Twins Of Evil (4 Stars)

This is the third film in Hammer's so-called Karnstein Trilogy. I say so-called, because the three films have nothing to do with one another, apart from featuring the vampire Mircalla Karnstein. In each film she's played by a different actress, and in this film her appearance is reduced to a non-speaking cameo. She has 50 seconds of screentime, heavily draped, and we only see her face for three seconds.

The film is about the two identical twins, Frieda and Maria Gellhorn, played by the real life identical twins Madeleine and Mary Collinson. They're almost identical. Frieda has a spot on her right cheek, only visible in close up shots, and she's half an inch taller. Mary Collinson (on the right) is 5'6", while Madeleine (on the left) is 5'6½". They were the first identical twins to be chosen as Playboy's Playmate(s) of the Month in October 1970.

I can't comment on their real life personalities, but in the film they're very different. Maria is the good twin, Frieda is the evil twin. After the death of their parents they're sent to live with their uncle Gustav (Peter Cushing), a religious fanatic. Maria suggests that they should comply with his wishes, whereas Frieda is defiant.

This is Uncle Gustav preaching in the Brotherhood. Yes, it's a male only religious society. There's no place for silly women who don't understand the Lord's thoughts. And what are the Lord's thoughts?

Witches have to be burnt at the stake. That's what it says in the Bible. "Thou shalt not allow a witch to live" (Exodus 22:18). But how do Gustav and his followers recognise witches? That's obvious from their conversations. "There's a woman who lives alone and she doesn't want a husband. She must be a witch". Obvious, isn't it? So out they run with their stakes in their hands, ready to do the Lord's work.

The witches are all innocent women. That's obvious. There's only one real Devil worshipper in the village, and it's Count Karnstein. He prays to Satan, asking for the power to serve him. The Count sacrifices a virgin to get Satan's attention. That's one thing he has in common with Gustav: they both murder innocent women. Satan answers by reviving the long dead Mircalla Karnstein. In her 50 seconds of glory she rises from the dead, bites the Count's neck and makes him a vampire.

A word on the film's vampire mythology, because every vampire film has its own vampire lore. The vampires in this film can walk in the sunlight. They can be killed by a stake through the heart or being decapitated, but burning doesn't kill a vampire. If his body is burnt his soul occupies someone else's body. Curious. 

Being a vampire is a lonely life, so the Count searches for a worthy companion. He picks Frieda. I can see how she gained his attention. One bite and she's a vampire like him. That's another thing I should say about this film's vampire lore: unless the person is killed, he becomes a vampire within a few seconds of being bitten.

For the sake of journalistic authenticity, I'm providing a photo gallery to show how a vampire attacks.

Frieda invites Anton the choirmaster to her room.

She entices him.

She prepares for the attack.

The trap snaps shut. No way to escape.

From macho man to lifeless corpse in five seconds.

I enjoyed this film, but it's the weakest film in the trilogy. There's a new film which I've been told stays close to the original novel by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. It should have been shown in cinemas in April this year, but it's been postponed indefinitely due to the Coronavirus.

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