She was horror’s original sapphic vampire and she changed everything. Carmilla Karnstein broke boundaries when she first appeared on the page in 1872, and again when Hammer brought her to the screen in The Vampire Lovers (1970). With its blend of gothic atmosphere, erotic tension, and tragic intimacy, it pushed boundaries like never before, unsettling censors and thrilling audiences in equal measure. Ingrid Pitt’s haunting performance as Carmilla helped seal its legacy as a cult classic. This Pr