Twins of Evil (1971)
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78% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
28% want to see it
(1,103 ratings)
This entry in Hammer Films' long-running vampire series of the '60s and '70s is one of the most evocative and original. The story features voluptuous twin Playboy centerfolds Madeleine and Mary Collinson as sisters who, without parents, are sent to stay with their oppressive uncle (Peter… More This entry in Hammer Films' long-running vampire series of the '60s and '70s is one of the most evocative and original. The story features voluptuous twin Playboy centerfolds Madeleine and Mary Collinson as sisters who, without parents, are sent to stay with their oppressive uncle (Peter Cushing, looking more emaciated than ever), who happens to live near the sinister Karnstein Castle, the locale of countless vampiric happenings in two prequels (The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire). One of the twins wanders over and meets the dashing Count Karstein (Damien Thomas), a vampire who later uses the girl's blood to awaken his long-lost ancestor from the dead. Of course, the uncle predictably gives chase once trouble starts, but there is a clever plot twist as the count switches the twins before one is about to be burned at the stake for her supposed satanic involvements. Twins of Evil unabashedly exploits the twins' assets to pump up the film's sex appeal; it also seems to cater to viewers with a vampire fetish. Still, neither is necessarily a bad thing in a vampire film; Twins of Evil does create an effectively sensuous mood while also managing to sustain a fair amount of tension throughout the picture. Although Universal Pictures, the U.S. distributor, extracted nearly all of the flesh and bloodletting from its release, the original British cut retains everything and is the usual copy found on video. Like its predecessors, the script for Twins of Evil is loosely based on LeFanu's classic vampire story Carmilla. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi
- Directed By
- John Hough
- Written By
- Tudor Gates, Sheridan Le Fanu
- Genres
- Drama, Horror, Classics
- Studio
- Universal
Critic Reviews
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The lively and atmospheric but flawed horror pic might be routine and limited by its slack story, but it is entertaining and holds up better than most vampire pics.
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Paul Chambers, Movie Chambers
These ain't the Doublemint twins. We're talking horror....Hammer style. "Twins of Evil" is the 1971 classic from Britain's Hammer Studios featuring Peter Cushing as the leader of a Puritan witch-hunting club.
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Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
The film offers more than just a gimmick, thanks to the shifting dynamics between the characters, the emphasis on evil at both ends of the spectrum, and a shot of witchcraft into the usual vampiric proceedings.
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Budd Wilkins, Slant Magazine
Double your pleasure, double your evil with Twins of Evil, Synapse Films' two-disc combo pack, looking frightfully good on Blu-ray, and loaded with garlic bunches of extras.
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John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
The true Twins of Evil are not the sisters but the puritan witch-burner, Gustav Weil, and the vampire aristocrat, Count Karnstein: The men have similarly cadaverous faces, and at one point are introduced by looming closeups that reinforce the resemblance.
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Cast
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Peter Cushing
as Gustav Weil
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Madeleine Collinson
as Frieda Gellhorn
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Mary Collinson
as Maria
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Kathleen Byron
as Katy Weil
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Dennis Price
as Dietrich
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Damien Thomas
as Count Karnstein
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Isobel Black
as Ingrid
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Harvey Hall
as Franz
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Inigo Jackson
as Woodman
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Kristen Lindholm
as Young Girl at Stake
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Judy Matheson
as Woodman's Daughter
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Luan Peters
as Gerta
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Alex Scott
as Hermann
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David Warbeck
as Anton
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Maggie Wright
as Alexa
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Katya Wyeth
as Countess Mircalla
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Shelagh Wilcox
as Lady in Coach
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Roy Stewart
as Joachim
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Peter Thompson
as Gaoler