampire films, was produced by Hammer Films. They are notable at the time for their (for the time) daring lesbian storylines. All three films were scripted by Tudor Gates. They are related by vampires of the noble ...

of films loosely adapted from ''Carmilla''. ''

The Vampire Lovers ''The Vampire Lovers'' is a 1970 British Gothic horror film directed by Roy Ward Baker and starring Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing, George Cole, Kate O'Mara, Madeline Smith, Dawn Addams and Jon Finch. It was produced by Hammer Film Productions. ...

'' (1970) was the first, starring

Ingrid Pitt Ingrid Pitt (born Ingoushka Petrov; 21 November 193723 November 2010) was a Polish-British actress and writer best known for her work in horror films of the 1970s. Early life Ingoushka Petrov was born in Warsaw, Poland, one of two daughters ...

and

Madeline Smith Madeline Smith (born 2 August 1949) is an English actress. After working as a model in the late 1960s, she went on to appear in many television series and stage productions, plus comedy and horror films, in the 1970s and 1980s. She is perhaps ...

. It was a relatively straightforward re-telling of LeFanu's novella, but with more overt violence and sexuality. ''

Lust for a Vampire ''Lust for a Vampire'', also known as ''Love for a Vampire'' or ''To Love a Vampire'' (the latter title was the one used on American television), is a 1971 British Hammer Horror film directed by Jimmy Sangster, starring Ralph Bates, Barbara Jef ...

'' (1971) followed, with Yutte Stensgaard as the same character played by Pitt, returning to prey upon students at an all-girls school. This version had her falling in love with a male teacher at the school. ''

Twins of Evil ''Twins of Evil'' (also known as ''Twins of Dracula'') is a 1971 British horror film directed by John Hough and starring Peter Cushing, with Damien Thomas and the real-life identical twins and former ''Playboy'' Playmates Mary and Madeleine ...

'' (1972) had the least "lesbian" content, with one female vampire biting a female victim on the breast. It starred real life identical

twins Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...

and ''Playboy'' Playmates Madeleine and Mary Collinson. Partially due to censorship restraints from the

BBFC The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of fi ...

, Hammer's trilogy actually had fewer lesbian elements as it progressed.

In literature

Charles Busch Charles Louis Busch (born August 23, 1954) is an American actor, screenwriter, playwright and drag queen, known for his appearances on stage in his own camp style plays and in film and television. He wrote and starred in his early plays Off-off- ...

's play '' Vampire Lesbians of Sodom'' is a popular example of the genre. The satirical sketch ran for over five years, making it one of the most successful off-Broadway shows of all time. ''

The Gilda Stories ''The Gilda Stories'' is the 1991 debut novel of American author and activist Jewelle Gomez. Published in 1991, this speculative fiction vampire novel follows the experiences of a black lesbian heroine whose power and morality challenge assumptio ...

'' by

Jewelle Gomez Jewelle Gomez (born September 11, 1948) is an American author, poet, critic and playwright. She lived in New York City for 22 years, working in public television, theater, as well as philanthropy, before relocating to the West Coast. Her writing� ...

features a lesbian who escapes from

slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

in the 1850s and becomes inducted into a group of vampires. The novel won two

Lambda Literary Award Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the "Lammys", are awarded yearly by Lambda Literary to recognize the crucial role LGBTQ writers play in shaping the world. The Lammys celebrate the very best in LGBTQ literature.The awards were instituted i ...

Elfriede Jelinek Elfriede Jelinek (; born 20 October 1946) is an Austrian playwright and novelist. She is one of the most decorated authors writing in German today and was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Literature for her "musical flow of voices and counter-vo ...

's stage play '' Illness or Modern Women'', a modern re-telling of ''Carmilla'', has two lesbian vampires as its protagonists. Emily, a wife and nurse, becomes a vampire and transforms her friend, Carmilla, into a vampire as well. The two become lovers and drink the blood of children. Ultimately, they are hunted down by their husbands and murdered. Among these in a more modern rendition is Pamela Swynford De Beaufort. In both the book series and television adaptation, Pam is portrayed as a bisexual woman who prefers women. Though most of the characters in the ''Southern Vampire Mysteries'' experiment with their sexuality, Pam is one of a dozen that falls into the LGBT category, including Sophie-Anne Leclerq and Tara Thornton, among others.

In film and television

Jesús Franco Jesús Franco Manera (12 May 1930 – 2 April 2013) was a Spanish filmmaker, composer, and actor, known as a prolific director of low-budget exploitation and B-movies. In a career spanning from 1959 to 2013, he wrote, directed, produced, act ...

's 1971 horror film '' Vampyros Lesbos'' can be considered one of the most focused

s using the theme of a lesbian vampire. ''Vampyros Lesbos'' was referenced by

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...

in his 1997 movie ''

Jackie Brown ''Jackie Brown'' is a 1997 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, based on Elmore Leonard's 1992 novel '' Rum Punch.'' It stars Pam Grier as Jackie Brown, a flight attendant who is caught smuggling money. Samuel L. Jac ...

''. A more specialized form of vampire lesbianism involves incestuous attraction, either implied or consummated. The 2007 lucha libre film '' Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy'' includes a scene involving identical-twin teenage vampire girls who express their attraction to each other as part of an attempt to lure Mil Mascaras into a three-way encounter that is actually a trap. The genre was also spoofed in the "Lesbian Vampire Lovers of Lust" episode of ''

Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible ''Dr Terrible's House of Horrible'' is a satirical British comedy-horror anthology series created by Graham Duff, who co-wrote the series with Steve Coogan. BBC Two broadcast the series in 2001. ''Dr Terrible's House of Horrible'' spoofs the ...

'', a

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

television series. Recent British vampire film '' Razor Blade Smile'' (1998), which presents itself partly as a series of homages to and clichés from other vampire films, includes an erotic lesbian vampire scene, as well as similar heterosexual episodes. In the 2001 film ''

Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter ''Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter'' is a 2001 Canadian horror film, horror parody film from Odessa Filmworks which deals with Jesus, Jesus Christ's modern-day struggle to protect the lesbians of Ottawa, Ontario, from vampires with the help of Lucha ...

'', Jesus Christ fights vampires to protect lesbians from becoming a vampire. Another spoof of the genre, entitled ''

Lesbian Vampire Killers ''Lesbian Vampire Killers'' is a 2009 British comedy horror film directed by Phil Claydon and written by Stewart Williams and Paul Hupfield. The film stars James Corden and Mathew Horne, with MyAnna Buring, Vera Filatova, Silvia Colloca and ...

'', was released in 2009. ''

Blood of the Tribades ''Blood of the Tribades'' is a 2016 horror film directed by Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein. The script, style, and look are heavily influenced by 1970s Euro lesbian vampire films. The film is distributed in North America on VOD and DVD/B ...

'', released in 2016, is an updated variant on the trope and was described as "a modern take on 70s Euro arthouse and Hammer lesbian vampire movies that...takes on today’s stormy political climate, religious zealotry and gender issues."

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, the historical true-life prototype of the modern lesbian vampire, appears as a character in several films—although not always with the lesbian element—including ''

Daughters of Darkness ''Daughters of Darkness'' is a 1971 erotic horror film directed by Harry Kümel and starring Delphine Seyrig, Danielle Ouimet, John Karlen and Andrea Rau. Plot Stefan Chilton, the son of an aristocratic British family who was raised in the Uni ...

'' (1971) by Belgian director Harry Kumel, Hammer Films' ''

Countess Dracula ''Countess Dracula'' is a 1971 British Hammer horror film based on some of the legends surrounding the Countess Elizabeth Báthory. The film was produced by Alexander Paal and directed by Peter Sasdy, both Hungarian émigrés working in Englan ...

'' (1971), '' Immoral Tales'' (1973) directed by

Walerian Borowczyk Walerian Borowczyk (21 October 1923 – 3 February 2006) was an internationally known Polish film director described by film critics as a 'genius who also happened to be a pornographer'. He directed 40 films between 1946 and 1988. Borowczyk set ...

, '' The Bloody Countess'' (''Ceremonia sangrienta'') (1973) directed by

Jorge Grau Jorge Grau (born Jorge Grau Solá, 27 October 1930 – 26 December 2018) was a Spanish director, scriptwriter, playwright and painter. His 1965 film '' Acteón'' was entered into the 4th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1973, he directed ...

, and ''

Eternal Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to: * Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state * Immortality or eternal life * God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism Comics, film and television * ...

'' (2005).

List of films and television programs

*''

'' (1936) *''

'' (1960) ( French: ''Et mourir de plaisir'', lit. 'And die of pleasure') *''

Castle of Blood ''Castle of Blood'' ( it, Danza Macabra, links=no) is a 1964 horror film directed by Antonio Margheriti and Sergio Corbucci. The film stars Barbara Steele, Arturo Dominici and Georges Rivière. The film was initially commissioned to director Ser ...

'' (1964) (Italian: ''Danza Macabra'') *''Terror in the Crypt'' (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

: ''Crypt of the Vampire'',

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

: ''La cripta e l’incubo'') *'' Le viol du vampire'' (1969) (

: ''The Rape of the Vampire'', also known as ''The Queen of the Vampires'') *''

'' (1970) *''

La Vampire Nue ''La Vampire Nue'' (English: ''The Nude Vampire'', ''The Naked Vampire'') is a 1970 film directed by Jean Rollin. It concerns a suicide cult led by a mysterious man known as "The Master". Plot In a strange laboratory, three men in weird masks ta ...

'' (1970) (

: ''The Nude Vampire'', lit. ''The Naked Vampire'') *''

'' (1971) (also known as ''Love for a Vampire'' or ''To Love a Vampire'') *''

'' (1971) *'' Le frisson des vampires'' (1971) (

: ''The Shiver of the Vampires'', lit. ''The Thrill of the Vampires'') *''

'' (1971) ( French : ''Les Lèvres Rouges'', in Belgium, ''Le Rouge aux Lèvres'' (the former literally translated as ''The Red Lips'' and the latter as ''The Red on the Lips'') and in the Netherlands, ''Dorst Naar Bloed'' (meaning ''Thirst for Blood'') *'' Vampyros Lesbos'' (1971) (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

: ''Las Vampiras'') *''

'' (1971) (also known as ''Twins of Dracula'') *'' The Velvet Vampire'' (1971) (also known as ''Cemetery Girls)'' * ''

The Blood Spattered Bride ''The Blood Spattered Bride'' ( es, La novia ensangrentada, links=no) is a 1972 Spain, Spanish horror film written and directed by Vicente Aranda, based on the 1872 vampire novella ''Carmilla'' by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. It stars Simón Andreu, Ma ...

'' (1972) (

: ''La Novia Ensangrentada lit. The Bloody Bride'') *''Daughter of Dracula'' (1972) ( French: ''La fille de Dracula'') *'' Female Vampire'' (1973) (also known as ''The Bare Breasted Countess)'' *'' Lemora: A Child’s Tale of the Supernatural'' (1973) (also known as ''The Legendary Curse of Lemora'', and ''Lemora, Lady Dracula'') *'' Immoral Tales'' (1973) ( French: ''Contes immoraux'') *'' The Devil's Plaything'' (1973) (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

: ''Der Fluch der schwarzen Schwestern'') *'' Vampyres'' (1974) *''Sexcula'' (1974) *''

Lèvres de sang ''Lèvres de Sang'' (English: ''Lips of Blood'') is a 1975 French horror film directed by Jean Rollin. The film tells the story of a man who begins to have visions of a young woman dressed in white who is locked behind the gates of a château. The ...

'' (1975) (

: ''Lips of Blood'') *''

Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary ''Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary'' is a 1975 horror film directed by Juan López Moctezuma, written by Malcolm Marmorstein, and starring Cristina Ferrare, David Young, and John Carradine. Its plot follows an American artist who discovers she is in fact ...

'' (1975) *'' Alucarda'' (1977) (

: ''Alucarda, la hija de las tinieblas'', or ''Alucarda, the daughter of darkness'') *'' Fascination'' (1979) *'' The Living Dead Girl'' (1982) (

: ''The Living Dead Girl'') *'' The Hunger'' (1983) *''Carmilla'' (1989) *''Blood Countess'' (1992) *'' Nadja'' (1994) *''Red Lips'' (1995) *''The Addiction'' (1995) *''Embrace of the Vampire'' (1995) *''Caress of the Vampire'' (1996) *''Caress of the Vampire 2'' (1996) *'' Razor Blade Smile'' (1998) *''Titanic 2000'' (1999) *''Caress of the Vampire 3: Lust Of The Nightstalker'' (1999) *'' Coming Out'' (2000) *''Barely Legal Lesbian Vampires'' (2003) *''Eternal'' (2004) *''Night Fangs'' (2005) *'' Vampire Diary'' (2007) *''

'' (2009) *'' We Are the Night'' (2010) *''

The Moth Diaries ''The Moth Diaries'' is the debut novel of Rachel Klein, published in 2002. Plot summary At an exclusively girls' boarding school, a 16-year-old unnamed narrator, records her most intimate thoughts in a diary. The object of her growing obses ...

'' (2011) *''

The Unwanted ''The Unwanted'' is a 2014 American thriller film written and directed by Bret Wood. It is based on the novel '' Carmilla'' by Sheridan Le Fanu but was transposed from a Gothic tale set in Austria to a Southern Gothic setting. It stars Christe ...

'' (2014) *''Styria'' (2014) *''

'' (2016) * ''Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?'' (2016) *''The Carmilla Movie'' (2017) *''

Bliss BLISS is a system programming language developed at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) by W. A. Wulf, D. B. Russell, and A. N. Habermann around 1970. It was perhaps the best known system language until C debuted a few years later. Since then, C b ...

'' (2017) *''

Bit The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communications. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represente ...

'' (2019) *'' Carmilla'' (2019) *''Theresa & Allison'' (2019) *'' First Kill'' (2022)

References

External links

"Queer Horror" list of Lesbian vampire films

Pam Keesey's Daughters of Darkness
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesbian Vampire Lesbian fiction Sexuality in fiction Vampires in popular culture LGBT themes in horror fiction Women in horror fiction