By Romey Norton September 14, 2024
The stylistic French film, 'The Vourdalak' is a good old-fashioned gothic horror-flick. It’s not a traditional horror, as it blends a number of genres, including comedy. Adrien Beau’s adaptation of of Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy’s 1839 "The Family of the Vourdalak", a novella that follows the story of a noble emissary of the King of France, the Marquis d’Urfé, who finds refuge in the home of a strange family. The novella predates Bram Stoker’s "Dracula" by more than half a century - fun fact for you all.
Synopsis
The story isn’t too difficult to follow - French nobleman, the Marquis d’Urfé (Kacey Mottet-Klein), is set upon by bandits and forced to seek shelter in a nearby manor house. The family are welcoming, but secretive and are eagerly awaiting the return of their father, Gorcha. When Gorcha returns, he’s clearly not human, he is now a Vourdalak. A Vourdalak is a skeletal, inhuman ghoul who returns to their families to suck their blood. Instead of using CGI, they opt for a life-sized marionette, which is terrifying and hilarious. The nobleman does what he can, but ultimately, who can fight off a Vourdalak?
Review
The genre of vampires will never be sucked dry as audiences always come back for more. Vampires are usually sexual and seductive, however, this film opts to make a withered creature. A vampire-like being with Slavic origins who prefers to feast on the blood of his relatives rather than strangers. 'The Vourdalak' is a reimagining of the classic vampire tales audiences are used to, which makes this film a must-watch.
Unfortunately, the film's pace is ridiculously slow. With wailing music and odd sounds of slurping and chomping, you might lose interest. But stay with it, as there are some very clever and funny moments in 'The Vourdalak', like the rather twisted sex scene which will make you cringe, and seriously awkward dancing.
Whilst all the acting is great and believable, it’s the puppet Gorcha that steals the show. Creepy, freaky and funny all at once, you can’t take your eyes off it/him. Truly the stuff of nightmares. Now whilst Gorcha is quite comical, a father coming back to kill his family is a serious storyline, and the film has its deep and dark moments. Opening up themes of family, life, death, relationships and self-identity.
Filmed in super 16mm cinematography awash in film grain, the photography is lovely and has a vintage vibe, helping transport you to a different time. There are some artistic shots, very avant-garde, such as when the nobleman is trying to strike a match for light, the shots go black each time he fails.
The ending is slightly predictable, but still emotional and effective. Overall, 'The Vourdalak' is a quirky, slightly bizarre, gothic comedy. The artistic exploration of gothic horror makes this film a splendid and strange surprise. Even though there were times I didn’t quite know what was going on and going to happen, I was still completely captivated.
Star Rating
'The Vourdalak' releases on digital platforms September 16
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