Daughters of Darkness
About the event
New Restoration “There are neither fangs nor longueurs in this sumptuous blend of lesbian vampire flick and European art movie. The casting of Seyrig, trailing memories of Marienbad, is inspired, and her swooning performance bewitches the entire cast.” Nicholas Royle, Time Out A sequined Delphine Seyrig is nothing short of bewitching in Belgian director Harry Kümel’s opulent, erotically charged, and knowingly queer-coded vampire classic. She plays Hungarian countess Elizabeth Báthory (by way of Marlene Dietrich), who insinuates herself into the honeymoon of two Euro-tripping newlyweds, Stefan and Valerie, lodging at a deserted seaside hotel outside Bruges. A string of murdered girls and an ageless beauty casts suspicion on the enigmatic Elizabeth, a descendant (or so she claims) of the blood-bathing Báthory of lore. Meanwhile Stefan, aroused by the death around him, usurps the role of monster. In this, his most famous film, Kümel goes garish on colour, costumes, and sensual close-ups—all functioning in the service of a sapphic Seyrig. The decadent score, its own source of cult appreciation, is by French composer François de Roubaix (Le samouraï). In English Advisory: Daughters of Darkness includes a scene of sexual violence. “An expressly queer film, but the characters are more sexually attracted to chaos than anything … Alongside so many erotic horror films showing cold, brutal femicide, Daughters of Darkness suggests that this time, it is men who should be afraid.” Alexandra Coburn, Screen Slate “Subtle, stately, stunningly coloured, and exquisitely directed … We guarantee that the picture, gliding silkenly into horror, will glue you to your seat.” Howard Thompson, The New York Times
