This a weird retelling of the Dracula story reconfigured as to be some sort of anti-fascist film. Its a beautiful film to look at but more than a bit strange in execution.
The plot, if I picked it up correctly, has to do with a town that has been held in the grip of a band of vampires who all dress in what reminds one of fascist uniforms. Their leader bears more than a passing resemblance to Hitler, but with out the mustache. Deciding that they have had enough of the terror they form a plan to drive all of the vampires into the ocean. In order to get better information on the vampires they send in one of their own to the vampires castle.
What transpires after that is both interesting and very pretentious, unfortunately the pretentiousness wins out. You have speeches and discussions that are less than veiled discussions of politics and completely ruin any normal sense of horror. You have a group of young girls who appear in many scenes of the vampires performing odd ballet or synchronized moves and in so doing distract you from the main action of the scene. It wouldn't be so bad except that much of the film can't make up its mind as to what its about, is it a horror film or a political film? I don't think it fully knows. The result of the confusion is a film that often comes off as being very funny, the problem is I can't be sure how much of it is suppose to be funny.
The best part of this film is the look of it. This is one of those movies that amazes you with every shot. No matter what is going on, silly or serious, it all looks great. It sucks you in simply because you want to see the images that pass before your eyes. This film has tracking shots and haunting images that will stay with me forever (Two high points that come to mind are the first time we go to the vampires castle and travel among all of them; and the final sequence on the beach which has some haunting imagery.) Can I recommend this film? Truthfully, not to anyone who isn't a vampire completest or a film nut who loves to see beautifully shot films since the cinematography is what makes this work despite its pretentious flaws,
The plot, if I picked it up correctly, has to do with a town that has been held in the grip of a band of vampires who all dress in what reminds one of fascist uniforms. Their leader bears more than a passing resemblance to Hitler, but with out the mustache. Deciding that they have had enough of the terror they form a plan to drive all of the vampires into the ocean. In order to get better information on the vampires they send in one of their own to the vampires castle.
What transpires after that is both interesting and very pretentious, unfortunately the pretentiousness wins out. You have speeches and discussions that are less than veiled discussions of politics and completely ruin any normal sense of horror. You have a group of young girls who appear in many scenes of the vampires performing odd ballet or synchronized moves and in so doing distract you from the main action of the scene. It wouldn't be so bad except that much of the film can't make up its mind as to what its about, is it a horror film or a political film? I don't think it fully knows. The result of the confusion is a film that often comes off as being very funny, the problem is I can't be sure how much of it is suppose to be funny.
The best part of this film is the look of it. This is one of those movies that amazes you with every shot. No matter what is going on, silly or serious, it all looks great. It sucks you in simply because you want to see the images that pass before your eyes. This film has tracking shots and haunting images that will stay with me forever (Two high points that come to mind are the first time we go to the vampires castle and travel among all of them; and the final sequence on the beach which has some haunting imagery.) Can I recommend this film? Truthfully, not to anyone who isn't a vampire completest or a film nut who loves to see beautifully shot films since the cinematography is what makes this work despite its pretentious flaws,