exposed nipple or two to support the lesbian angle." Dave Kehr wrote a favourable retrospective review for Chicago Reader, writing that the film "resulted from the last significant surge of creative energy at Britain's Hammer Films, which thereafter descended into abject self-parody." Film critic Leonard Maltin gave the film a passing grade of two-and-a-half stars, calling it a "rather erotic Hammer chiller". Allmovie wrote, "This Hammer Films production isn't their finest moment but its easy to understand why it has become an enduring cult favorite with horror fans: The Vampire Lovers pushes the "bloodshed & bosoms" formula of the Hammer hits to its limit". On review-aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 76%, based on 20 reviews, and is certified "fresh". Home video The Vampire Lovers was released on 26 August 2003 on DVD by MGM Home Video (Fox Video) as a double-sided Midnite Movies Double Feature DVD consisting of both The Vampire Lovers and Countess Dracula (1971). Scream Factory released the film on Blu-ray on 30 April 2013 and a "Collector's Edition" was released with a new 4K scan of the original camera negative on 21 December 2021. See also Vampire films References Further reading External links 1970 films 1970 horror films 1970s historical horror films 1970 LGBT-related films British LGBT-related films Films shot at Associated British Studios British erotic films British historical horror films Films based on works by Sheridan Le Fanu Films directed by Roy Ward Baker Films set in Austria Hammer Film Productions horror films British vampire films Gothic horror films LGBT-related horror films Films shot in Hertfordshire Films set in country houses Films set in 1794 Lesbian-related films Films based on horror novels Films based on Irish novels British supernatural horror films British exploitation films 1970s English-language films 1970s British films