Count Karnstein

Count Karnstein is the main antagonist in the Hammer film Twins of Evil. He is played by Damien Thomas

Synopsis
The evil Count Karnstein is a wicked man who has the favor of the Emperor, and thus gets away with everything. He terrorizes the populace, murdering people with impunity, and sacrificing others in black magic ceremonies. Early on, Karnstein sacrifices a victim to revive Mircalla Karnstein, who promptly bites him, turning him into a vampire. Reveling in his newfound power, Karnstein happily kills as he will, before he lures in Frieda and other women. Sensing the hidden wickedness in Frieda, Karnstein terrorizes and then bites her after revealing that those with evil inside them become vampires themselves, while the innocent and good will die...Frieda becomes a vampire and the count feeds her an innocent young woman, laughing all the while.

Karnstein proceeds to use her to murder other innocents, even sending her for her family and to eliminate Gustave...Frieda holds herself from killing Maria with great effort, but when she is found out and captured, Karnstein rescues her from jail and swaps her out for Maria to be burnt and executed in Frieda's place. Only by the quick thinking of Maria's love interest Anton is Maria's innocence proven (with Maria kissing a cross to prove her sacrifice). The villagers storm Karnstein's castle, as he fights back...even sending Frieda out to die as a distraction while he tries to flee, and then uses Maria as a human shield. In a fight with the Count, Gustav is mortally wounded and thrown to his death...only for Anton to seize a spear and fling it into Karnstein's heart...killing the wicked vampire for good.