LGBTQ Film History and Early Lesbian Representation Blood and Roses Press Photo Archive 1960

LGBT Lesbian Vampire Film Archive

Archive

Vadim, Roger, Et mourir de plaisir (Le sang et la rose) [Blood and Roses], 1960, documenting early cinematic representation of lesbian desire within European gothic film. The material reflects LGBTQ cultural expression in mid-twentieth-century cinema, illustrating how same-sex intimacy between women was visualized through genre conventions of horror and romance, and offering insight into the limited but significant emergence of lesbian themes in commercial film production. It supports research into queer film history, adaptation of literary sources, and the visual language of sexuality in postwar European cinema.

Archive of ten original silver gelatin press photographs produced for the film’s release, each measuring approximately 8 x 10 inches, with printed captions and the film title beneath the images. The photographs depict scenes featuring actors Elsa Martinelli, Annette Vadim, and Mel Ferrer in staged moments drawn from the film’s narrative, including close interpersonal interactions and compositions emphasizing intimacy between female characters. The imagery reflects the film’s gothic setting and narrative tone, with costuming, interior settings, and lighting contributing to an atmosphere of romantic tension and supernatural suggestion. Issued as promotional stills, the photographs were intended for press distribution and theatrical marketing, presenting selected visual highlights to audiences and exhibitors.

Ten photographs. Based on the novella Carmilla (1872) by Sheridan Le Fanu, the film occupies an early position within the lineage of lesbian vampire narratives, a subgenre that became a recurring vehicle for depicting same-sex desire within coded or stylized frameworks. Released in 1960, the film reflects broader mid-century constraints on explicit representation while nonetheless presenting female intimacy as a central narrative element. Minor handling wear, prints clean and well-preserved; overall very good condition. A cohesive visual archive documenting early mainstream cinematic engagement with lesbian themes.

Item #19252

Price: $480.00