The Carmilla Movie

The Carmilla Movie is a 2017 Canadian comedy horror film directed by Spencer Maybee, based on the web series of the same name (2014–2016). Both the film and the web series were adapted from the 1872 gothic novella Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. The film received a limited release in Canada on October 26, 2017.

The Carmilla Movie
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySpencer Maybee
Produced by
  • Steph Ouaknine
  • Melanie Windle
Screenplay by
  • Alejandro Alcoba
  • Jordan Hall
Story byAlejandro Alcoba
Based onCarmilla
by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Starring
Music byArmen Bazarian
CinematographyJames Poremba
Edited byJordan Crute
Production
companies
Release date
  • October 26, 2017 (2017-10-26) (Canada)
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Premise

Five years after the events of the web series, Carmilla is no longer a vampire, but a living, breathing human. The former vampire seems to adapt well to her new mortal life in Toronto with her girlfriend, Laura. However, Carmilla's bloody past is never far, and eventually comes back to haunt them when Laura begins having nightmares related to Carmilla's past.

Cast

Production

The film is based on the Canadian web series Carmilla.[1] Both the film and the web series were adapted from the 1872 gothic novella Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu.[2] In September 2017 a trailer of the film was shown at the 2017 New York Comic Con.[3][4][5] Aside from the characters that had already appeared in the series, the film introduced one new character: Carmilla's first love Ell, who was played by Dominique Provost-Chalkley.[6] While the web series was presented in five-minute segments viewed through the webcam of the main character, Laura Hollis, the film also shows the characters when Laura's camera is offline.[7] The film was shot in 14 days in June 2017.[8] The film stars the cast of the web series: Elise Bauman, Natasha Negovanlis, Annie Briggs, Kaitlyn Alexander, Nicole Stamp, and Matt O'Connor. Newly introduced cast members include Dominique Provost-Chalkley, Grace Lynn Kung, and Cara Gee.[9]

Filming took place throughout the month of June 2017 in and around Toronto.[10] 30% of financing for the film, which was made for less than $1 million, came from preselling the film via VHX to fans.[11][12] Alejandro Alcoba and Jordan Hall wrote the script for the film.[13][14]

Release

On October 26, 2017, the film was released in Cineplex theatres across Canada for one night only, before being released for streaming on Fullscreen the following day.[15][16]

In January 2018, the film was first broadcast on television. It was shown along with the complete web series in an 18-hour marathon on Hollywood Suite.[17]

Reception

Amy Zimmerman of The Daily Beast praises that the film does not focus on "pale men and their fawning female victims", but rather queer women who are not "portrayed through harmful stereotypes". According to Amy, "Carmilla's creative team actively avoids the tropes that have come to define queer women in pop culture".[18] Jessica Oshanani of Her Campus thinks that the film is "incredible and worth watching". She believes that the cast, who bring their own unique personalities into the film, are one of the best things about the film.[19]

Peter Knegt from CBC.ca felt that the film was made mainly for fans of the web series. Because he had not seen the web series first, he found it hard to follow the plot in the film. He also mentions that the film is "not just a lesbian vampire movie, but a whole world dominated by characters who are queer and/or female", and that it even has a non-binary character in LaFontaine.[20] Karly Ko from Autostraddle says that The Carmilla Movie was even better than she expected as a fan of the web series. She praises the cast and the depiction of the characters' relationships.[21] Aja Romano from Vox believes that The Carmilla Movie is mainly interesting to those who are happy to spend a few hours watching two beautiful women who are happy with each other in a simple and sweet love story.[22]

References
  1. Seavers, Kris (October 31, 2017). "'Carmilla the Movie' is the niche lesbian vampire flick that Tumblr teens deserve in 2017". The Daily Dot. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  2. Gross, Ed (December 6, 2017). "10 vampire projects rising from the grave". Empire. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  3. Bourdillon, Roxy (September 6, 2017). "The Carmilla Movie teaser trailer has landed and it's everything". Diva. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  4. Ennis, Tricia (October 20, 2017). "WATCH: The Carmilla Movie cast on transitioning to cinema". Syfy. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  5. Sokol, Tony; Kayti, Burt (October 5, 2017). "The Carmilla Movie: Release Date, Trailer, Cast". Den of Geek. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  6. Tedesco, Lisa (October 18, 2017). "The Wait Is Finally Over: Carmilla Is Back!". Curve. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  7. Wilner, Norman (October 26, 2017). "Carmilla's Elise Bauman: 'sexuality should not be the defining quality of a character'". Now. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  8. Anne, Valerie (October 10, 2017). "10 Things We Know About the Carmilla Movie, Straight from Natasha Negovanlis and Elise Bauman at NYCC". Autostraddle. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  9. Miska, Brad (June 5, 2017). "Feature for Vampire Series "Carmilla" Begins Filming". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  10. Spangler, Todd (June 5, 2017). "'Carmilla' Lesbian Vampire Movie Starts Filming, Release Set for Fall 2017". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  11. Cooper, Julia (October 20, 2017). "The Carmilla Movie ushers in the new stakeholders of vampire cinema". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  12. vanKampen, Stephanie (October 24, 2017). "How a little Canadian web series about a lesbian vampire became a worldwide hit". CBC.ca. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  13. Friesen, Laura (October 27, 2017). "The Carmilla Movie from Alejandro Alcoba now available to stream online". National Screen Institute. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  14. Hamman, Cody (November 19, 2016). "YouTube series Carmilla to get a feature follow-up". JoBlo.com. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  15. Reid, Regan (September 28, 2017). "The Carmilla Movie to hit theatres in October". Playback. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  16. Klein, Jessica (October 6, 2017). "'The Carmilla Movie' Set To Debut In Theaters October 26, Then On Fullscreen". Tubefilter. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  17. Pinto, Jordan (December 1, 2017). "In brief: Carmilla to make TV debut in Hollywood Suite marathon". Playback. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  18. Zimmerman, Amy (October 10, 2017). "FEMALE GAZE. The Feminists Making Vampires Gay Again". The Daily Beast. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  19. Oshanani, Jessica (October 29, 2017). "Buckle Up Creampuff – "The Carmilla Movie" is finally here!". Her Campus. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  20. Knegt, Peter (October 30, 2017). "A week ago, I'd never heard of Carmilla. Now the lesbian vampire franchise is everywhere". CBC.ca. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  21. Ko, Karly (October 26, 2017). ""The Carmilla Movie" Is Everything We Wanted it to Be (and So Much More)". Autostraddle. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  22. Romano, Aja (October 27, 2017). "Carmilla was a fun lesbian vampire web series. Now it's a frustrating movie". Vox. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
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