Daughters of Darkness
- Year: 1971
- Country of origin: Belgium, France, West Germany, USA, Canada
- Genre: Horror
- Director: Harry Kümel
- Length: 87 min
Film Synopsis
A newlywed couple checks into a nearly deserted Belgian hotel, where they encounter the mysterious and glamorous Countess Elizabeth Báthory and her companion. As the Countess takes a sinister interest in the young bride, a series of seductive manipulations and eerie disappearances unfold. The line between desire and danger blurs in this haunting tale of vampirism and psychological control.
Critical Perspective
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With Les lèvres rouges [Harry Kümel] crafted one of the most lusciously realised of all vampire pictures, adding to gorgeous music, art direction and cinematography a generous ration of Low Countries surrealism.
Jonathan Rigby, Euro Gothic: Classics of Continental Horror Cinema (Signum Books, 2016)
Daughters of Darkness 4K UHD, Blu-ray & DVD editions
See which disc extras are included across selected editions.
| Disc Extras | Blue Underground BD-ALL 4K/US 2020 | Radiance BD-ALL 4K/US 2025 | Blue Underground BD-ALL/US/OOP 2011 | Blue Underground DVD-0/US/OOP 2006 | Blue Underground DVD-0/US/OOP 2003 | Anchor Bay DVD-0/US/OOP 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio Commentary by Kat Ellinger | ||||||
| Audio Commentary by Actor John Karlen and David Del Valle | ||||||
| Audio Commentary by Director/Co-Writer Harry Kümel, Moderated by David Gregory | ||||||
| Audio Commentary by Lindsay Hallam and Virginie Sélavy | ||||||
| Immoral Tales: “Daughters of Darkness,” Class, Cruelty, and the Cinematic Legacy of Bathory - Video Essay by Kat Ellinger | ||||||
| Daughter of Darkness - Interview with Actress Andrea Rau | ||||||
| Locations of Darkness - Interview with Director/Co-Writer Harry Kümel and Co-Writer/Producer Pierre Drouot | ||||||
| Playing the Victim - Interview with Actress Danielle Ouimet | ||||||
| Interview with Kim Newman | ||||||
| Interview with Actress Delphine Seyrig | ||||||
| Interview with Director/Co-Writer Harry Kümel and Anne Billson | ||||||
| Alternate US Opening Title Sequence | ||||||
| Found Footage | ||||||
| Behind-the-Scenes Footage of Actress Delphine Seyrig and an Interview with Director/Co-Writer Harry Kümel | ||||||
| On-Set Footage with Director/Co-Writer Harry Kümel and Stuntman Thierry Hallaert | ||||||
| Stills Gallery | ||||||
| French Theatrical Trailer | ||||||
| International Theatrical Trailer | ||||||
| US Theatrical Trailer | ||||||
| Radio Spots | ||||||
| “Aether” - By Harry Kümel and Herman Wuyts | ||||||
| “Anna the Maid” - By Harry Kümel | ||||||
| Bonus Film: The Blood Spattered Bride |
Edition and Packaging Notes
- Blue Underground’s “Limited Edition” 4K UHD includes a 20-page booklet with writing by Michael Gingold (“Daughters of Darkness: A Family History”) and a soundtrack CD. Reissued as separate 4K (2023/06/27) and Blu-ray (2022/03/22) editions without booklet and CD.
- Radiance’s “Limited Edition” 4K UHD includes an 80-page booklet with writing by Suzanne Boleyn, Martyn Conterio, Joseph Dwyer, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Mairéad Roche. The included Blu-ray is also available separately as a “Limited Edition.”
~ Found an error or know of another edition? Submit a correction or release update. ~
Collector’s guide
Compare presentation quality and explore notable disc extras across selected editions.
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Daughter of Darkness (7:58) -
Locations of Darkness (21:37) -
Playing the Victim (15:31)
| Editions |
Blue Underground 4K 2020
|
|---|---|
| Extras | Audio Commentary by Kat Ellinger Blue Underground 4K |
| Audio Commentary by Actor John Karlen and David Del Valle Blue Underground 4K | |
| Audio Commentary by Director/Co-Writer Harry Kümel, Moderated by David Gregory Blue Underground 4K | |
| Daughter of Darkness - Interview with Actress Andrea Rau Blue Underground 4K | |
| Locations of Darkness - Interview with Director/Co-Writer Harry Kümel and Co-Writer/Producer Pierre Drouot Blue Underground 4K | |
| Playing the Victim - Interview with Actress Danielle Ouimet Blue Underground 4K | |
| Alternate US Opening Title Sequence Blue Underground 4K | |
| Found Footage Blue Underground 4K | |
| Stills Gallery Blue Underground 4K | |
| French Theatrical Trailer Blue Underground 4K | |
| International Theatrical Trailer Blue Underground 4K | |
| US Theatrical Trailer Blue Underground 4K | |
| Radio Spots Blue Underground 4K |