Radiance Films proudly unveils a stunning double feature from visionary Belgian auteur Harry Kümel, whose bold cinematic flair transformed European genre filmmaking in the 1970s. Now, two of his most striking and subversive works Daughters of Darkness and Malpertuis have received brand new 4K restorations, that premiered at London’s seminal FrightFest in August, with the director in attendance.
A true auteur of European cinema, Harry Kümel is celebrated for his blend of gothic horror, sensuality and high-art aesthetics and now, his seminal films get the deluxe treatment with their highly anticipated Limited Edition releases, each brimming with atmospheric horror, mythic surrealism and a slew of fantastic special features.
Kümel’s films stand apart for their bold visual storytelling, haunting ambiguity and exploration of queer identity, mythology and power. In both Daughters of Darkness and Malpertuis, Kümel’s signature style is on full display, fusing painterly composition with subversive narrative depth to craft cinematic experiences that are as unsettling as they are unforgettable.
Daughters of Darkness (1971), gets a Limited Edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray Box Set and a Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set release on 27 October 2025.
Kümel delivers an unforgettable gothic nightmare, set in an eerily deserted seaside hotel. Newlyweds Stefan (John Karlen – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) and Valerie’s (Danielle Ouimet – The Possession of Virginia) honeymoon is disrupted by the arrival of Countess Elizabeth Bathory – played with ethereal menace by Delphine Seyrig (The Day of the Jackal) – and her mysterious companion. As night falls and secrets surface, the couple are drawn into a hypnotic vortex of seduction and vampiric terror. Acclaimed for its stunning visuals and unapologetic eroticism, Daughters of Darkness is a landmark in queer horror cinema and remains one of the most seductive vampire films ever made.
The director’s follow up, Malpertuis (1971) – that’s set for a Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set release on 13 October 2025 – plunges audiences into the surreal with a haunting tale of ancient gods, crumbling mansions and cursed bloodlines.
Adapted from the novel by Jean Ray and featuring legendary filmmaker Orson Welles (Citizen Kane) in a towering late-career performance, the film centres on a young man trapped in a labyrinthine house where family secrets blur into mythic horror. Jean-Jacques Griffon (Mathieu Carriere – India Song), a disillusioned young man, returns to his ancestral home after his father’s death, only to find the sprawling mansion has become a cryptic maze filled with strange inhabitants. His dying father has trapped several relatives and mysterious figures inside Malpertuis, an ancient, decaying mansion rumoured to be a prison for old gods disguised as humans. As Jean-Jacques navigates a world where myth bleeds into reality, he unravels disturbing secrets about his family’s cursed legacy and the supernatural forces at play.
Radiance Films brings together these two cult masterpieces in definitive editions that celebrate the allure of Harry Kümel’s work. Whether rediscovering these titles or encountering them for the first time, this collection offers an essential window into one of the most visually arresting and intellectually daring voices in European cinema.
Experience the beguiling terror of Daughters of Darkness and the mythic mystery of Malpertuis like never before – two visionary works, one essential release.
DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:
- 4K restoration from the original negative by Blue Underground, approved by director Harry Kümel
- Audio commentary authors Virginie Sélavy and Lindsay Hallam (2025)
- New interview with director Harry Kümel and critic Anne Billson (2025)
- Archival interview with Delphine Seyrig in which the actor discusses her career (1989)
- On set footage with Harry Kümel and stuntman Thierry Hallaert (1970)
- Behind-the-scenes footage of Delphine Seyrig shooting a scene from the film and an interview with Harry Kümel (1971)
- Interview with critic and author Kim Newman (2025)
- Immoral Tales: Daughters of Darkness, Class, Cruelty, and the Cinematic Legacy of Bathory – a visual essay by Kat Ellinger, author of the monograph on the film (2025)
- Anna the Maid – Harry Kümel’s short film based on a Jean Cocteau poem about a murderous maid (1958, 5 mins)
- Aether – Harry Kümel’s short film about the surreal visions of a man following an accident (1960, 7 mins, co-directed by Herman Wuyts)
- Limited edition 80-page perfect bound booklet featuring new writing by Suzanne Boleyn, Martyn Conterio, Joseph Dwyer, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Mairéad Roche
- Limited edition of 2000 copies, presented in rigid box and full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings
MALPERTUIS SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:
- New 4K restoration of the film overseen by director Harry Kümel
- Audio commentary by Harry Kümel and assistant director Françoise Levie (2005)
- New interview with Harry Kümel (2025)
- New interview with author and gothic horror expert Jonathan Rigby (2025)
- Malpertuis Archive – an archival documentary on the making of the film featuring Kümel, actor Mathieu Carrière and director of photography Gerry Fisher among others (2005)
- Orson Welles Uncut – a featurette on the casting of Welles, including rare outtakes of the actor (2005)
- Susan Hampshire: one actress, three parts – an archival interview with the actress, including screen tests and contributions from cast and crew (2005)
- Archival interview with Michel Bouquet and Harry Kümel from Belgian television (1971)
- Jean Ray, John Flanders 1887 – 1964 – an archival interview with the source novelist and co-writer of Malpertuis (2005)
- Malpertuis Revisited – Harry Kümel revisits locations from the film (2005, 4 mins)
- Malpertuis: The Cannes cut – the rejected version of the film which premiered in Cannes (100 mins, SD)
- The Warden of the Tomb – Kümel’s early film based on Franz Kafka’s play (1965, 37 mins)
- Trailer
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
- Limited edition 80-page perfect bound booklet featuring new writing by Lucas Balbo, Maria J. Pérez Cuervo, David Flint, Willow Catelyn Maclay, Jonathan Owen
- Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in rigid box and full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings
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