In 1830, forty years to the day since the last manifestation of their dreaded vampirism, the Karnstein heirs use the blood of an innocent to bring forth the evil that is the beautiful Mircalla - or as she was in 1710, Carmilla.
In 1830, forty years to the day since the last manifestation of their dreaded vampirism, the Karnstein heirs use the blood of an innocent to bring forth the evil that is the beautiful Mircalla - or as she was in 1710, Carmilla. The nearby Finishing School offers rich pickings not only in in the blood of nubile young ladies but also with the headmaster who is desperate to become Mircalla's disciple, and the equally besotted and even more foolish author Richard Lestrange.—J-26
In the deserted chapel at Karnstein castle, Count [Mike Raven] and CountessKarnstein [Barbara Jefford] conduct a satanic ceremony to resurrect the body of theirdaughter Mircalla. Richard LeStrange [Michael Johnson] has come to the village to getbackground for his books about witches, vampires and black magic. Warnedto beware of Karnstein castle, he takes no heed. Immediately upon enteringthe castle, he is set upon by three women dressed in shrouds. They turn out tobe students on an educational tour from Miss Simpson's [Helen Christie] fashionablefinishing school. As LeStrange is being introduced to Miss Simpson and herstudents, a new student arrives, one Mircalla Herritzen [Yutte Stensgaard]. LeStrange fallsin love immediately.
Later that evening, when LeStrange relates his adventure to the menat the village inn, one of the serving girls is found dead with two holesin her neck, and LeStrange is convinced that the Karnstein story is notmere superstition. When he chances to meet the recently-hired teacher ofEnglish literature on his way to Miss Simpson's school, he tricks him intogoing to Vienna and arranges to take his position at the school.Shortly thereafter, Mircalla's roommate Susan Pelley [Pippa Steele] disappears. Whenthe headmaster Giles Barton [Ralph Bates] discovers the secret of Mircalla/Carmilla, heoffers himself to her. Later that day, after Barton's body is found,LeStrange goes through his books and discovers what Barton hadlearned--that Mircalla Herritzen is Carmilla Karnstein. LeStrangeconfesses his love for her, and they make "strange love".
Miss Simpson, worried sick about the disappearance of a student andthe death of her headmaster, decides not to call in the authorities or tonotify Susan Pelley's father, particularly when Countess Herritzen'sprivate physician agrees to certify Barton's death as a heart attack.However, dance teacher Jenny Playfair [Suzanna Leigh] notifies both the police and MrPelley [David Healy], all of whom arrive to investigate.The Karnsteins manage to kill the policeman who has just discoveredSusan's body in the bottom of a well, but Mr Pelley arrives with a writ ofexhumation and a pathologist to investigate his daughter's death. Susan'sbody is exhumed (it has just been conveniently buried by the Karnsteins),and talk gets around that she was the victim of a vampire. Together withthe village priest, the villagers storm Karnstein castle with the intentof burning it to the ground.LeStrange also makes his way to the castle, looking to save Mircalla.The villagers trap all three Karnsteins in the burning castle, where aburning timber falls from the ceiling and drives itself through Mircalla'sheart. LeStrange is saved from the fire, but Count and Countess Karnsteinremain.
"Fire is not harmful to us," says the Count as the villagers watch the castle burn.[Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl]
