The Velvet Vampire

Co-writer/director Stephanie Rothman clearly had more on her mind than nude scenes when she fashioned 1971's THE VELVET VAMPIRE.  As Roger Corman was the producer, there are plenty, but this time it fits with the overall logical of the story.  I guess if you reach hard enough you can always make that argument.   Imagine the story conferences, the discussions with producers and actors.  The marketing.  The audience you seek.  Here, Corman again goes for the drive-in crowd.  Unsurprising for a movie about a sexy female vampire.  Could a more high minded feature be made of it?

Yes, and Rothman tries her best, but is expectedly defeated by exploitation pic tropes.  Things that many viewers would consider assets: abysmal acting, abrupt editing, numerous moments where women lose their brassieres.  THE VELVET VAMPIRE is a very old (centuries) and very beautiful bloodsucker named Diane Lefanu (Celeste Yarnall) who lives in an estate way out in the desert with an indigenous manservant, Juan (Jerry Daniels).  She has her own graveyard on the premises, naturally housing her victims, some also very old.  Vampires must feed, of course.  Interestingly, unlike most of the undead, Diane is able to walk without incident in sunlight, but tends to nap at midday.

One night at an L.A. art gallery, Diane meets an attractive but rather dim couple: Lee (Michael Blodgett) and Susan (Sherry Miles).  She immediately invites them to spend a weekend at her secluded hideaway.  It is also immediately clear that there are sparks between Diane and Lee, though is the vampire also sporting designs on Susan?  The couple accept the invitation and the weekend goes pretty much as you would imagine, with some unexpected developments (and lack of development of). 

There is a recurring dream that is shared by the couple - they are making love in a bed in the middle of the desert.  Diane pulls Lee out of the bed.  When the couple awakes, Lee remembers it as if Susan pushed him out of bed.   I was hoping for more psychoanalysis, perhaps with Diane ultimately serving as some kind of therapist.  But this is a (not terribly scary) horror movie, and the gears switch into third by the final stretch.  Prior to and even during, there are several hints of Rothman's original intentions.  The movie oozes with subtext.  As I always say, your mileage will vary.  

The violence is surprisingly mild.  The sexuality borders on the softcore.   THE VELVET VAMPIRE has this seductive vibe that really beguiles.  Hard to explain.  Like someone put Spanish fly in the popcorn, maaaan.  The film is undeniably sexy, moody, and intriguing.  But also dopey, especially when Lee and Susan are onscreen.  Blodgett and Miles deliver terrible performances, often giggle worthy.  That editing I spoke of is also quite frustrating - scenes end without satisfactory resolution, then place the same characters in the next scene as if the previous either didn't happen or they jumped some invisible timeline. 

Yarnall is a formidable villainess, and potential was there to make her truly interesting.  Alas, she is only portrayed as a distillation of sorts.  Still worthy of feminist discourse, as is the film.  It is a shame that Rothman never escaped the world of B-movies.  She could've made something revolutionary in the mainstream, I believe.