Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Marva-nova Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

MartinHafer Throughout his career, Roger Corman has been known for his economical film making. No other producer/director can come close to his record of successful low-budgeted films. In the 1970s, Corman added something more to his films....boobies. His films never were high art but now they were often spiced up with sex--and "The Velvet Vampires" is exactly what I expected. Yep, a low budget with small-time actors and ample boobs. And, since it's a vampire film starring a hot female creature, you know that the boob quotient will be a lot higher than normal! While "The Velvet Vampire" is a very sexy film (and it might even be seen as soft-core porn by many), it is a bad film when it comes to some of the acting. In particular, Sherry Miles. I rarely point out a particular actor or actress, she was just terrible. While it's obvious why she was chosen (she got naked a lot and looked terrific), she couldn't act. She came off as whiny and annoying--and definitely NOT an actress. While the rest were okay, they were often hampered with horrid dialog---especially with the VERY silly and suggestive dinner scene. Overall, not worth seeing unless you want to see a lot of skin. As for the rest of the film, it's just silly. And, why is it that the vampire sure doesn't act like a vampire--such as going out during the daytime?! If you get a chance, trying reading Celeste Yarnall's bio on IMDb. I have nothing against the actress--she could act though had a habit of starring in bad films (such as ones made in the Philippines). But whoever wrote it was either VERY creepy or a family member, as they seemed obsessed and the language was a bit odd to say the least.

Woodyanders Sweet Susan Ritter (an appealing performance by adorable blonde Sherry Miles) and her easygoing husband Lee (Michael Blodgett in fine cocky form) accept an invitation from the alluring and enigmatic Diane LeFanu (expertly played to the seductive and entrancing hilt by the gorgeous Celeste Yarnall) to visit her in her secluded dessert estate. However, the couple are unaware that Diane is really a lethal and predatory centuries old bisexual vampire. Director Stephanie Rothman, who also co-wrote the quirky and intriguing script with Charles S. Schultz and Maurice Jules, does an ace job of creating and maintaining a deliriously dreamy and erotic atmosphere, makes excellent use of the arid and isolated setting, and offers some inspired and interesting tweaking of the standard bloodsucker lore (Diane drives a dune buggy in broad daylight, doesn't have fangs, eats raw meat, and can see her reflection in a mirror, but still drinks blood to stay alive and has an aversion to crucifixes). Moreover, Rothman brings an unusual artsy and stylish quality to this movie which in turn gives it its own singular identity (a surreal recurring dream set piece in particular possesses a certain oddly hypnotic pull). The sturdy acting from a capable cast rates as another substantial asset: The three attractive leads all do praiseworthy work (Yarnall especially is quite stunning throughout), Jerry Daniels contributes a solid portrayal of Diane's loyal servant Juan, and biker flick regular Robert Tessier has a cool bit as a -- what else? -- biker. Of course, there's also a pleasing amount of yummy nudity and sizzling soft-core sex. Daniel Lacambre's striking cinematography boasts a few artful dissolves and makes bold use of bright color. The funky jazzy prog-rock score by Roger Dollarhide and Clancy B. Grass III hits the right-on groovy spot. A nicely different 70's drive-in horror winner.

John Seal The Velvet Vampire isn't a particularly good film, but it does feature four things in its favor: the alabaster beauty of Celeste Yarnall, here playing sexy desert-dwelling vampire Diane LeFanu; podgy Beyond the Valley of the Dolls veteran Michael Blodgett, cast as dimbulb horndog Lee Ritter; a yellow dune buggy, and a genuinely spectacular score. Credited to Roger Dollarhyde and Clancy B. Grass III, the score is an amazing blend of raga rock, pre-Dark Side of the Moon Floydian atmospherics, Joe Byrd-inflected electronica, and Fahey-esque guitar picking. I don't believe this score has ever had a commercial release, but soundtrack buffs would snap it up in an instant, so if anyone from Trunk Records or Film Score Monthly is reading this, buy the rights! The story revolves around fairly routine bloodsucking stuff, but director Stephanie Rothman's work reflects the influence of Antonioni with scenes reminiscent of both Red Desert and Zabriskie Point. That's something I never thought I'd write about a New World release, but I swear it's true.

lazarillo At first, this looks to be another of the "erotic vampire" movies that were so popular in the 1970's, especially in Europe. But this American movie is actually quite different from Hammer's "Carnstein trilogy", the Rollins and Franco vampire films, and other European cult classics like "Vampyres" and "Daughters of Darkness". It doesn't really have the lesbian vampire angle that was often the bane of many of the European films. It's more of a love triangle with a free-spirited hippie couple (Michael Blodgett and Sherry Miles) finding their swinging lifestyle tested by a mysterious and very seductive woman (Celeste Yanell). There is one incredible polymorphously perverse scene where Yanell sucks snake venom out of the Miles's leg, and there are several heterosexual scenes between Blodgett and each of the women (usually while the other is secretly watching), but the plot is never completely overwhelmed with softcore groping,lesbian or otherwise.The movie also has a very unusual (and very American)setting. It takes place in the Mojave desert near an abandoned mine and an old graveyard (where there are hints of cannibalism and necrophilia). It is atrociously acted (with Miles being the worst offender), but surprisingly well photographed, really making the most of its non-traditional horror setting. The vampire herself is also quite non-traditional. She has a reflection, is not overly adverse to sunlight, and may not really even be a vampire but instead someone suffering from insanity or a rare blood disease a la "Martin" or "Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary". This movie may not quite compare some of the European vampire classics of its time, but it's better than some (Franco's "Female Vampire", for instance),and it's miles ahead of recent, derivative crap like "An Erotic Vampire in Paris". I'd rank it among the more interesting American vampire films of the period such as "Count Yorga" and "Lemora, Lady Dracula".