“The Carmilla Movie” Is Everything We Wanted it to Be (and So Much More)

Late on October 25, fans of the webseries Carmilla were sent a link to stream the Carmilla Movie. I stayed up past my bedtime to watch it, and I am so glad I did. The hype among fans was very high. Even though I had seen roughly thirty screencaptures of the film from the various cast and crew, and had seen some details for the plot, I was very hazy about how this humble webseries was going to be adapted for film. All I knew was that I was excited for multiple cameras, close-ups, and my favorite characters to be back on my screen.

The anchor point of the movie is the relationship between Laura and Carmilla, who have been living blissfully for the last five years, even as Laura is having a millennial career crisis. Carmilla is enjoying living as a human for the first time in centuries, eating pastries and sunbathing in her free-time which is always. Meanwhile Laura is having little success as a journalist and is being plagued with nightmares about being terrorized by Carmilla when Carm was the kind of monster Sheridan Le Fanu and Bram Stoker warned us about. But Laura realizes that she’s actually reliving the memories of Carmilla’s first love and victim, Elle. Simultaneously, Carmilla starts turning back into a vampire, so something is definitely up. So they and their friends Perry, LaFontaine, Mel, and Kirsch try to figure it out and save Carmilla.

I want to say immediately that I loved the Carmilla Movie so much. It was exactly what I wanted to see in a film adaptation of a vlog-style webseries, if there is ever another example of that. The production succeeds where the webseries sometimes fell short. It had swelling background music in the suspenseful parts, action took place on screen when it had to take place off-camera in the webseries, and the camera could close in on subtle emotional moments, where the actors almost had to be theatrical in the original. Finally, the film successfully managed the line between making a show adaptation for old fans and new converts.

It was probably very difficult for the filmmakers to balance old fans and the crowd of people who have never watched the series. Laura spends just a few minutes in the beginning explaining what the first three seasons were about, and some time in the first third of the movie, a character says “We do have a lot of backstory.” But this movie is clearly for the fans of the webseries.

Natasha Negovanlis and Elise Bauman are excellent as always. Their characters’ relationship, while in a fantastical environment, has relatable conflict that avoids all kinds of queer relationship tropes. Also, Dominique Provost-Chalkley (Wynonna Earp) shines as Elle. I don’t want to give too much away about her character, but I do want to point out that all of the villains in the Carmilla franchise steal all the scenes they’re in. She was engaging to watch even across from my favorites, Carmilla and Laura. The Scooby Gang of LaFontaine, Perry, Kirsch and Mel are really good comic relief to contrast the suspenseful scenes and I enjoyed the return of some other favorites that I don’t want to spoil.

I think it’s everything I’ve ever wished for a movie adaptation of a beloved series (waiting on you, X-Files). I’m jealous of the Creampuffs who were able to watch it in theaters up in Canada, but watching Carmilla in bed with my laptop felt like home and I missed it terribly. If you didn’t pre-order it through VHX, it is available for purchase at FullScreen.com. I definitely recommend watching the series first before the movie. You can watch the series for free on KindaTV’s YouTube channel.

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Karly

Karly has written 9 articles for us.

27 Comments

  1. I loved it! Almost every rough edge from the series was smoothed out but it just made the things I loved about it shine even more. Also, my ship is endgame. Hell yeah.

  2. This was really fun and satisfying and I hope this isn’t the end of Carmilla on our screens! I’m so happy! omg can we talk about “that scene”? It was so incredibly hot and emotional! Well deserved by us Creampuffs I’d say for getting this thing funded. Good job you guys!

    My biggest wish is for it to get turned into a real TV show on Netflix or somewhere. Same actors of course, but real TV production values finally.

  3. I really loved it! They did deliver a great movie with much quality (script, acting, camera, location) and the dynamic between actors and the whole environment was perfect!

    I’m really proud of them and hoping there’ll be a sequel coming sometime soon! :)

  4. Do you think they’ll put it up on Netflix like they did with “Almost Adults”???

    I seriously can’t wait to watch the movie! I’m gonna TRYYYY to save $10 at the end of the month (if Netflix doesn’t add it to their streaming services) and buy the movie on the official website! <3

  5. I want to give a little kudos to the movie for casting two Asian women to play the Bronte sisters.

  6. I haven’t seen any of Carmilla past the first few episodes but I know what I’m going to be doing this weekend!

  7. I just got home from the movie theatre and it was amazing! Everything I could have hoped for. So much kissing.

  8. it was literally everything i wanted it to be and i am so happy. i’m so glad this exists.

  9. I just started it. Those intro credits though…..and Laura mentions Danny. PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE be in this Danny.

  10. I’ve been trying to gift a copy of this to a fellow Creampuff but can’t seem to buy the bundles anymore. Anyone else been having problems with this? Have they stopped it on the webpage?? Or am I just being completely inept as usual?!

    • it was only available on the vhx site through the 26th. i believe you can only get it on fullscreen now. good luck!

  11. I greatly enjoyed this movie and also very randomly so did one of my cats? He was riveted! He loved The Carmilla Movie, I don’t know why. I have photos of him watching it throughout, it was very special how much he liked it.

    Anyway, I am excited at the possibility of a sequel!

  12. I was really trying to curb my expectations and excitement leading up to the release because I love Carmilla so much and I was worried that I would somehow be dissappointed but OMG I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

    Like literally, it felt like the most heartfelt hand crafted love letter to us the fans and kept the heart and tone of the show and everyone was perfect and THE CAMEOS!!!!

    I just really love everyone involved in this queer little production and if you’ll excuse me I’m going to watch it another 100 times before I’m even remotely over it.

  13. Guys, if i am correct, you may be able to just get the 1 week trial of Fullscreen watch it and then bail. Read a tumblr post in it. I bought the OG bundle so that’s why idk for sure. should i try it as a test? did anyone else do this?

  14. So good – sweet, funny, sexy.

    So much unresolved – Carm still a vamp, Maddy resurrected, and a baby in the closing credits??

    Let the sequel crowdfunding begin!

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