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The history behind “Carmilla,” the story of a 19th century lesbian vampire

It’s no secret we love the web series Carmilla, so we wanted to take a look into the legacy or lore that the original source material by Joseph Sheridan La Fanu has inspired (including Bram Stroker‘s massively popular Dracula.)

Lesbian vampires have been a trope in movies, television and books since La Fanu introduced his mysterious antagonist in the 1870s. Female homosexuality was generally considered something to be dismissed and reviled in the 19th century, but yet, it also fascinated many. (The same could be said today, as some of the same folks saying that two women shouldn’t get married probably have a whole folder full of downloaded lesbian porn.)

Let’s take a look into some of Carmilla‘s history.

Let’s start at the beginning, when La Fanu introduced the world to Carmilla Karnstein via his gothic novella. In the original Carmilla, Laura and her widower father live a rather dull life in Styria until the title character comes into their lives. Laura, who is desperate for a friend, is instantly drawn to Carmilla, who is as mysterious as she is beautiful. You see, young women keep mysteriously dying in the area and no one can figure out why. Carmilla is actually a centuries old vampire, who puts Laura under her thrall until Laura’s father and his friend stake Carmilla’s corpse, freeing Laura.

This story would inspire so many to follow. Female sexuality was so unexplored when the novella was written, but further adaptations and homages to follow would certainly address what La Fanu was getting at.

Gotta love the ’60s. In Roger Vadim‘s film, Carmilla is obsessively in love with her best friend, Georgia. However, Georgia is engaged to be married to Carmilla’s cousin. Carmilla also has a thing for him. Anyhoo, after an explosion disturbs the grave of Carmilla’s ancestor, she is essential possessed and goes on a bloody, vampiric rampage.

Hammer Films loved Carmilla so much that they created an entire trilogy of films influenced by the story. Made right at the height of the women’s movement, these lesbian vampire sisters are doing it for themselves. Queerness abounds in these films, but like most lesbian vampires, these undead ladies and their gentlemen minions must meet an untimely end. The fangs in this film are fierce, though. Also, a running theme in all of these vampire attacks? Bite marks on the breast. Uh huh.

Whoo boy! This Spanish horror film connects the loss of female virginity to murderous tendencies. A young woman has a terrible vision that she is assaulted by a stranger on her wedding night. When she and her new husband return to his childhood home, she begins to have vivid images of a mysterious woman. This woman (Carmilla, who also happens to be the groom’s ancestor) goes from appearing in the young bride’s head to manifesting in the flesh. The women have a sinister Sapphic romance and go on a killing spree, until they are finally stopped.

Want to see Meg Tilly seduce Ione Skye? Sure you do! This made-for-TV adaptation brings the Styria action to the states, and is set before the Civil War. The character of Laura is now Marie, and is a little more petulant than the girl in the novella. It’s quite cheesy, and the actresses show their youth with rather wooden performances, but if you are a fan of the genre, you can find it pretty easily on YouTube.

Carmilla The Erotic Horror Classic of Female Vampirism (1991)

This six part comic book series by Steven Jones and John Ross gives Carmilla the erotic treatment. Back when it was originally released, some of the covers were so “adult” that they were covered in paper. They are currently available on Amazon if, you know, you are into research and stuff.

Carmilla: The Return (1998)

Author Kyle Marffin resurrected Carmilla in this updated “sequel” or sorts. This time, Carmilla is living life in the post-grunge ’90s, strangely enough, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In this version, Laura is Lauren, but Carmilla wants her just the same. The book has pretty mixed reviews so you might be better off reading some Carmilla fanfic.

Carmilla Magazine (2002)

via intersections.anu.edu

In 2002, editor Inoue Meimy started the erotic lesbian magazine Carmilla. In a 2005 interview, Meimy talked about how the magazine got its name: “One day I happened to be talking with Kawanishi, who I was writing with, about this novel that I had read as a child-a novel that first made me aware of sex between women. I had really loved Carmilla and it turns out that she had felt exactly the same way. And when we talked about it, it was perfect-Carmilla was erotic and the storyline focuses on a vampire named Carmilla who draws hetero women into the world of love between women. And so we thought, well, that’ll work. Plus, it had fueled both our masturbatory fantasies-and that’s how the magazine became Carmilla.” The magazine was designed to be sexy but also light in tone.

Two bumbling mates take a camping trip to get their minds off of real life, and find themselves in the middle of a mess of lesbianing. Hey, it’s that guy that sings with people in their cars! (Actually James Cordon said in an interview that this film was one of his biggest career regrets. Oops.) The plot involves curses, virgins and, of course, Carmilla as the vampire queen. If the lead actor telling you this movie is not good doesn’t away you, you can see for yourself on Amazon.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (2010)

Carmilla appears as a boss villain in six editions of the Castlevania video game series. In it, she’s mostly scantily clad and a loyal follower of Dracula. In Lord of Shadows, Carmilla turns into a huge, gargoyle-like beast with wings who is to be vanquished by the hero Simon. In 2014’s sequel, Carmilla is after Simon’s love interest, and is killed by being stabbed through the heart and then impaled through the mouth with a large rod. Yeah, that gross symbolism isn’t lost on us, Konami.

Believe it or not, these are not all of the Carmilla adaptations out there. Have you looked into any, or are you sticking with the web series?

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