By Melissa Antoinette Garza
I just checked the clock and realized it’s Hammer time, and by that of course I mean time for me to review another sensational HAMMER STUDIOS title from the 70s.
TWINS OF EVIL (1971) is a UK vampire/witch hybrid that begins when a bunch of thugs on horses barrel thru the woods to a cabin whose residents are suspected of witchcraft. Leading the pack is Gutav Weil (Peter Cushing) who is as much evil on the inside as he is the lovable Peter Cushing on the outside.
The woodman’s lovely daughter (Judy Matheson) tells her father (Inigo Jackson) that she can hear bad news coming quick.Her father goes to the window but is too late as Gustav storms in. The woodsman’s daughter flees, but is trapped by the rest of the gang. She drops to her knees and professes that she is not a witch. She clutches her cross necklace in her hand as tears stream down her face, but these bastards are unmoved. Gustav steals her cross, ties her to a tree and burns her alive.
This opening scene solidified one thing in my mind. Gustav needed to die! I wanted to see more of the woodsman’s daughter and he took that away. To hell with Gustav.
Sharing my “to hell with Gustav” sentiment are his twin nieces Maria (Mary Collinson) and Frieda (Madeleine Collinson). After both of their parents die, they’re sent to stay with him and his wife Aunt Katy (Kathleen Byron). Katy immediately tries to walk on eggshells with Gustav before he even arrives home. She politely tells the girls they should still be wearing black in mourning rather than the fetching flamboyant green numbers with matching bonnets.They quickly grow tired of his holy roller bullshit too.
Maria initially tries to placate her aunt and uncle, but Frieda doesn’t give a fuck. She stands up to them right away. Gustav returns home before they can change their clothes and he chides them cruelly stating they are breaking the 4th commandment of honoring their parents. They should also break his face for what he did to the Woodsman’s Daughter.
In a strictly male religious meeting to discuss some unexplained deaths going on, Gustav rants and raves more. They really needed a woman in there to add some common sense. All these boys in their black-and-white Pilgrim costumes are sheep being led by a psycho. They need a new leader and one with enough feminine prowess to keep them under control.
Later in bed, Maria and Frieda talk about their escape. Maria is still trying to wear rose colored glasses, but Frieda is a goddamn rock-star. She asks straight out “could you imagine being married to a man like that?” I love her so much.
While the twins are chatting, Gustav and his thugs track down the sexy Count Karnstein (Damien Thomas) for suspected witchcraft though he is under direct political protection due to his status. Karnstein was in the middle of sexing up gorgeous blonde, peasant girl Gerta (Luan Peters) when he had to deal with the unnecessary intrusion.
Unaffected, the count tosses poor Gerta at Gustav as if she were nothing. Gustav is far more interested in the Count, but not for any kinky reasons. He just wants to kill him. He would do as much, but Karnstein’s bodyguard Joachim (Roy Stewart) steps forward.
With Gustav gone, the Count watches while a peasant woman is tied to an alter in purple robes. One of the men pretend to be possessed which pisses Karnstein off. He sends them out of the room as their devil worshiping abilities do not live up to the role expected of them. Most disappointing to him is his right hand man-servant Dietrich (Dennis Price) who only bores him with the phony spectacles he brings around.
Dietrich leaves the Count alone with the woman still tied to the alter. He says a satanic prayer, asks for the power to do evil and then sacrifices the girl. When her blood is shed and lightning strikes, a dark spirit emerges and goes to him.
It is the Countess Mircalla (Katya Wyeth) who arrives to seal his pact with the evil. The two make passionate love and kudos to the count for pushing up the foreplay as Mircalla strokes a long candle in a very provocative way. The lady vamp turns Karnstein with a bite to the neck.
Meanwhile, Frieda decides she must meet the Count. He’s heard about the twins and is interested in meeting them.
A local man Anton (David Warbeck) tries to make conversation with Frieda, but he gets weird-ed out when she informs him that she doesn’t like nice men. You have to love a girl who knows what she wants. Instead, he chats up Maria. Still Anton isn’t lame. In fact, when defending the women killed by Gustav he remarks how no one is safe, especially “Anyone young and pretty because then their morals are questionable.” I love dialogue like that. When zealots hide behind their notions of purity, they need to be called on their bullshit. It takes Anton awhile, but at least he has a good heat to him when he does blow his top. Sadly,it’s not the kind of heat Frieda is after despite him falling for her.
While Anton and Maria are talking, Frieda sees her opportunity to meet Karnstein. She walks outside and flashes a smile which he returns in kind. They begin flirting away until Gustav shows up and tells Frieda to go inside. Cock-blocker Gustav needs to back off. His nieces are old enough to make up their own minds and Frieda is a capable crazy gal who craves adventure. Seeking that adventure, she sneaks out out and gloats that she doesn’t care if Gustav finds out. She says to her sister the wonderfully wicked line, “who want to be good if being good is singing hymns and praying all day long.” I love that sentiment. She’d rather be herself than be good or godly or absolved of sin. Still, she’s guilt-free, confident and doesn’t care if people know she’s down with the Count. I love her.
When Frieda arrives she has dinner with Karnstein and his return blonde date Gerta. When Gerta speaks out of turn and shows jealousy, Karnstein asks Frieda if they should punish her. The evil twin jumps at the opportunity. The Count informs Dietrtch that he is going to play with Gerta as he gets his guards to trap her at the door and chain her to the wall.
Karnstein tells Frieda that she must kill Gerta to prove herself worthy of Satan. She jumps at the opportunity, but panics when she sees he reveals himself to be a vampire. She tries to stop him from biting her, but then warms to the idea quickly after turning. Now a full dark Queen of the night she takes Gerta in front of a laughing Count.
What a horrible couple…..what a horribly sexy couple that I enjoy watching way too much. While Karnstein and Frieda are having fun, Maria is getting her ass kicked at home by Gustav who beats her for disclosing her sister’s whereabouts.
As for Anton, he hasn’t let his lust for Frieda scare him off as he goes head to head with Gustav and reports him to the church. Maria worries about Anton’s safety as the Brotherhood and Gustav know what he’s done and she has fallen in love with him.
In the end a hunt by Gustav and his Brotherhood of schmucks go after Frieda. The Count helps her switch places with Maria who is forced to prove that she is not her sister or a vampire.
This is a fantastic film. All around the performances are spectacular.
A few weeks back, I reviewed THE FLESH AND BLOOD SHOW (1972) with both Judy Matheson and Luan Peters. It’s a favorite of mine. They always add so much to any production and here is no exception. Their depth, energy and passion for the art is present in every moment they are on screen. The liveliness and vivacity they express in their characters is magic. It illustrates how the foundation of feminism is grounded in femininity and love and respect for the feminine. I will forever be grateful to those goddesses who paved the way with their tenacity, take-no-prisoners approach to their craft.
I’m admittedly a huge Peter Cushing fan and he did remarkable at making me hate Gustav. When the gravity of his actions hit and he realizes what he’s done, Cushing kills the line “Oh Lord – Lord forgive me.” My God, I love that man. His humanity gets me every time. Gustav is such a pious asshole, but the earnestness in Cushing’s performance make me feel sympathy I don’t want to have for Gustav. I want to hate him and I do thru the entire production until that one line. It’s the look in his eyes that tells you he now knows the evil he has caused and he feels bad about it. For whatever reason, that makes me feel a little bad for him too. Sometimes, I’m a softy. I don’t like it. I don’t like talking about it, but Peter Cushing and Mr. Rogers can bring that out in me every time.
If that line were not enough, we finally get the satisfying visual of Katy Weil standing up to her husband and daring him to go after the Count. After barely avoiding tragedy, she stands her ground with the same vehement condemnation he had been throwing around the whole movie.
Damien Thomas is terrific and in the third act as Karnstein is being hunted, he gets marvelously campy. He rages in fury, struts like a peacock, puffs up proudly and makes outlandish demands.
Mary Collinson is sensational as the good girl twin who desperately loves her sister despite her wicked ways. She had to balance between being pious enough to disagree with Frieda’s complete autonomy and freedom, but assertive enough to have the mind to disagree with Gustav and his outlandish rules.
For me the most fun came from Madeleine Collinson and her portrayal of Frieda. It was so spectacularly evil, but then there with hints of affection Frieda felt toward Maria. Often done without dialogue, but conveyed expertly.
I definitely suggest this one. It’s a HAMMER classic that delivers as well today as it did when released.
This baby is on AMAZON PRIME so primers don’t worry about digging thru your DVDs.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7.5/10
