REVIEW 083here are few more liberating sights in a
costume drama than a character removing
a restrictive item of clothing at the end of a
long day; even if you’ve never experienced a ‘corset-
gasm’ first-hand, whenever it occurs on-screen the
sense of relief is palpable. In Emily Harris’ first
solo directorial feature, however, an act of sartorial
salvation is rendered almost like something out of
a body horror: a concussed woman is carefully cut
out of a bodice, the garment gradually splitting
apart like a ribcage. It’s a striking image in a film
where carnality and sensuality are not always
woven together quite so evocatively.
Contrary to the title, Carmilla centres around
a teenage girl named Lara (Hannah Rae), who lives
with her father (Greg Wise) in a grand, soulless
manor in the south of England. With no discernible
parental relationship to speak of, Lara spends most
of her time under the watchful eye of Miss Fontaine
(Jessica Raine), a stern, pious woman who it soon
emerges is similarly plagued by feelings of isolation
and repression. It is her responsibility to keep Lara
in line; not only ensuring that she pays attention to
her studies, but also binding her left hand behind
her back in order to curb ‘sinful’ behavior.
One day while out walking, the usually taciturn
governess opens up to Lara, urging her not to
suppress her impulses – but what Miss Fontaine
doesn’t yet realise is that Lara’s burgeoning sexual
tendencies verge on masochistic. This is further
augured by the arrival of a stranger (Devrim
Lingnau), brought to the house in the dead of
night following a carriage accident in the nearbywoods. Lara is at once attracted to the mysterious
interloper, who is foggy on the details of her
circumstances (although we suspect she may know
more than she’s letting on). The pair form an
intense bond, but serious concerns over Carmilla’s
true identity – and intentions – are raised when
Lara is suddenly taken ill.
Sheridan Le Fanu’s Gothic novella ‘Carmilla’,
upon which this film is loosely based, was
published in 1872, thus predating Bram Stoker’s
‘Dracula’ by more than a quarter of a century. It is
often cited as the earliest literary example of that
now well-established trope: the lesbian vampire.
While Harris doesn’t hew particularly close to
the vintage source material, she does retain
many of its core themes, from coming of age and
sexual awakening to jealousy, loss of innocence
and religious persecution, while at the same time
downplaying the more supernatural elements of
the story. The result is an erotically-charged period
romance more in the vein of William Oldroyd’s
brutal chamber drama Lady Macbeth than it is
a more genre-savvy twist on vampire lore like Let
the Right One In.
Le Fanu’s eerie tale of female agency and
same-sex desire has tended to be mined for
raunchy Euro-romp fodder (see early ’70s
sexploitation staples The Vampire Lovers and Lust
for a Vampire), so it’s refreshing to see it tackled
from a contemporary perspective. Yet while
Carmilla certainly isn’t lacking in atmosphere,
it doesn’t quite deliver on its alluring premise.
ADAM WOODWARDDirected by
EMILY HARRIS
Starring
DEVRIM LINGNAU
JESSICA RAINE
HANNAH RAE
Released
3 APRIL
ANTICIPATION.
A fresh take on a Gothic classic.
ENJOYMENT.
Plenty to admire here,
especially the performances
of young co-leads Hannah
Rae and Devrim Lingnau.
IN RETROSPECT.
Can’t help but feel this tale of
bloodlust and sexual desire has
been de-fanged.
Carmilla
T