Lesbian Vampires Get the Blood Flowing

While putting together an online picture gallery of Gay and Lesbian icons in the motion picture industry, we happened onto one of those marvelously obscure tropes in fandom, "The Lesbian Vampire."  The idea behind the picture gallery is to highlight the images and work of Hollywood actors, both homosexual and not, who have played roles that have become meaningful to the LBGT community.  In the midst of researching these photos and other movie memorabilia, we were surprised to discover that lesbian vampires have quite a "bite."

The main entries in this cinematic sub-set which are thought to have any merit as a film to date are Dracula's Daughter (1936), Blood and Roses (1960), Vampyros Lesbos (1971), and The Hunger (1983).  So what, exactly, is up with these characters?  Turns out, lady vampires have been stand-ins for predatory lesbians for a long time.  Dracula's Daughter and Blood and Roses are supposed to be loose (very loose) adaptations of an 1872 novel about a vampire named Carmilla who gives the wrong kind of attention to innocent young ladies.  The Carmilla story predates Bram Stoker's Dracula by about 25 years.

The general perception of the above films is that all were forms of exploitation, until we get to Catherine Deneuve playing an immortal goddess of sorts in The Hunger.  If, however, one has seen both Dracula's Daughter and The Hunger, it is impossible not to notice how much the latter owes the former for visualizing a sexy, seductive, classy monster-woman of a certain age who likes to find some fresh heifer once in a while.

Alternatively, Blood and Roses (a Roger Vadim opus), and Vampyros Lesbos are raunchy excuses to put out some hot girl-on-girl action for the male viewer.  Dracula's Daughter and The Hunger  have sustained strong cult appeal among lesbian viewers, although neither had a very positive portrayal of lesbianism.

Still not enough Lesbian Vampires for you?  Den of Geek suggests you check out...

Rape of the Vampire (1969)
The Naked Vampire (1970)
The Vampire Lovers (1970)
The Shiver of the Vampires (1971)
Daughters of Darkness (1971)
Lust for a Vampire (1971)
The Blood Spattered Bride (1972)
Vampyres (1974)
Lips of Blood (1975)

Thanks to Wiki and the Den of Geek for being all over this.

One final thought - now that they can be "out" - what's next, Lesbian Vampire Soldiers?