Tag Archives: Vampires

Saturday is Horror Day #218 – Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)

Solicitor Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) is sent by his employer Renfield (Roland Topor) to Transylvania to assist a new client, Count Dracula (Klaus Kinski) in the purchase of a house in Wismar, Germany, where Harker lives with his wife Lucy (Isabelle Adjani). The people in the nearby village warn him not to go there, that there is no castle, and only danger lies there. But he doesn’t listen and, when they refuse to take him there, he walks to the Borgo Pass, where he is met by the Count’s carriage.

The castle is a strange place, and so is the Count. Harker finds it difficult to get him to concentrate on the business at hand. But when he accidentally cuts himself, the Count’s reaction is inexplicable. Harker finally realizes there is something very off about Dracula. Even worse, he is a prisoner in this place – and Dracula is headed toward Wismar – and Lucy.

Meanwhile, Lucy is anxious to learn any news of her husband, who has fallen silent. Her friend Mina (Martje Grohmann) tries to console her, but Lucy is distraught. When a mysterious man appears in her bedroom, the Count, Lucy is both frightened and fascinated. Meanwhile, there seems to be a growing problem with rats in Wismar, and as they spread their plague among the village, the death toll is rising, as Harker races back to save his wife.

I admit I had some high hopes about this version of Nosferatru, and the review I saw was good, but I quickly became disillusioned and almost turned it off, but decided to stick it out in order to give it a fair shot.  That didn’t help. Where to start? The actor playing Renfield was so manic and over the top, that in reality, he would have been locked up well before he was in this film.

Also, I found Isabelle Adjani’s acting to be terrible, and very over the top but not in a good way. I understand she is considered to be a talented actress, but I saw none of that in this film.

The original Nosferatu was an actual rip-off of Bram Stoker’s Dracula (and they did get sued for that). In this version, for some reason, they made some changes to the original story. Lucy is Harker’s wife, instead of Mina. The other suitors, aka Dr Seward and Quincy Morris, are nowhere in evidence. And the rats is simply a twist on Dracula’s ability to control the rats in the scene in Carfax Abbey.

Klaus Kinski’s make-up, as Count Dracula, is clearly modeled after the original Nosferatu, but his mannerism is at times almost simpering. Other than the fact that he drinks blood from his victims, what is scary about him? Nothing. Neither does he possess the sensuality of Bela Lugosi or Gary Oldman.

All in all, I was disappointed in what at first glance appeared to be a pretty film. But alas, I discovered that it lacked the substance I was hoping to find. I’ll give this film 2 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #212 – Amber Alert, Dracula Untold

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

 

Amber Alert


Jaq (Hayden Panettiere) has an appointment she has to keep, but when the rideshare she arranged for is stolen out from under her, she is temporarily flummoxed. Just then another driver appears, dropping off his fare. She tries to engage him, but the driver Shane (Tyler James Williams) has places to go and things to do and he is off the clock. But Jaq persists until he reluctantly agrees to take her where she is going.

 

 

As they are driving, they each receive a notice on their cell phones of an Amber Alert, along with a 


description and picture of the car in question, but no plate. Jaq looks up to see a car like the one in the alert, just ahead of them. She asks Shane if he thinks that could be the one but he tells her that there are too many of that type of car in the whole city, it’s not likely. As they approach a light, a large message lights up with the amber alert information, and the driver she had observed, suddenly pulls through the intersection, not waiting for the light. Jaq senses that this might be the guy the police are looking for and urges Shane to follow him. He does, albeit reluctantly, and they follow him to a gas station, where Shane points out that he just needed gas. The odd thing is that he leaves without ever getting gas… and the chase is on.

 

If you are a parent, this movie will hit close to home. One minute your child is there and the next they are gone. A stark reminder that there are predators in this world. Also, it’s a reminder to trust your gut instincts, because that might be all you have to go on. Two strangers follow a man they think has kidnapped a child, not knowing if they are on a fool’s errand or not. Sometimes it seems as though they might be being foolish. They have also blown off prior engagements to fight for a stranger’s child… and yet they persist. I think this was a great testament to the fact that there are good people out there who are willing to fight for others, for the weak and helpless, for the children.

I did enjoy this film, and I’ll admit Jaq made me cry at one point. I wasn’t sure how the ending would play out, but I hoped for a happy and satisfying conclusion. Definitely worth watching. You may remember Hayden Panettiere from Heroes, where she played the cheerleader who was destined to save the world.  I’ll give this film 4 Stars.

Dracula Untold


The kingdom of Transylvania is threatened by the Turks, and have been off and on for many years. The prince, Vlad (Luke Evans) was once a political prisoner of the Turks, where as a young boy he learned many things, including how to fight. Now he is a grown man who has a wife, Mirena (Sarah Gadon) and children he needs to protect against the Turks, led by their sultan, Mehmed (Dominic Cooper). While out with his men, Vlad discovers a place where Turkish troops were mysteriously slaughtered – and not by any of his troops. He discovers a cave that holds the secret of their demise, and barely escapes alive, keeping the knowledge of that cave to himself.

Not wishing to endanger his kingdom, Vlad negotiates a peace with the Turks, only to have his trust 


turned against him when the Turks demand he surrender 1000 young boys to them for their army – just the way his father had sacrificed himself and the other boys. Moreover, Mehmed demands Vlad’s son, intending to raise him as his father had raised Vlad. That’s the last straw. Vlad returns to the cave and the master vampire (Charles Dance) who resides there, determined to do whatever he needs to do to save his kingdom and his family.

Dracula Untold is actually an origin story, something to explain how Count Dracula of film and novel becomes the way it is. It’s actually a romanticization that combines some actual history of Vlad Dracula, aka Vlad Tepes (the Impaler) with Bram Stoker’s vampire. The film explains away his cruelties as a necessity to combat the Turks. To some degree, this is true. Vlad Dracula was held as a political captive while a boy, and was subjected to much cruel treatment, probably some sexual in nature, and he learned a lot about their methods of torture. Lessons he put to good user later in life. The film doesn’t mention his younger brother, Radu the Handsome, who was also a captive, but was treated much nicer than Vlad. In fact, in later years, he had a relationship with the Turkish sultan. It’s fair to say this did not endear him to his brother.

 

I thought Luke Evans did a great job as Dracula, playing him as a good husband and father and ruler.  I don’t believe the original Vlad was necessarily a good husband, but he did care for his people. He also had a cruel streak, no doubt a result of his treatment by the Turks during his formative years. That being said, I liked that they tackled the origin story of the vampire and presented it in a realistic fashion. It was interesting to watch, and the ending hinted of a sequel. However, I am pretty sure that is off the table. But I still recommend this film, especially if you are a fan of Vlad and/or Dracula as I am. I am giving this film 4 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #188 – Bunny Lake is Missing, Fright Night (2011)

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Bunny Lake is Missing

 


Moving can be a very busy  and confusing time, especially if you’re moving to another country. Ann Lake (Carol Lynley) has just moved to London with her daughter Bunny to live with her brother Steven (Keir Dullea). Steven has to work so he can’t deal with the movers, so Ann has to drop her child off at the school earlier than she had planned. She takes her to a particular room as instructed, but no one is there except for another child, who is a baby. Leaving Bunny there, Ann searches for the staff, and ends up in the kitchen where she encounters the cook (Lucie Mannheim). The cook has her own rant and barely listens to Ann, telling her to go on and go, she will watch the child for the few minutes until the others arrive. Ann reluctantly does so and oversees the move. She returns later, at lunchtime, to pick up her child – but Bunny is nowhere to be found and no one remembers seeing her.

 

Panic-stricken, Ann calls Steven and he hastens to her. They question everyone in the school, but the 


responses they receive are evasive and uncaring. Steven threatens to call the police and then does so. Superintendent Newhouse (Laurence Olivier) arrives with Police Sgt. Andrews (Clive Revill) and begin to take down the facts. Ann is beside herself with worry, but she seems to be the only one. Eventually, she begins to realize that the questions that are being asked are all leading toward a different question – does Bunny Lake actually exist, or is she a figment of Ann’s imagination?

 

I remember when this book came out, years ago, but I don’t think I ever got to read it (I would have 


been too young at that time and forgot about it). But something jogged my memory recently and I requested the movie from the library. This is a beautifully crafter psychological thriller. Ann is becoming increasingly frustrated that people think she doesn’t even have a daughter, and she is being dismissed as another hysterical woman. Keir Dullea’s performance as Steven led to him being offered a role in Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Otto Preminger directed Bunny Lake. And of course there is the amazing and unforgettable Laurence Olivier as the only person who seems to be interested in what Ann has to say.

 

 

 
As you watch this film, you begin to doubt whether Bunny exists at all, and maybe Ann is more than a little unhinged. The pacing is awesome, and I think that being in black and white sets a mood that color couldn’t do. I enjoyed this film greatly and highly recommend it. I’ll give it 4.5 Stars.
 
Fright Night (2011)
 

Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) has always been known as a nerd, but now that he has a girlfriend, Amy (Imogen Poots), he’d rather change his image. So it’s almost inevitable that he doesn’t want to listen to his ex-best friend, Ed (Christopher Mintz-Passe) when he warns Charley that his new next door neighbor, Jerry (Colin Farrell) is a vampire. Whoever heard of a vampire named Jerry? He might be annoying, sure, but that’s because Charley’s mom Jane (Toni Collette) is flirting with him. But a vampire? The idea is ridiculous.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Until suddenly Ed disappears, and Charley sees things he can’t explain. So naturally he breaks into the 

alleged vampire’s house and realizes he is in over his head. Who can he call on that will know anything about vampires? Turns out, since he lives in Las Vegas, there is someone. None other than the great Peter Vincent himself (David Tennant). But getting the renowned performer to listen is another task. And he has to keep his mother from inviting Jerry into the house! What’s a guy to do?
 
 
 
 
 
This is a remake of the 1985 film, which I haven’t seen yet but probably should. So I can’t really compare them yet. But I found this one enjoyable. Colin Ferrell plays a rather intimidating vampire – I sure wouldn’t go up against him. I think everyone did a good job, it certainly held my interest. And David Tennant was awesome, not to mention rather hot as Peter Vincent, although not without some character flaws of his own. I enjoyed watching this, and I think it’s a fun movie, especially if you like vampires, as I do. I’ll give this film 3.5 Stars.
 
 

 

Book Review: Dracula by Bram Stoker

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Dracula       

Author: Bram Stoker

Publisher: Fingerprint! Publishing (Deluxe Edition)

American release date: March 1, 2022

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Vampire Horror /440 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Jonathan Harker, a newly qualified solicitor, is sent by his employer, Mr. Hawkins, to assist a foreign customer with the legal intricacies of his move to London. The customer in question, a Count Dracula, lives in faraway Transylvania. Harker keeps a detailed journal of his travels across Europe to meet with his client. When he is almost at his journey’s end, he finds the villagers of Bistritz friendly and welcoming… until they learn where he is going. They are reluctant to see him leave them, but they offer no valid reason as to why he shouldn’t go to the castle, so off he goes. The Count lives in a large, imposing castle that sits in splendid isolation on the top of a rocky cliff. But from the beginning, Harker senses something strange about the place and its odd owner. He sees no sign of anyone else there, not a single servant. And why is the Count always busy during the daylight hours? And why does he never see Dracula eat or drink? And then there are the dreams, of three lovely young women who seem to want him… Things take a turn for the worse when Dracula dictates three letters that Harker must write to his loved ones. Suddenly, he is not so sure he will return home safely…

Mina Murray is Harker’s fiancée. She works as an assistant schoolmistress. Her best friend is Lucy Westenra, a vivacious young woman who attracts any manner of male admirers. In fact, on one memorable day, she receives three proposals of marriage! What is a girl to do? One is from Arthur Holmwood, Lord Godalming. The second is from John Seward, who runs an insane asylum. The third would-be suitor is Quincy Morris, a Texan and friend of Seward and Holmwood.  Mina invites Lucy for a visit, and they happily renew their friendship as they discuss Lucy’s engagement to the suitor she has finally accepted.

Dr. Seward has a very interesting patient by the name of Renfield, whom he classifies as zoophagous, because he likes to eat living things, such as flies and spiders. Seward notices changes taking place in Renfield that he can’t explain, while Mina is concerned that she hasn’t heard from Jonathan for some time, and she worries for him. She receives a letter concerning him and hastens to be by his side.

A strange ship, the Demeter, runs aground just below the cliff where Lucy and Mina are wont to sit, but no one is at the helm and there is no sign of the crew. Lucy has begun to sleepwalk before Mina’s departure, and now she falls mysteriously ill, to the dismay of those who love her. A desperate Dr. Seward reaches out to a colleague in Amsterdam, a Doctor Abraham Van Helsing, who hurries to London to assist in diagnosing Lucy’s condition. He fears that what is wrong with Lucy is beyond the pale of most men’s experience and her friends will find it difficult to believe what is happening to her if he were to tell them. But he will need their help in order to save her.  Meanwhile, Mina is nursing Jonathan back to health at the convent where he was brought after his escape from the castle, and there they are married. She finds his journal and reads it, horrified at what it reveals. To make herself useful, and to facilitate future reading of her husband’s words, she transcribes the journal onto paper. On their return to London, she is devastated to learn what has happened to Lucy. Drawn together in their sorrow, she and the others realize something dreadful is about to descend on London – in fact, already has. They must band together to prevent Count Dracula’s dastardly plans from coming to fruition!

Dracula is the quintessential vampire novel, a true classic. It is the origin of most of the vampire stories that came after. There have been countless film adaptations, some better than others, including Nosferatu, which was actually a rip-off for which the filmmakers were sued for not obtaining permission from Stoker’s estate. Now long out of copyright, copycats abound. But this is the core story that began it all.

Dracula is told through journal entries, newspaper clippings, and phonograph entries by those most closely involved in the story, with the notable exception of Dracula himself. We get no glimpse into him, either as a person or a vampire, except through the words he speaks to others. I have to wonder if that is deliberate and, if so, why. We today are so familiar with this story that it’s hard to imagine what the reactions of Stoker’s contemporaries were on first reading the book. I first read the novel when I was about twelve and fell in love with it immediately.

Of all the movies I have seen, the one that comes closest to doing justice to the novel is Coppola’s version, but I do enjoy a good Hammer film. Nothing beats the novel, however. I highly recommend it if you want to know the truth. You won’t regret it.

Book Review: In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires by Radu Florescu and Raymond T McNally

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In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires (revised)    

Author: Radu Florescu and Raymond T McNally

Publisher: Mariner Books

American release date: October 31, 1994

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/History/320 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Everyone has heard of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, immortalized by Bram Stoker in his novel Dracula, first published in 1896. But not everyone knows that there was a real Dracula, Vlad Dracula, aka Vlad Tepes, a Wallachian prince who lived in the 15th century, a powerful ruler who was both feared and admired by people of his time. (And yes, Transylvania is a real place!)

Dracula experts Radu Florescu and Raymond McNally have taken their original book, first published in 1972, and completely revised and updated it. The real Dracula’s story is a fascinating one, filled with violence and intrigue. The authors explore his life and the circumstances that molded his character. The things he did were often cruel, but at the same time he was a product of his times, a violent era filled with wars and shifting political and religious allegiances. It’s hard to know who to trust when even your own family conspires against you, and survival depends on caution and knowing when to act. There is no doubt he did some terrible things, especially impaling many people, innocent women and children among them. But even to this day, he is revered as a hero by people in his own country.

This book delves into his life, as well as the life of author Bram Stoker, who brought the Romanian prince back to life, so to speak, in the form of his vampire count.  Did you know that Stoker was gay? Besides being an author, he was a long-time manager of the famous actor Henry Irving, whom he also had a crush on. In the section on Stoker, the authors talk about the research that went into the writing of Stoker’s novel. They also discuss the vampire on stage, in fiction, and on film.  The appendixes include stories about Dracula told by people of various nationalities. For example, there are the Turkish ambassadors who appeared before him, wearing turbans. When Dracula requested they remove the turbans, the men said they could not for national reasons. So Dracula assisted them in their desire to keep them on by driving nails through the turbans into their heads and sent them back to their sultan. (Keep in mind, Dracula had good reason not to like the sultan, and had been held hostage by him for five years as a boy).

This book was very fascinating, and is a must-have for anyone who enjoys history and Dracula, whether the real one or the fictional one.  These authors are foremost in their field for a reason.

Saturday is Horror Day #82 – Let the Right One In, Carnival of Souls, The Intruders

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Let the Right One In

Oskar (Kare Hedrbrant) lives with his mother in an apartment building. The delicate-looking 12-year-old is something of a loner, and is bullied by some of the boys at school. He meets a most unusual girl name Eli (Lina Leandersson). She doesn’t go to his school, he only sees her at night, and she is always asking to be invited in. But she isn’t judgmental, and he finds himself attracted to her as they grow closer.

But Eli has a secret, one she can’t afford to have discovered. One that keeps her and her guardian constantly changing locations. When the unthinkable happens, and Eli is forced to fend for herself, Oskar is afraid he will lose the most important person in his life.

This Swedish film puts a new spin on an old theme. It’s done quietly and seductively, and yet the horror shines through. It’s darkly romantic and also visceral. Well written and directed and acted, I would highly recommend it. I’ll give it 4 Stars

Carnival of Souls

A drag race between two cars filled with young people leads to tragedy when the car containing three young women plunges off a bridge. At first there are feared to be no survivors, but then Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) emerges from the water. Mary makes a fresh start, moving to a new town to become the church organist, although she insists that the church is just a place of employment, nothing more. She rents a room from Mrs. Thomas (Frances Feist), which is more than adequate for her needs. The only other resident is John Linden (Sidney Berger), who is more than a little weird.

After learning of an abandoned carnival, Mary visits the site with her employer, the minister (Art Ellison), but he won’t be party to entering the grounds. Mary returns later and wanders about. She finds she is drawn to this place and can’t stay away. But unsettling things are happening, most frightening of which is a strange man who appears at the oddest times and places, including inside her own home. But no one else seems to notice him. And there are times when people seem not to hear or see Mary herself…

This film came out in 1962 and is in black-and-white, which adds to the eeriness of what’s going on. It

doesn’t rely on blood and guts to produce a feeling of horror. Even though the ending is not difficult to figure out, watching Mary reach that conclusion is worth the price of admission. I can see why it’s considered a cult classic. I’ll give it 4 Stars.

The Intruders

Rose Halshford (Miranda Cosgrove) and her father Jerry (Donal Logue) relocate from California to Chicago following the death of Rose’s mother. Rose is less than pleased with the move but had no say in the matter. At the suggestion of her psychiatrist, she is taking off a semester from school. But Rose doesn’t like this new house. It’s creepy and old and needs a lot of work. When she meets the girl across the street, Leila (Jenessa Grant), the girl wonders how can they even stand to live in that house. What does that even mean?

Rose’s father has hired people to work on repairs to the house. One morning Rose comes upon one, unaware he has keys to the house, and hits him with her phone. Afterward, she apologizes to Noah (Austin Butler) and they become friends. Rose has been given medication to help her deal with everything, but she stops taking it, although she lies to her father and tells him she is taking it. She hears things in the house, and strange things are happening when her father isn’t home, which is most of the time. But no one believes her, and she’s afraid they’re going to convince people she’s crazy and lock her up. Her mother had been diagnosed with schizophrenia before she died…

Rose goes into the basement and almost gets locked in. She finds a name carved into the wall, and wonders who Rachel is. Turns out Rachel used to live in that house. She was taken in by the previous owner who lived there with her son. But Rachel disappeared. More and more, Rose is convinced that something happened to Rachel, but what? But everything she does seems to end badly, and she’s afraid her father doesn’t believe her any more. Can she convince him of the truth before it’s too late?

This is a fairly decent movie that isn’t obvious from the beginning, like some are. I had various theories as to what was going on, and they were all wrong. I am a huge fan of Donal Logue, and he does his usual good job, not to mention looking pretty good. Miranda Cosgrove is good as Rose, sufficiently confused and horrified and determined to not get on your nerves. I would recommend watching it. I’ll give it 3.5 Stars.

Toss Up Tuesday: An American Lamb in Europe: by Rob Colton

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Hi everyone! This is Rob Colton and I’m here to talk about my brand new paranormal novella, An American Lamb in Europe. The book was released Wednesday, February 12th , and is available from Dreamspinner Press and all your favorite online book stores.

AmericanLambinEurope_headerbannerFirst of all, thanks to Julie Lynn Hayes for inviting me to join the Wednesday Briefs group of bloggers. And thanks to Andrew Gordon for creating this web site for all of us. Continue reading →