A Vampires Collection

Umbrella Entertainment

3 DVD Set

A Vampires Collection is a great set from Umbrella which combines three classic Vampire films, each offering a different interpretation of the vampire tale. Each are considered significant within their respective genres. Nosferatu is the classic Vampire tale starring “Mad Klaus”, Vampyros Lesbos by Jess Franco singlehandedly began the “lesbian vampire” erotic genre and Thirst is a classic of cult exploitation and is of special interest considering the recent attention focused Australian cult cinema.

Nosferatu is Werner Herzog’s innovative re-imagining of the original German Expressionist classic by F.W Murnau, starring Klaus Kinski in one of his most impressive roles. Originally released in 1979 Herzog’s Nosferatu is still considered one of the major classics of the Vampire genre and while there may be some debate, most critics consider it equal to the original for which it was made to pay homage.

The imagery of the film is stunning and it is layered with symbolism throughout, you really need to watch this film a number of times to notice all the symbols, signs and images. The music, cinematography and the use of evocative sets create a mood of dread which is spine tingling.

The performances of both Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu) and Isabelle Adjani (Lucie) are astounding. Kinski is a truly consummate character actor and is breathtaking in this role, it would be difficult to think of anyone else who could have evoked such a performance.

It is interesting to note how Herzog interprets the Vampire myth. In Murnau the vampire is beyond emotion and compassionless, vicious and cruel. However in Herzog’s Nosferatu the vampire is obviously bi-sexual and filled with emotion, in many ways he represents a troubled and sad being who loves humanity but sees beyond its “moral confines”.

Nosferatu is a superb film to open this collection, melancholic, moody and thought provoking, it will stay with you a long time after you have seen it. Also included on the DVD is an audio commentary with director Werner Herzog and Journalist Norman Hill, the Making of Nosferatu and trailers.

The second film moves in a totally different direction and is considered the greatest erotic vampire film ever made - Vampyros Lesbos by Jess Franco. It is an innovative adaptation of Dracula's Guest, by Bram Stoker and focuses on Linda Westinghouse (Stroemberg) who is haunted by strange and highly erotic dreams of an unknown woman. She works at a law firm in Istanbul and is called upon to travel to the Kalidados Islands of Asia Minor to deal with the inheritance of Princess Nadine Karody (Miranda). When she meets Karody, she realizes she is the woman in her dreams. This is a highly erotic film filled with surreal images, sex, sado-masochism and beauty. In many ways it is just as symbolic as Nosferatu but in a far more explicit and erotic sense, it is marked by a superb soundtrack and the cinematography is striking. While Jess Franco has produced a lot of films and many have been less than successful, this film stands out as one of his most beautiful yet enigmatic works.

While the first two vampire films may be classics, we now move from the sublime to the ridiculous. Thirst is a classic “Ozploitation” vampire classic Thirst ! Kate Davis finds herself in the hands of a dangerous cult whose members have kidnapped her and taken her to an isolated compound nestled in a remote forest. It is a controlled environment where discipline is rigidly enforced and it is populated by a multitude of subjugated people. It seems they are used solely for their blood which is extracted and packaged for consumption by members of the Hyma Brotherhood, a group of people with an insatiable thirst for blood. Kate is not however used for “food”, she is special. It seems she is a descendant of Elizabeth Bathory, the Brotherhood is looking to combine Kate’s bloodline with its own in an effort to ensure their immortality, but Kate may not be as co-operative as they hope. While they work hard to break her resistance with a range of strange psychological tests and rituals, she still fights against her lust for blood.

Thirst was made in 1978 is considered a rather significant film within the annals of Australian Ozploitation. It was directed by Rod Hardy, a well respected Australian TV director and has all the elements one would expect from late Seventies Aussie cult cinema – horror, sex, blood and a weird and strange plot. It is nicely filmed and offers quite a unique take on vampire cinema. Thirst also includes an excellent commentary track with director Rod Hardy and producer Antony I. Giannane and "A Contemporary Blend" - Interview featurette with producer, Anthony I. Ginnane. The quality of the print is quite impressive, it is a brand new 16 x 9 anamorphic widescreen transfer (aspect ratio 2.35:1).

Together these three films offer some great Vampire cinema exploring different interpretations of the mythos in uniquely different genres – classic, erotic and cult ! It is a nice package on 3 DVDs with some great extras. Another winner from Umbrella !