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Product Description
Hammer horror classic starring Peter Cushing. A pair of twins, Maria and Frieda, move from Vienna to the village of Karstein to live with Aunt Katy and grim Uncle Gustav (Cushing) in the shadow of the dreaded Karstein Castle. Gustav is a fanatical Puritan and leader of a religious sect - the Brotherhood, feared for their witch hunts and burnings. At the castle, a mock sacrificial rite is organised, where Count Karnstein stabs a girl strapped to a sarcophagus and reincarnates his vampire ancestor the beautiful Countess Mircalla Karnstein. Her first act is to bite the count, turning him into a vampire. The Count then captures the beautiful Frieda and sinks his fangs into her neck and she, too, is transformed into one of the undead. The Brotherhood manage to capture Frieda and prepare to burn her at the stake but Karnstein manages to switch the twins. Maria will face the fire while Frieda goes free to create evil havoc.
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Booklet, Deleted Scenes, Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: 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. ...Twins of Evil (1971) ( Twins of Dracula ) ( The Virgin Vampires )
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
60 of 61 people found the following review helpful
By mr-benn
Format:DVD
Ahh... 'Twins of Evil.' This film will always be dear to me. Growing up in the late 80's/early 90's, still too young to rent any Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th videos, most of the horror movies I had easy access to were the late-night Hammer Horrors on ITV. Most of interest were the almost innumerable vampire movies the studio produced, from the greats ('Horror of Dracula') to the not-so greats ('Dracula AD 1972'). Yet somehow, in my formative years, no film stayed with me as much as 'Twins of Evil.'
No small part of the appeal are the delectable Collinson twins as Maria and Frida, orphaned Italians sent to live with their tyranical uncle (yet another star turn from the great Peter Cushing). This was, of course, early 70's Hammer, when the technicolour gore of old was supplemented with the thrill of a bit of sultry female flesh - the film was indeed designed with the Collinsons in mind, fresh from their breakthrough as Playboy's first double centrefold! That said, by modern standards the sexual content is fairly tame: there are only a few brief moments of nudity, but heaving corsetted bosoms aplenty, and a deluge of suggestive imagery - witness the hand that strokes the candlestick, and the way Frida's eyes light up at the words "stripped naked!"
The cheap and cheerful atmosphere that Hammer movies are famed for is here in full force, with lots of blatant day-for-night photography, flimsy sets and primitive special effects. This, of course, is all part of what makes these films so endearing - but it shouldn't be taken to mean the power to shock is not there. A scene of human sacrifice and a phenomal decapitation can still get a jump out of the viewer today.... Read more ›
No small part of the appeal are the delectable Collinson twins as Maria and Frida, orphaned Italians sent to live with their tyranical uncle (yet another star turn from the great Peter Cushing). This was, of course, early 70's Hammer, when the technicolour gore of old was supplemented with the thrill of a bit of sultry female flesh - the film was indeed designed with the Collinsons in mind, fresh from their breakthrough as Playboy's first double centrefold! That said, by modern standards the sexual content is fairly tame: there are only a few brief moments of nudity, but heaving corsetted bosoms aplenty, and a deluge of suggestive imagery - witness the hand that strokes the candlestick, and the way Frida's eyes light up at the words "stripped naked!"
The cheap and cheerful atmosphere that Hammer movies are famed for is here in full force, with lots of blatant day-for-night photography, flimsy sets and primitive special effects. This, of course, is all part of what makes these films so endearing - but it shouldn't be taken to mean the power to shock is not there. A scene of human sacrifice and a phenomal decapitation can still get a jump out of the viewer today.... Read more ›
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By D. Steigman
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great vampire movie made during the time Hammer studios decided to show off more 'skin' with their beauties - Twins of Evil stars Peter Cushing in a great role as a priest. Most viewers automatically will think he is the villain in this but by the end you will wonder if he is or isnt
2 relatives of his - sexy young 'Twins' visit him - one gets involved with a vampire while the other plays the heroine. This contains the usual hammer gore, maybe a little stronger in this movie and it contains gratuitous nudity - so it ain't for children folks..
Bloody entertaining, a fine horror movie and a must for Cushing fans...
The DVD is widescreen and contains all deleted footage that was apparently on older releases (DVD or VHS)
This is the one to get from Optimum Entertainment..Cool booklet too...
2 relatives of his - sexy young 'Twins' visit him - one gets involved with a vampire while the other plays the heroine. This contains the usual hammer gore, maybe a little stronger in this movie and it contains gratuitous nudity - so it ain't for children folks..
Bloody entertaining, a fine horror movie and a must for Cushing fans...
The DVD is widescreen and contains all deleted footage that was apparently on older releases (DVD or VHS)
This is the one to get from Optimum Entertainment..Cool booklet too...
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
"We are the undead, and the mirror sees only the living. We walk the earth, but we exist only in Hell."
Hammer may have been headed for the grave itself in the early 70s as its horror films were increasingly being dumped on the market in two-for-the-price-of-one double-bills, but 1971's Twins of Evil showed that they could still turn out a great film. The conclusion of their really only geographically related Karnstein trilogy (following The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire) inspired by the works of Sheridan Le Fanu, it's the best and certainly the most morally complex of their tits'n'fangs offerings, thanks to strong writing and an absolutely committed and electrifying performance from Peter Cushing that's one of his very best. As the puritanically fanatical witch hunter Gustav Weil he rides the countryside with his `Brotherhood' of morally self-righteous serial killers looking for witches to burn, their definition of witches generally coming down to poor attractive single women. He's chillingly convincing in his absolute self-belief, never overplaying or straying into ham.
A man driven to evil by his misguided belief that he's doing God's work, he's about to be supplanted as the biggest threat to Karnstein's womenfolk by Damien Thomas's local Count, who's bored by the sham Satanic shows his procurer Dennis Price provides and wants to try the real thing just like his ancestors did. Summoning up centuries dead ancestor Countess Mircalla with an unwilling blood donation from a peasant girl to indulge in a spot of simultaneous incest and necrophilia, it's not long before the newly vampiric count sets his sights on Weil's two beautiful identical twin nieces.... Read more ›
Hammer may have been headed for the grave itself in the early 70s as its horror films were increasingly being dumped on the market in two-for-the-price-of-one double-bills, but 1971's Twins of Evil showed that they could still turn out a great film. The conclusion of their really only geographically related Karnstein trilogy (following The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire) inspired by the works of Sheridan Le Fanu, it's the best and certainly the most morally complex of their tits'n'fangs offerings, thanks to strong writing and an absolutely committed and electrifying performance from Peter Cushing that's one of his very best. As the puritanically fanatical witch hunter Gustav Weil he rides the countryside with his `Brotherhood' of morally self-righteous serial killers looking for witches to burn, their definition of witches generally coming down to poor attractive single women. He's chillingly convincing in his absolute self-belief, never overplaying or straying into ham.
A man driven to evil by his misguided belief that he's doing God's work, he's about to be supplanted as the biggest threat to Karnstein's womenfolk by Damien Thomas's local Count, who's bored by the sham Satanic shows his procurer Dennis Price provides and wants to try the real thing just like his ancestors did. Summoning up centuries dead ancestor Countess Mircalla with an unwilling blood donation from a peasant girl to indulge in a spot of simultaneous incest and necrophilia, it's not long before the newly vampiric count sets his sights on Weil's two beautiful identical twin nieces.... Read more ›
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Now Zoltan
Format:DVD
Here's Hammer at its purest, if not its best - a perfect mix of class, cheese and sheer nonsense. The class element is of course Peter Cushing who anchors the film as the scariest witch-hunter this side of Vincent Price (what was it with all these witch obsessed movies of the early 70s? Conservative backlash against 60s promiscuity? - there was something in the air for sure) Anyway it turns out that Cushings character, Gustav Weill, actually has a point - amidst the heaving bosoms and bouffant hairdos there are devilish vampire ladies abroad, his own niece for one, who has fallen under the spell of the resident evil Count. Absurdities include a mute, pec flexing black manservant (why?), the same witch burning scene repeated again and again until its power has gone, cheapo looking sets, bad dubbed acting - I could go on, but the fact is, for all its faults this is a highly entertaining piece of schlock, if light years from Hammers peak (imo the Brides of Dracula/Revenge of Frankenstein period). In short, well worth a look but don't expect the power and verisimilitude of its contemporaries, Witchfinder General or Blood On Satans Claw
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sexy twins, Peter Cushing...... Vampires!
Come on what bloke don't want that. 3rd in the trilogy of films and possibly the best. Sex, Vampires and Peter Cushing. Honestly what more do you want...Jam on it!
Published 8 days ago by Der Spiess
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great but......
To have the film on Blu-ray was a joy (a double disc pack with film on DVD too). Sadly although my Sony is chipped for DVD from the States it won't play the Blu-ray! Read more
Published 1 month ago by P Goodhead
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Hammer Horror!
Excellent blu ray remastering of the 1971 Hammer film.
This is essentially a prequel to the previous years The Vampire Lovers which together with Lust for a Vampire formed the... Read more
This is essentially a prequel to the previous years The Vampire Lovers which together with Lust for a Vampire formed the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by ravna
5.0 out of 5 stars
classic film
saw this as a teenager ,it is a classic ,good to see it again,worth the money and perfect condition and fast delivery
Published 3 months ago by dave rowley
5.0 out of 5 stars
If the like the genre, you will love this film.
Bought this as a gift for my husband who likes this type of film. DVD arrived on time for Christmas and on the due date.
Published 5 months ago by Mrs E E Willoughby
4.0 out of 5 stars
Twins of Evil DVD
I purchased this for my father as he had a small part in it.
A good Hammer film and a good copy.
Although I could not find some extra,s that were advertised on the cover.
A good Hammer film and a good copy.
Although I could not find some extra,s that were advertised on the cover.
Published 5 months ago by keef
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mountains of Pleasure
There are four good reasons to see this Hammer entry in the vampire stakes.
The Collinson twins did a big spread for Playboy magazine at the time the film was released. Read more
The Collinson twins did a big spread for Playboy magazine at the time the film was released. Read more
Published 5 months ago by P. Edwards
3.0 out of 5 stars
vampires and witches
quite entertaining tale of witchcraft and puritanism
sets quite authentic and costumes
the inaccuracy consists in the dealing of demons
there is no magic power in... Read more
sets quite authentic and costumes
the inaccuracy consists in the dealing of demons
there is no magic power in... Read more
Published 8 months ago by angloaust
3.0 out of 5 stars
please note - the cut version
The film is excellent but sadly this is the cut version at 83 minutes. (full version being 87) In this day and age of Saw and Hostel, you would of thought an old Peter Cushing film... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ad Hilditch
3.0 out of 5 stars
Feeble but for Per Cushing
With Peter Cushing in the cast I thought this would be a winner sad to say no in my opinion feeble, perhaps its bad choices on my part.
Published 11 months ago by Thelma L. Workman
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