Vampyr

 

 

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The rat-toothed Nosferatu and the charming Transylvanian Count are the best known examples of early vampire movies, mostly because there weren't very many others at the time.

But more often than not, "Vampyr" gets passed over when you talk about early vampire movies -- and that's a shame. Carl Th. Dreyer's masterpiece (loosely based on the works of J. Sheridan Le Fanu) is a straightforward little story wrapped in a hazy cocoon of dreamlike imagery and haunting direction. From the very beginning, this movie clings to you like a spiderweb.

Occult student Allan Gray is staying at a hotel in the French countryside. But after being woken by a strange old man's cryptic warning, he finds that the inn is swarming with eerie supernatural happenings, including shadows that move independently. After he departs, a strange old man lets an ancient crone out of a closet.

And when Allan arrives at a nearby chateau, he finds that the owner has been murdered, and his daughter Leone is suffering from mysterious wounds. After the girl is rescued from a strange old crone, she begins acting predatory toward her sister Gisele -- and the weird old doctor says that only a transfusion will save her. But the doctor is in league with the vampire -- and is working to destroy Leone...

"Vampyr" has a pretty simple storyline, loosely based on a couple of J. Sheridan Le Fanu's short stories (including the classic "Carmilla"). But it's not the plot that makes this movie a classic -- it's the powerful, ghostly visuals that permeate it. And the beautiful real-life settings (the inn, chateau and church) don't hurt the atmosphere of it all.

In many ways, "Vampyr" is like a silent movie -- the characters are quiet, text cards intersperse the scenes, and several minutes are taken up by printed text from the "History of Vampires" book. In addition to this, the visuals are so powerful that it's almost a shock when one of the characters actually speaks out loud. Even then, nobody says anything unless it's actually necessary.

Dreyer films this movie as if it were a choreographed dream, letting the camera drift through ornate rooms and hazy hills. And he often fixed on striking images -- pale feverish faces, still windvanes, cloudy skies, scythes, and the movement of shadows on walls and the ground. And there are some spectacularly creepy moments, such as when Leone starts baring her teeth gleefully at Gisele, or Allan watching the view from inside a coffin.

And he steeps the entire movie in dreamlike effects -- hazy countrysides, skeletons, floating girls, and shadows that can dance and move independently. These strange effects are done almost effortlessly, adding to the feeling that you're surrounded by the unreal. Dreyer even puts a note of humor in from time to time, such as the dancing shadows with their little folk band.

Julian West (aka Nicolas de Gunzburg) does a pretty solid job as our unflappable hero, although I question how his suit remains pristine all through the movie -- and he does a glorious job in that bizarre dream sequence. Sybille Schmitz has a small part, but is wonderfully feral as she starts to turn vampiric, and Henriette Gérard is unspeakably creepy as the ancient, stone-faced vampire who wants other people to suffer as well.

Carl Th. Dreyer's "Vampyr" is a rarity among vampire movies -- all haunting images and ghostly, subtle horror, with excellent acting and exquisite directions. It's a cinematic classic that should not be overlooked.

Allan Grey (Julian West) has a fertile imagination and we get to fertile along with him. He is on vacation. He chooses a strange building to vacate in. Its his first night and he hears spooky sounds (mostly in German) which forces him to lock his door. A mysterious man comes into his room any way and delivers a package. It is only to be opened on the stranger's death. Things only get weirder and as with any mystery it is always the last person you suspect. Eventually the story comes to a "Grinding halt."

Well designed "they may be vampires" story. All the elements are there. If you miss the introduction you will be lost in the montage. Actually considering that this film is over 75 years old and has had a rough shelf life, we are lucky to see what there is. Now the question is if this is re-mastered will it lose its patina as rare coins do after a good dose of Bon Ami.

Carl Dreyer, one of Scandinavia's finest directors, brought this film to the screen in 1932. It is image driven, with not a lot of dialog. Dreyer creates a number of scenes, with the atmosphere raised to the peak, with scary music playing throughout the film. We see Allan, an occult researcher staying at a house. He sees some very scary, werid things there. It seems vampires are controlling the people there, and it is up to him to save them, destroy the vampire, and escape. We follow him investigating the gothic home, with images of death in every room. In one scene he dreams of his own burial! We don't see much of the vampire though, mostly the haunting effects it has on the residents. This film is really creepy, and atmospheric. I'd recommend it highly to those who enjoy the old style, slow, spooky, gothic horror films. 4 stars.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Haunting Tale of Life and Death & Incredible Early Animation
In a small French town, a man named Allen Gray (Julian West) takes a room at an inn. His sleep is interrupted when a strange man (Maurice Shutz) comes into his room speaking... Read more

Published on Jan 13 2004 by mirasreviews

3.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT film! But a BAD print!
This is a great film, but sadly an awful print has been used as the master copy, and makes the viewing of this classic horror film, a real nightmare. Read more

Published on Oct 11 2002 by craig j gilmour

5.0 out of 5 stars A cornerstone.
Whereas Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc, 4 years this film's senior, is obsessed with showing the audience through close-ups and inventive framing, Vampyr is a film possessed... Read more

Published on May 16 2002 by Sean Gill

5.0 out of 5 stars Sickness unto death.
Watching Carl Dreyer's *Vampyr* reminds me of having a fever: the surreal becomes real; the mind wanders; delirium seems incipient. Read more

Published on May 14 2002

1.0 out of 5 stars Great movie--butchered DVD version
I suppose if this is the only way we can see Vampyr, it is better than nothing. But just barely. First of all, there are no DVD menu of features at all, just chapter selections... Read more

Published on April 7 2002 by Richard Burt

1.0 out of 5 stars Classic film, lousy DVD
Carl Dreyer's classic horror film _Vampyr_ is desecrated on a substandard DVD. The image transfer is nearly unwatchable (as is true of the VHS cassette), with extensive grain and... Read more

Published on Feb 15 2002 by Timothy Hulsey

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Transfer - Annoying Subtitles
Another release from the same folks who produced "Nosferatu" (Film Preservation Assosiates/Blackhawk Films). Excellent print transfer to DVD (and VHS)! Read more

Published on Mar 26 2001 by kip garth

4.0 out of 5 stars Different than the rest
This Kino/Image DVD is the same edition they previously released to laser and VHS and to date it's the best-looking print out there. Read more

Published on Feb 8 2001 by Timothy Ramzyk

5.0 out of 5 stars It will leave you feeling bewildered!
There are few 72 minute movies that have as much impact as Vampyr DVD~ Julian West. The directors use of sounds and different lighting throughout the movie is something that is... Read more

Published on Dec 14 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this; buy this now..
Dreyer, not known for horror films, brings us such a chilling tale with Vampyr. Made in '32 it truly brings the old German Expressionistic qualities to a very frightening horror... Read more

Published on Nov 1 2000 by M. Cruz

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