Summaries

Synopsis

Two young women, Helga Borich [Marie Forså] and Monika Tarnek [Ulrike Butz], one or both of whommay be a direct descendent of Baroness Dania Varga who was burned as avampire and witch in the 17th century, have arrived at Castle Varga. Theyare met by the housekeeper, Fraulein Wanda Krock [Nadia Henkowa], and several of herstaff, all of whom are dressed in long, matronly, black dresses.After getting settled in their rooms, Helga, Monika, and Monika'sgirlfriend are taken to see a portrait of the Baroness, who is adead-ringer for Monika. As a storm brews outside, two travelers -- DrJulia Malenko [Anke Syring], an anthropologist studying the local superstitions, and herbrother Peter [Nico Wolf] -- knock on the castle door. They are having car trouble andneed shelter for the night. During the night, the guests are awakened bythe sound of chanting and bongo drums, which seems to bring out the libidoin everyone within earshot. Julia begins to suspect that something iswrong and makes her brother wear a cross made out of garlic cloves. Juliais wearing one just like it.

The next morning, Julia recounts the story about Baroness Dania beingburned as a vampire witch during the 17th century. Legend has is that,because she died without being staked, her spirit is waiting around totake over a body and return to life. As the day proceeds, Peter and Helgaappear to be falling in love, much to the displeasure of Julia, whoharbors incestuous feelings for her brother. That night, as the chantingand bongos begin again, Helga can barely stand the libido rising in herbody. Meanwhile, Wanda is thinking that Julia knows too much. When Wandaattempts to mesmerize Julia, however, Julia lifts her garlic cross andbreaks Wanda's spell. That night, the chanting and bongos again affectHelga, but this time Wanda tells Helga that she must get Peter's cross inorder to make "the throbbing" stop.

The next morning, Julia warns Peter that there is something going onat the castle that she doesn't quite understand but that it could lead totheir destruction if they don't leave, but Peter doesn't want to go unlessHelga goes with him. When Helga calls him to her room and pleads with himto help her because her body, soul, and mind are being destroyed, Peterremoves the garlic cross from around his neck and places it on Helga. WhenWanda sees the cross around Helga's neck, she grabs a poker, lifts thenecklace over Helga's head, tosses it in the fire, and smiles. Now thereis nothing standing in her way. She admits to Julia, who is beginning tofigure it out (having written a book about the Vargas), that Wanda and herblack sisters, are actually priestesses of Baroness Dania and that theyare planning for a mating between one of the sisters and a male descendentof Dania's line, an event that can only happen once every nine yearsduring a particular phase of the moon -- the night of the Vampire. Wandaalso tells Julia that she and her brother are descendents of the traitorDonnashova[sp?] who fingered Baroness Dania. Fortunately, one of herpriestesses scooped up her ashes, and they have been been keeping Dania"alive" for these past 300 years.

Now Julia is really concerned. She tries to talk with Monika, butMonika is "asleep" and Julia cannot awaken her, so Julia goes looking forher brother. As the sun sets, Monika wakes up and orders her friend, whois now her renfield, to bathe and dress her. When prepared, Monika and herrenfield head for the dungeon where the priestesses, along with Peter andHelga, are ready to perform the ceremony. Wanda kisses Monika, whichapparently passes Dania's spirit into Monika's body. Monika/Daniaindicates that she wants to drink Helga's blood. Meanwhile, Julia is stillsearching for her brother when she is attacked by bats who manage to ripoff her clothes. Fortunately, Julia is able to hold on to her cross, andshe uses it to chase away the bats.

The next morning, Peter returns to his bedroom to find Julia asleepin his bed. Julia tells him that she believes the vampire was reawakenedlast night. Peter chastizes her for believing those "old wives' tales".After breakfast, Peter, Helga, and Julia go for a walk, during which Juliafinally convinces Peter to leave with her. They spend the day traipsingthrough the forest, but by nightfall they find themselves back at thecastle, where they are greeted by Monika/Dania, who plans to drink Julia'sblood and watch her die on a stake. It's not going to be easy because thatgarlic cross Julia wears is pretty powerful, so she sends Peter to seduceJulia and make her take off the cross. However, Julia notices that Peteris not wearing his cross and concludes that Peter is acting under theBaroness's power. Julia uses her cross to ward him off.

Plan two is to make Peter strangle Julia, but Julia manages to wardhim off again. Later, Julia goes looking for Peter who, by now, is in thedungeon making love to and having his blood drunk by Monika/Dania. Juliais chased back to her room by two of the priestesses. A few hours later,Peter comes to Julia's room with no memory of where he's been or what he'sbeen doing. She puts him to bed and places her garlic cross around hisneck. When the priestesses begin to chant, Julia is unprotected andsuccumbs to their mesmerism. Fortunately, Peter is able to hold Julia backwith the cross and prevent her from going to them.

Plan three is to send Helga to Peter with the message that, if theBaroness can't have Julia, she'll take Helga instead. When Helga runs offto join the Baroness, Peter grabs Julia and they follow Helga. She leadsthem to an altar in the forest, where a stake has been erected. As Helganears the stake, Julia shouts, "No!" Monika/Dania releases Helga and turnsto Julia, biting her neck and drinking her blood. In her weakened state,Julia stumbles near the altar. As Monika/Dania keeps drinking, Juliabreaks off the tip of the stake. She falls to the ground, the Baronesszooms down on her, and Julia impales her on the stake.

"At last, they are free," Julia says, as she watches the priestesseswalk off in shock, "and the Baroness, at long last, is at rest." [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.]