Carmilla, based on the short novel by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, which served as a primary source of inspiration for Dracula and is an exceptional work of gothic horror in its own right, is absolutely a film to watch out for. Directed by Emily Harris, it embraces the gothic tone of the original work, as well as the lesbian love story that serves as the basis for the plot, and is part of what makes Carmilla so important to the genre and literary history as a whole. And so we’re very excited to feature an exclusive clip from the upcoming adaptation.
The snippet below showcases a dream sequence in which Lara’s mistrust, fear and passion for Carmilla come to a head to blend together in a moment that recaptures so much of the original story’s themes and tone. The scene also echoes filmmakers like Oz Perkins and Ari Aster in the best way possible.
Vampire fans, and horror fans in general, should definitely get excited for a new spin on this classic tale, which served as inspiration for Hammer’s iconic The Vampire Lovers, as well as the recent Carmilla web-series and, amazingly, Vampires vs. Zombies. This appears, by far, to be the most spiritually and visually faithful adaptation of the story to date. And that is something that excites me personally as a fan.
The film stars Hannah Rae as Lara, Devrim Lingnau as Carmilla, and Jessica Raine as Miss Fontaine. Check out the clip below and be sure to view the movie when it arrives on Film Movement’s Virtual Cinema.
