First published as a serial in The Dark Blue (1871–72), *Carmilla* is narrated by a young woman preyed upon by a female vampire named Carmilla, later revealed to be Mircalla, Countess Karnstein (Carmilla is an anagram of Mircalla). The character is a prototypical example of the lesbian vampire, expressing romantic desires toward the protagonist. The novella notably never acknowledges homosexuality as an antagonistic trait, leaving it subtle and morally ambiguous. The story is often anthologised, and has been adapted many times in film and other media.
Adaptations (11)
Carmilla has been adapted 11 times, across film and web series, from 1960 to 2019.
Blood and Roses1960 · film · 74 min · dir. Roger Vadim · IMDb ↗IMDb6.5The spirit of a vengeful female vampire is released from her grave and possesses a wealthy young woman of nobility, who preys on other women in her village.
Crypt of the Vampire1964 · film · 85 min · dir. Camillo Mastrocinque · IMDb ↗IMDb5.8Count Karnstein sends for a doctor to help his sick daughter Laura. Her nurse believes she is possessed by the spirit of a dead ancestor, Carmilla. A young woman becomes intrigued by the mysterious deaths surrounding Laura after a carriage accident outside the castle forces her to stay. They become close friends until Laura becomes convinced the spirit of Carmilla is forcing her to kill.
The Vampire Lovers1970 · film · 91 min · dir. Roy Ward Baker · IMDb ↗In the heart of Styria the Karnstein Family, even after their mortal deaths, rise from their tombs spreading evil in the countryside in their lust for fresh blood. Baron Hartog whose family are all victims of Karnstein vampirism, opens their graves and drives a stake through their diabolical hearts. One grave he cannot locate is that of the legendary beautiful Mircalla Karnstein. Years of peace follow that grisly night until Mircalla reappears to avenge her family's decimation and satisfy her desire for blood.
Let's Scare Jessica to Death1971 · film · 89 min · dir. John D. Hancock · IMDb ↗Newly released from a mental ward, Jessica hopes to return to life the way it was before her nervous breakdown. But when Jessica moves to a country house with her husband and a close friend, she finds a mysterious girl living in there. Jessica's terror and paranoia resurface as evil forces surround her.
The Blood Spattered Bride1972 · film · 82 min · dir. Vicente Aranda · IMDb ↗IMDb6.2100%A young newlywed woman begins to have disturbing nightmares just after settling into the old mansion that has belonged to her husband's family for centuries. When her sinister dreams come true, the innocent bride is caught in a maddening maze of unspeakable horrors.
Alucarda1978 · film · 78 min · dir. Juan López Moctezuma · IMDb ↗IMDb6.3A young girl's arrival at a convent after the death of her parents marks the beginning of a series of events that unleash an evil presence on the girl and her mysterious new friend, an enigmatic figure known as Alucarda. Demonic possession, Satan worship, and vampirism follows.
Vampires vs. Zombies2004 · film · 85 min · dir. Vince D'Amato · IMDb ↗IMDb1.6It's a face-off against two of the most evil supernatural forces: vampires fueled by bloodlust and zombies who've come back from the dead to prey on the living. The two camps are bent on proving their superiority, so it's a race to the gory finish. Whoever wins will decide the future of humanity.
The Curse of Styria2014 · film · 99 min · dir. Mauricio Chernovetzky, Mark Devendorf · IMDb ↗IMDb4.9In 1989, Lara Hill, accompanies her art historian father to an abandoned castle across the Iron Curtain. From a car crash outside of the castle, emerges the beautiful and mysterious Carmilla. Lara secrets Carmilla into the castle and the two are drawn into an intoxicating relationship. But when Carmilla mysteriously disappears, and women of the town begin committing suicide, Lara’s psychic wounds erupt into a living nightmare that consumes the entire town of Styria.
Carmilla2014 · web series · 4 min · IMDb ↗IMDb8.2Laura Hollis, a newly enrolled college student at Silas University, shares a room with Betty, who mysteriously disappears all of a sudden. Little does Laura know that after this fateful night, nothing will be the same in her life, starting with meeting her new roommate from hell, Carmilla Karnstein. "Carmilla" is a single-camera, scripted transmedia series that puts a modern spin on the cult classic Gothic vampire novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. It's a story of a young woman’s susceptibility to the attentions of a female vampire.
The Carmilla Movie2017 · film · 97 min · dir. Spencer Maybee · IMDb ↗IMDb6.1It has been five years since Laura and Carmilla vanquished the apocalypse and Carmilla became a bonafide mortal human. They have settled in to a cozy apartment in downtown Toronto, Laura continues to hone her journalism skills while Carmilla adjusts to a non-vampire lifestyle. Their domestic bliss is suddenly ruptured when Carmilla begins to show signs of "re-vamping" – from a fondness for bloody treats to accidental biting – while Laura has started having bizarre, ghostly dreams. The couple must now enlist their old friends from Silas University to uncover the unknown supernatural threat and save humanity – including Carmilla's.
Carmilla2019 · film · 94 min · dir. Emily Harris · IMDb ↗IMDb5.378%In 19th-century Styria, isolated teen Lara's quiet life is upended by the arrival of mysterious, beautiful Carmilla, a female vampire with whom she develops an intense, homoerotic bond. As Lara's life slowly drains, themes of forbidden desire, identity, and the supernatural are explored, culminating in Lara's discovery of Carmilla's vampiric nature and a confrontation with her ancient lineage.
