Like Hammer Film’s “The Vampire Lovers”, “The Blood Spattered Bride” is based-on Sheridan LeFanu’s “Carmila”. In this telling of the tale, a beautiful newlywed (Maribel Martin) slowly comes under the spell of a seductive lady vampire (Alexandra Bastedo). As she begins life with her new husband, she is haunted by dreams about the sexy vampire. Troubled by this, she confides in her husband–who basically tells her to shut her face. And when the vampire vixen actually shows up at the couple’s home, that’s when the blood really hits the fan.
Spanish director Vincente Aranda infused the film with plenty of eerie atmosphere and dark sexuality. From the young bride’s brutal rape fantasy to her dangerous liaison with the hot blonde vampiress–the film’s elegant sense of foreboding resonates strongly. Unlike modern horror films that try to railroad a viewer into terror, “The Blood Spattered Bride” unfolds more slowly and draws you in as the morbid story floats along in its own universe. Highly recommended to the discerning horror fan.
