Twins of Evil (1971)

In nineteenth century middle-Europe, orphaned teenage twins Maria and Frieda go to live with their uncle Gustav Weil, who heads the Brotherhood, a vigilante group trying to stamp out vampirism. But their methods are random and misplaced and the only result is a terrorised populace. The real threat lies with Count Karnstein, and although the twins seem outwardly to be identical, Frieda finds herself much more drawn than her sister to the Count's castle dominating the skyline.

The delicious Collinson twins, Mary and Madeleine, are reason enough to catch this technically accomplished and subtly erotic horror flick from Hammer; these ladies are sex incarnate and burn up the screen every time they appear.

Twins aside, director John Hough's contribution to English vampire lore is a very tight, exceptionally well directed and staged tale of bloodsucking and rampant desire.

Peter Cushing, as Gustav Weil, is the God-fearing leader of The Brotherhood, a bunch of old witch-finders who stalk pretty girls with bad reputations and confine them to burning crosses. Life gets complicated for old Gustav when his sexy niece (Madeleine Collinson) gets curious about Karnstein castle and its Satan-worshipping occupant (Damien Thomas) and decides to open her legs and heart to the arrogant neck-biter.

TWINS OF EVIL gets everything right. The photography, by Dick Bush, is stunning; the miniature work is never less than believable; the violence is more bloody than usual. The on-screen nudity is more explicit than is typical for a Hammer production and the storyline adequately provides for a generous amount of chills and thrills.

An evocative exploration of the fascinating nature of evil and reasons aplenty to submit to the humid charms of ladies with voracious appetites.

Highly recommended.

The Flesh and the Fury: X-posing Twins of Evil (2012) documentary