Daughters Of Darkness Movie Review – Velvet Vampirism And Euro-Goth Allure
Last Updated on October 28, 2025 by Movie Revew TV
Director: Harry Kümel
Genre: Horror, Drama
Release Date: October 22, 1971
Country of Origin: Belgium, France, West Germany
Velvet Shadows and the Forever Night: Daughters of Darkness Revisited
Daughters of Darkness Harry Kümel 1971
Daughters of Darkness is quite the film, intermingling horror, drama and wtfness right at every turn. A bleakly beautiful, hauntingly atmospheric Belgian-French co-production from 1971, it is a neurotica of the blood-sucking kind that treads the delicate line between human and monster, desire and control. At the center of the story is a recently married couple, Stefan and Valerie, who are ravaged by an ongoing game of love, The hunt begins..A beautiful young bride marries into a family with a dark secret and quickly becomes haunted by dreams of seduction and demonic lust.
Story & Setting
The setting is the strange and lonely confines of a Belgian hotel, where Stefan and Valerie are obliged to alight when their train leaves the track. Here they encounter the alluring Countess Bàthory, a character based on the real-life Hungarian noblewoman infamous for her own crimes. The atmosphere of the film, a dilapidated palace full of material wealth but no warmth, is symbolic of the characters’ torment and inhibition within their society. The now-empty and cold once great hotel is the setting for an intense, erotic game of wanting what you can’t have.
Setting and Atmosphere
Daughters of Darkness does have some impressive technical elements, specifically with its color and cinematography. The cinematography by Eduard van der Enden emphasizes a symbolic use of color, namely blue and red representing death and the promise for regeneration[4]. And the film’s texture and power is also imparted with its use of lighting, as well as sound design that engenders a dreamy feeling which surrounds us in words, in this land of the sensual horror.
Performances
But at the center of Daughters of Darkness is a mesmerizing turn from Delphine Seyrig. Seyrig lends an air of elegance and sophistication to the part, makes the Countess both alluring and menacing. Her representation is not only an aspect of the film but also a comment on what society expects women to be. The rest of the ensemble – John Karlen, Danielle Ouimet et al provide to-the-point performances but are upstaged by Wendy Seyrig.
Supporting Cast
John Karlen and Danielle Ouimet aren’t quite as important to the film as Seyrig, but they help ratchet up the tension and emotion (respectively). Karlen’s portrayal of Stefan is that of a character plagued by ambivalent desires. Ouimet’s rendering of Valerie perfectly embodies the innocence and bewilderment of a woman torn between her husband and the seductive lure of the enigmatic Countess.
Direction & Cinematography
Harry Kümel’s direction is reminiscent of the psychological and the supernatural, and contributes to an ambiguity that maintains viewer interest. The camera work emphasizes lighting and shadow which contribute to the film’s gothic look, often President serving as an illusion between the real world and make believe. The backdrop, employing grand yet rotting indoor locations, acts as a visual representation of the characters’ own deterioration and evolution.
Visual Tone
Conceptually, however, Daughters of Darkness is a shining example of Euro-horror. The claustrophobic feel of intimacy comes from the film’s aesthetic, bathing everything in high contrast and dramatic lighting. Desire also takesively and styles the images in search of mystery, creating a world filled with sensuousness, fear.
Themes & Symbolism
The movie touches on a number of issues – ranging from abuse, prostitution to suppression of sexuality (as expressed with the character of Countess Bàthory). She is an anti-establishment character who lives in the twilight world — she believes in nothing and no part of society applies to her. The film also does not shy away from addressing same-sex relationships, especially lesbian ones, and exploring queer desires outside the heteronormative space2.
Cultural Commentary
Daughters of Darkness is a treat, and commentary on the societal norms of its era using vampires as allegory for freedom and corruption. The film’s depiction of a world where women can be both seductresses and predators is a pushback against traditional gender roles, a subversive commentary on women and empowerment.
Music & Atmosphere
Re-issue soundtrack by François De RoubaixThis score is a highlighting feature in the film, providing it with a gothic and sensual atmosphere. The soundtrack has been referred to as being excessive but appropriate for the film’s dramatic nature[1]. Opportunities to incorporate eerie sound effects and haunting melodies into the already unsettling on-screen tension, rather than distract or detract from it, lay the groundwork for an atmospheric assault unparalleled in most feature films.
Score
The score by de Roubaix is not just a talent-filled composer’s work, but an essential ingredient to establish the film’s atmosphere. Legacy Its impact can be heard in the soundtracks of today, where samples from it are abundant in recent genres[1].
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Final Verdict
Rating: 4.5/5
Stylish, haunting and gloriously decadent, Daughters of Darkness remains one of the most exquisitely mesmerising vampire films ever committed to celluloid. Sure, it comes across a bit too over dramatic to modern viewers, but its concern with desire, control and freedom are perfectly pitched for our own time.
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COUNTRESS DRACULASDirected by Peter SasdyDelphine Seyrig as Countess Bàthory is haunting and she inspired many characters in future vampire films.