Halloween House Party: My Favourite Non-US Vampire Films
With the new Interview with the Vampire series reigniting my love for the blood-drinking monsters, I’ve found myself needing more vampire content to tide me over while I eagerly await the release of season 3, titled The Vampire Lestat. A longtime fan of Anne Rice vampires, with a soft spot for Bram Stoker’s hairy-palmed monster, I do prefer my vampires scary and complicated, Gothic and tragic, vicious and morose rather than sparkly. That said, I’m always keen to see how this classic creature might be interpreted or reinvented internationally. Here are a few of my favourites, and perhaps lesser-known, takes on the vampire story.
Only Lovers Left Alive (UK/Germany)
This is a lush and self-indulgent film about an old married vampire couple who reunite after living their own lives on opposite sides of the world, when Tom Hiddleston’s character, Adam, becomes despondent with his career as a musician, always lurking in the shadows and never able to step into the spotlight for fear of discovery. Jim Jarmunsch explores Adam’s existential crisis and encroaching nihilism by bringing a dash of chaos into Adam and Eve’s life together in the form of Eve’s wayward younger sister Ava, who challenges every aspect of the couple’s rigid system. This movie is an introspective character study with sumptuous cinematography that wouldn’t work nearly as well without Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston as the leads. Although largely set in the States, the film takes us across the world with our vampire protagonists and features an absolutely stunning soundtrack by SQÜRL and guests including Yasmine Hamdan. Definitely for fans of all things Victorian Gothic.
Let the Right One In (Sweden)
While I did enjoy the US version of this Swedish original, there is something so much darker and more disturbing about the Swedish version. Perhaps it’s the oppressive darkness of the Nordic nights or the fact the Swedish version remained truer to the book with the author, John Ajvide Lindqvist, writing the film too. Where the American version uses CGI for special effects and focuses more on the scare-factor to make the film a more traditional Hollywood horror, the Swedish version is quiet and understated, focusing instead on the loneliness and sadness of the two main characters: 12-year-old boy Oskar and the gender-ambiguous, girl-presenting Eli. The original film is slow and very atmospheric, telling a poignant story of overcoming bullying and abuse as Oskar and Eli’s relationship blossoms into young love. The soundtrack of the original is similar atmospheric and understated. This one is for fans of moody Nordic noir.
Night Watch (Russia)
Another book adaptation, Night Watch, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, who wrote the screenplay with Laeta Kalogridis, reimagines the 1998 novel of the same name by Sergei Lukyanenko. The film is a bold, brash, and colourful work that doesn’t shy away from violence or gore. Set in an alternate Moscow, the story presents the Others, humans who had special supernatural abilities who are divided into the Light and Dark forces. These two warring factions have long been locked in a stalemate for power, but this all changes when a new Other emerges, one who may fulfil an ancient prophecy and tip the balance in the Dark’s favour. The film features some impressive action scenes with a graphic novel/comic book style and fascinating lore. The director also chose to take an artsy approach with the English subtitles, making them part of the film (such as having certain words graffiti splash along with a character’s blood during fight scenes). Definitely recommend this for fans of Blade-like comic book adaptations.
The Wisdom of Crocodiles (UK)
And here we have yet another book adaptation, this time by director Po-Chih Leong with the original author, Paul Hoffman, providing the screenplay. I remember watching this as a teenager and being absolutely enthralled by Jude Law’s performance as the reclusive but charmingly seductive Steven. Steven cannot survive on blood alone and must instead manipulate his targets into falling in love with him. Despite his best manipulations, he endures excruciating pain, expelling the crystallized emotions of his lovers if, at the time of consumption, they felt something more than love for him—such as fear or disappointment. In the hopes of avoiding further pain, Steven desperately searches for someone he can turn into his true love. This is such an interesting twist on both vampire lore and the true love trope and the film tells this story with some stunning moments of intimacy as well as shocking violence. If you are expecting a HEA to this romantic tale however, best you look elsewhere, as this movie left me absolutely devastated.
Perfect Creature (New Zealand)
Despite the multiple low ratings on review sites, I found this gritty, stylized, and somewhat sacrilegious take on vampires rather refreshing. In this world, male vampires join the Brotherhood (ostensibly a cult) who only feed on the blood of willing churchgoers. The film begins with a flashback before skipping 100 years to ‘modern day’ that has pseudo-Victorian vibes where a spate of murders is blamed on the vampires of the Brotherhood. An investigation ensues, pitting humans against the Brotherhood, as well as our main protagonist, Silas, against his troubled and troublesome brother Edgar. Throw a human love interest into the mix (Lilly Squires, who is also lead investigator) and you get Perfect Creature, a vampire film for those who enjoy historical whodunnits with a generous splattering of gore.
And there you have it, five of my favourite non-US vampire films novels, all perfect for the creepy season.
Review By Xan van Rooyen
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