The Playgirls and the Vampire Blu-ray - Lyla Rocco / Maria Giovannini

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "L'ultima preda del vampiro" or "Daughters of the Vampire" or "Desires of the Vampire" or "Last Victim of the Vampire" or

"The Last Prey of the Vampire" or "The Vampire's Last Victim" or "The Playgirls and the Vampire" or "The Vampire's Last Fling" or "Curse of the Vampire")

Directed by Piero Regnoli
Italy 1960

A troupe of five showgirls, along with their manager, are traveling through a remote stretch of countryside when their minibus gets stuck after a rainstorm. Finding refuge at the castle home of the mysterious Count Gabor Kernassy, the women make the best of the situation by continuing to practice their burlesque routines. But little do they know that the strange Count is harboring a fiendish secret and is intent on subjecting the lovely ladies to his vampiric desires…

A pioneering entry in the history of more erotically-minded Italian gothic horror, future Fulci collaborator Piero Regnoli’s (writer of Demonia and Burial Ground) sole horror directing effort, The Playgirls and the Vampire (L'ultima preda del vampiro) is a cheeky and charming mix of atmospheric castle chills and sexy go-go thrills. Starring actor-turned-producer Walter Brandi (Bloody Pit of Horror) along with veteran screen stars Lyla Rocco (One Step to Eternity) and Alfredo Rizzo (The Beast in Heat), and featuring striking black-and-white photography by Aldo Greci (Play Motel).

***

Five beautiful showgirls are trapped by a storm and find refuge in a creepy old castle. The owner of the castle, a strange nobleman, has a secret laboratory in the basement and has his own plans for the girls.

Posters

Theatrical Release: November 28th, 1960

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Review: Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:21:21.042
Video	1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 33,350,380,005 bytes Feature: 25,162,789,440 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.85 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio Italian 2037 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2037 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DUB: DTS-HD Master Audio English 2038 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2038 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English (SDH), English (translation), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Vinegar Syndrome 1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 33,350,380,005 bytes Feature: 25,162,789,440 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.85 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • "Striptease Gothic" (25:56) - a conversation with Mark Thompson Ashworth • Original trailer (1:42) • Alternate "The Playgirls and the Vampire" opening title sequence (3:19) • Alternate "Curse of the Vampire" opening title (1:44) • Alternate "Des filles pour un vampire" French title sequence (3:41) • Still gallery Reversible sleeve artwork Blu-ray Release Date: March 26th, 2024 Transparent Blu-ray Case inside slipcase Chapters 5

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray (March 2024): Vinegar Syndrome have transferred Piero Regnoli's The Playgirls and the Vampire to Blu-ray. It is cited as "newly restored in 4K from its 35mm fine grain master and presented in both its original Italian language version and English dub". There are inconsistencies but the majority of the film looks quite strong in 1080P with decent contrast and visible grain. There is a focus-related issue at 16-17 minutes in - see HERE - even mentioned in the extras by Mark Thompson-Ashworth. But it is only brief and likely part of the print. There is some frame-specific damage (see samples below) but nothing egregious. Overall - quite a pleasing HD presentation.

NOTE: We have added 78 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Vinegar Syndrome offer DTS-HD Master dual-mono tracks (24-bit) in either the original Italian or a, sometimes awkward, English language DUB (a few early lines not DUB'ed but the subtitles come on.) The Playgirls and the Vampire has aggressive screams with surprising depth but limited audio effects. The score was by Aldo Piga (The Vampire and the Ballerina, Terror-Creatures From the Grave, The Monster of the Opera, Curse of the Blood Ghouls). It sounds reasonably clean via the lossless transfer adding to the atmosphere. Vinegar Syndrome offer optional English (SDH) and English (translated) subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray offers "Striptease Gothic" a 26-minute conversation with Italian Film Devotee, and dialogue coach, Mark Thompson-Ashworth who talks about similar films of the era or "Girly Vampire" movies like The Vampire and the Ballerina defending the 'cheesecake titillation' graveyard genre, the shooting locations (studio, exterior and interiors), notable crew members, etc.. There is also an original trailer (and alternate opening title sequences for alternative titles and foreign languages. Lastly is a stills gallery with posters and promotional photos. A commentary by Tim Lucas, Troy Howarth or Kim Newman would have added to the value.

Piero Regnoli's The Playgirls and the Vampire is early in the vein of Euro-cult horror exploitation / titillation. It is very similar to The Vampire and the Ballerina released six months earlier. Both have sexy Marisa Quattrini and comic relief of Walter Brandi - "one of the first de facto stars of Italian horror/exploitation" - and both films have a similar score by Aldo Piga and a plot involving beautiful dancers and their two male friends stranded in an ominous Gothic castle with male + female blood-draining undead. I also see similarities to 1961's Horrors of Spider Island, and the German-made Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory from 1960 each with a bevy of Euro-babes - hybrids with themes of eroticism - evoking Giallo, Gothic, Corman, Hammer etc. horror with their own cultural affectations like the films of Mexico Macabre Vol. 1. This fits in with the majority of director Piero Regnoli's writing work. He wrote the screenplay for Riccardo Freda's 1957 I Vampiri, completed by the film's cinematographer Mario Bava, The Third Eye with Franco Nero, Gioia Pascal and Erika Blanc - and bonkers-zombie favorites, Burial Ground and Nightmare City. Needless to say I am very happy that Vinegar Syndrome have brought this to Blu-ray and fans of this genre should certainly consider. A 'keeper' for me.