HAMMER’S GREATEST SCREAM QUEEN: INGRID PITT
I am in the middle of rewatching the Vampire Lovers and felt the need to do a quick post on the queen of sexy lesbo vamps, Ingrid Pitt. There are some mythic elements to the life of Ingrid Pitt that is sometimes conflicting, depending on what source you are reading. There is the fantastic story of how she was born Ingoushka Petrov in 1937, of Polish parents, while her mother was being transported to a concentration camp in Germany during the war. Another source keeps the concentration camp story but gives the date of 1943 for her birth, while yet another source claims Pitt herself lists her birth date as November of 1945, when the war was well over for Germany as well as Japan and the camps were abolished.
She grew up separated until the age of ten from her parents and was reunited with them later in Berlin by the Red Cross. In 1962 she escaped East Germany by swimming across the Spree River and worked as a waitress supporting herself and her daughter while pursuing a career in acting. Whatever is true, false or exaggerated only adds to her dynamic charm and charisma.
She has had a few small roles in main stream films such as David Lean’s epic Doctor Zhivago and Where Eagles Dare with Clint Eastwood, but it was her work for James Carreras and Hammer films that has helped her achieve and maintain her status as a genuine cult film icon for decades now. Her ample cleavage, east European beauty and perfectly upturned nose made her a perfect Hammer scream queen.
A couple of her greatest roles were as the lesbian vampire Carmilla in The Vampire Lovers (with Peter Cushing in yet another great vampire hunter role) and Countess Dracula, where she plays Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific murderess in history and inspiration for countless b-movies and goth bands..
She has authored a couple books about her life in films and is a black belt in karate. I hope the images I found and edited do her the justice she deserves. She was one of the early pioneers of the whole Euro-Lesbian vampire movie craze that flourished in the 70’s. She was a real gem and she will no doubt reappear from time to time in the Café.
Check her website for more info at: http://www.pittofhorror.com
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October 3rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I love Ingrid Pitt. I’ve had a thing for her since I first saw her all those years ago. Vampire Lovers is one of my favorite Hammer films. Hammer always had some gorgeous ladies in their movies. Those were some great pictures of Ingrid. She always had this very exotic look about her. There was something so alluring about her. You could definitely see her as a daughter of the night that would be able to seduce either men or women. I enjoyed all the movies I’ve seen her in. It does seem though like you hear a lot of conflicting info about her past. She’s got an interesting story no matter what. Great post. Thanks for doing it. Have a great weekend.
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:15 pm
What can I say Bill?
Two thumbs up, great post.
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
The picture I alway see of her with the cleavage and the Dracula cape emerging from the coffin I think is from The House that Dripped Blood. I loved those Amicus horror anthologies… I’d love to see them make a comeback!
I’d like to see (or compose) a post someday on the best horror anthologies. The House That Dripped Blood would be near the top. I also liked Tales from the Crypt, any other Amicus movie like Asylum, Trilogy of Terror, Black Sunday and Creepshow.
October 4th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I just purchased the Annotated Dracula, and there’s the same picture of Ingrid Pitt and it says it’s from The Vampire Lovers. So, I guess I was wrong saying it was from The House that Dripped Blood.
Oh well, at least I got to state my opinion on horror anthologies. Ciao.
October 5th, 2008 at 2:41 am
I kinda think we need to redress (re-address?) the scream “queen”…. its an interesting thought, don’t you think?
October 5th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Gilligan, never fear old chum, as T_ttlg is here!!!!
You are quite correct, the shot is from the House that Dripped Blood - actually from the finale of the portmanteau section. I too am reading the annotated Dracula and it is wrong (and such will be mentioned when I review it heh heh).
Just to be doubly sure I dug out the DVD and double checked.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:03 am
Taliesin - I thought so!! Man, I can’t believe I let that book cause me to second guess myself. I look forward to your review of the book… they should have consulted you rather than Neil Gaiman for the intro.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:23 am
To everyone
Sorry to get back so late. My connection was down for about 5 days here and I could not get online. But thanks to all of you, Gil, Petra, Keith and Tal. I am surprised for some reason this post generated so much response. I put it together real fast. I did just watch The Vampire Lovers and the scene of Ingrid rising from the coffin was not in it. But I love that shot. I had never seen an unrated version of the film and there was more to be seen from Ingrid than I could see on regular TV as a kid.
Petra, call me biased and close minded, the lesbian vampire genre is one I never tire of researching, but the gay male vampire genre is something that will never be promoted here at the Cafe. I am sort of old fashioned in my perversions.