SparkMore n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Stevieboy666 A newly wed young couple are heading to England via the ferry but stop the night at an out of season hotel in Ostend. They are the only guests until a striking middle aged looking woman called Countess Bathory and her young female companion arrive. Now anybody with a half decent knowledge of vampirism will recognised the name Bathory as the real life murdering, sadistic & bloody Hungarian countess from the 16th/17th centuries. Filmed in Belgium but English language, this is simply a beautiful work of art. Every frame is sumptuous, fantastic use of colour and in my opinion is up there with Polanski's Dance of the Vampires as one of the best looking vampire films ever made. It may prove too slow for horror fans looking for regular amounts of blood but for those who appreciate finer things allow yourself to become immersed in this, late at night with the lights out. Nudity and lesbianism had become popular in the genre at this time and this film has it's share of erotica, but it's integral to the story rather than just showing flesh for the sake of it.

Panamint A mile wide and an inch deep. Typical of the many "soft sleaze" films cranked out by the hundreds for a couple of decades in Europe. Some disrobing of the cast just for the sake of having skin in the film. Lip-service is given to the Elizabeth Bathory legend but they could have substituted any old legend because no depth is explored here in any way.Fine cinematography, great fashions and a faux expensive look are achieved. Good winter seacoast atmospherics but to what end? No substance is to be found here- Delphine Serig looks attractive in an expensive, shallow Euro-aristocrat sort of way. Can she act? I dunno- that's really not why she was hired here. Her purpose is to appear attractive, Euro-aristocratic and shallow. In other words, pretty much just superficial.The leading man is indistinguishable from all the other hundreds of mediocre Euro film guys of the era. I don't know his name- does it really matter? Danielle Ouimet is the only cast member who manages to impart any humanity onto the screen during these proceedings- I would say that she shows promise as an actress, although its hard to tell because not much acting is required here by anyone. I would watch more of her films if I ever happen to run across them.If you like to use up hours of your time viewing shallow European pretty pictures this film is OK for you. But it is.... a mile wide and an inch deep.

Red-Barracuda The vampire film was very popular in Europe in the early 70's. Several key entries in the genre were released at this time such as some interesting films from Hammer Studios as well as numerous titles from specialist auteurs like Jesus Franco and Jean Rollin. Unlike the majority of films from this sub-genre, Daughters of Darkness underplays the vampirism and nudity somewhat, while still retaining a dark mood and overwhelming eroticism. It's certainly far classier than most others in the vampire genre and is committedly artistic with beautiful cinematography and costumes shot within interesting locations, with a very effective and unusual soundtrack. Its story has a honeymooning couple Stefan and Valerie end up at a deserted hotel in Ostend where the only other guests are a pair of unusual women, one of whom it turns out is the Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory.Like the later Don't Look Now (1973), Daughters of Darkness uses the strange mood of an off-season resort to great effect. Like that film too, this is a horror film that really works simultaneously as an art film too. Director Harry Kümel needs to be given a great deal of credit for the stylish presentation that always feels like it accentuates the content, rather than just being showy. The visuals are especially memorable and the use of colour quite excellent throughout, while the strange setting adds its own unorthodox atmosphere to proceedings. It has to also be added that this is still a movie that does not disregard its horror angle at the expense of artistry as there are several macabre scenes and some that go for a much more visceral approach. It's a film that operates in several ways.These things all in themselves would ensure that Daughters of Darkness would be a classic within the genre but it doesn't even take into account the presence of Delphine Seyrig. This is a calibre of actress very rarely seen in this type of movie and she is really quite magnificent as Countess Elizabeth Bathory. She oozes sensuality throughout the picture and very easily convinces as a woman capable of seducing anyone. Her mysterious acting persona is one of her gifts – see it utilised in another famous enigmatic film Last Year at Marienbad (1961) – and here it is her very screen presence that makes us believe in her supernatural character. Seyrig is clearly the star here and head and shoulders above everyone else but the rest of the cast actually do good controlled work too.Daughters of Darkness is certainly a classic of its type. It just seems to have a lot more going on in it and a pleasing ambiguity. Take for instance the character of Stefan, who it becomes clear is not only a violent sexual sadist but whose overbearing 'mother' turns out to be a very strange man instead. It's these kinds of bold moves that make the film as a whole even more fascinating and disturbing. This is undoubtedly one of the all-time great European cult horror movies for several compelling reasons.

sunznc The film is not perfect but how many are? What does this film have going for it? The performances, the story even though it feels weak, the settings and Delphine Seyrig. Yes, if she had not been in the lead here I probably wouldn't have found it as interesting as I do.Her performance as the elegant, stylish and sophisticated society lady/vampire is unforgettable. The way that she imposes herself upon others and reveals little about herself. Her low voice that never becomes panicked or loud. It's an indelible performance that probably inspired Mrs. Blaylock in "The Hunger", another great vampire film.The film is stylish and mysterious if at times a bit amateurish or poorly executed. There are times when what the actors do seems questionable and unrealistic but this is a fantasy film. Even though some of the acting may seem a bit weak at times, it is still fascinating. I dig it out once a year to watch it.