VAMPYR: masterpiece of horror or pretentious and overrated? in Golden Age Horror Forum

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VAMPYR: masterpiece of horror or pretentious and overrated?

Author	Comment
GaryP11111		#141	[-]
Aug 31 11 11:45 PM Burgomaster Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Melkes wrote: opticalguy wrote: It appears that Dreyer also said a lot of silly crap (it was a reaction to films like Dracula … even though Dracula had not been released when he did Vampyr) that muddied the waters. Just getting back to an old thread ... I don't think Dreyer has ever referred to Dracula and definitely not in connection to making Vampyr. Even though Dreyer's film premiered later than Browning's, it predates that film production wise. Dreyer concocted the idea for Vampyr already in 1929 and filmed it around the beginning of April to October 1930 (Dracula was filmed end of September to November in the same year). It was edited the following couple of months and a silent work print was shown for a small audience by the end of 1930. According to Dreyer his inspirations for the movie were French avant-garde artists of the 1920's, older artists like Goya, and of course literature like Sheridan Le Fanu. He did mention something to the extent that vampires were in fashion at the time but it's not clear what he had in mind - perhaps the 'Dracula' stage plays and London After Midnight. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Dreyer referred to DRACULA -- and in connection to VAMPYR, though I suspect it was many years after both films were released. (IIRC, the DRACULA reference is in the Bordwell book about Dreyer's films.) While researching VAMPYR years ago I got the impression that Dreyer often contradicted himself, sort of like listening to Roger Corman's commentary about MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH when Corman states he didn't allow anyone to wear a costume with red in it during the ball sequence -- just as a dancer in crimson glides by. For example Dreyer stated he didn't want to make a conventional horror film and disparaged the pools of blood shown in such films, forgetting that he depicted just that in the scene when the carriage and dead driver return to the chateau and a pool of blood collects in the dirt beneath the driver's seat. Dreyer stated he never wanted to make the same picture twice but I read a letter Dreyer wrote to Louis B. Mayer that was smuggled out of Europe during WWII in which he offered to remake DAY OF WRATH for MGM. My guess is that Dreyer claimed he made VAMPYR in reaction to DRACULA forgetting that the production dates of both films make that claim impossible. GARY L. PRANGE "Sic gorgiamus allos subjectos nunc." Check out my YouTube Video of the Week! (updated 8-3-09) Last Edited By: GaryP11111 Aug 31 11 11:49 PM. Edited 1 times.
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GaryP11111		#142	[-]
Sep 1 11 12:06 AM Burgomaster Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	A fun fact about VAMPYR... then again it may be bushwa. When Dreyer was preparing to film the unearthly sequence revealing the vampire's room, he didn't have a spider web gun at his disposal (they had been around only two years or so in 1930) to lend the room some proper mood. So several days before the shoot Dreyer had children from Courtempierre trap all the insects and spiders they could and release them into the room. When the production crew opened the doors a few days later, voila -- natural atmosphere. If you look closely at the sequence you can see the subtle but apparantly real webwork around the crone's lair. GARY L. PRANGE "Sic gorgiamus allos subjectos nunc." Check out my YouTube Video of the Week! (updated 8-3-09)
jamesenstein31		#143	[-]
Sep 2 11 11:43 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I loved it. I consider it a nightmare on film. There's been no film with the kind of dread atmosphere that this one has in spades. Truly one of a kind. http://monstermania-batca...7/nightmare-on-film.html
oregan		#144	[-]
Mar 29 13 3:02 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I watched it today for the first time in a few years. I still love to see it. It's a unique film with a lovely atmosphere. It's not a film I'd watch too often. A masterpiece? Not in my opinion. These days the word" masterpiece" is used too loosely, just like the word "genius". http://www.mickoregan.com
todmichel		#145	[-]
Mar 29 13 3:26 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Quote: "These days the word" masterpiece" is used too loosely, just like the word "genius"." I utterly agree, but please consider that, in the case of "Vampyr" it was considered as a masterpiece decades before "these days". It was never out of distribution, and played in theaters practically without interruption since the immediate post-war. Last Edited By: todmichel Mar 29 13 3:28 PM. Edited 1 times.
oregan		#146	[-]
Mar 29 13 3:53 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	How would you define "masterpiece"? Isn't it very subjective? http://www.mickoregan.com
todmichel		#147	[-]
Mar 30 13 1:22 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	oregan wrote: How would you define "masterpiece"? Isn't it very subjective? Of course it's subjective, but I just mentioned that this word was used for "Vampyr" in a quantity of sources in past decades, it's not due to the current overuse of this word. Nowadays, even a hamburger can be qualified as "genial"...
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jamesenstein31		#148	[-]
Mar 30 13 2:40 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I've had a few hamburgers that were masterpieces.
todmichel		#149	[-]
Mar 30 13 6:14 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	jamesenstein31 wrote: I've had a few hamburgers that were masterpieces. Beware! if Oregan see your post he will ask you how you definite a masterpiece.
mrbluesky		#150	[-]
Mar 30 13 10:01 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.
oregan		#151	[-]
Mar 30 13 1:50 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	todmichel wrote: jamesenstein31 wrote: I've had a few hamburgers that were masterpieces. Beware! if Oregan see your post he will ask you how you definite a masterpiece. Nah, I got the humour in the hamburger post. Don't worry your little self http://www.mickoregan.com
todmichel		#152	[-]
Mar 30 13 6:42 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Quote: "Nah, I got the humour in the hamburger post. Don't worry your little self." Nice. You must have had a very good day. I'm happy for you.
bela lugosi		#153	[-]
Mar 31 13 4:00 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	jamesenstein31 wrote: I loved it. I consider it a nightmare on film. There's been no film with the kind of dread atmosphere that this one has in spades. Truly one of a kind. http://monstermania-batca...7/nightmare-on-film.html Very well said, I would fully agree. I really enjoy this film and watch it every October when TCM usually airs it.
oregan		#154	[-]
Mar 31 13 5:17 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	todmichel wrote: oregan wrote: How would you define "masterpiece"? Isn't it very subjective? Of course it's subjective, but I just mentioned that this word was used for "Vampyr" in a quantity of sources in past decades, it's not due to the current overuse of this word. Nowadays, even a hamburger can be qualified as "genial"... So, my fine fellow, would you yourself describe VAMPYR as a masterpiece? http://www.mickoregan.com
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VAMPYR: masterpiece of horror or pretentious and overrated?