Weekly Watches: September 24, 2025
The autumn season is upon us: haunted castles, cursed loves, and shadows that linger long after the screen goes dark.
Vampyr (1932)
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Vampyr may be the most chilling vampire film I’ve seen. Carl Theodor Dreyer, upon the completion of his spiritual masterwork The Passion of Joan of Arc, wanted to create a story centered on the supernatural. It was certainly in vogue at the time, with a successful 1927 stage production of Dracula bringing vampires to the forefront of the European imagination.
There are a lot of impressive things about this film, from the use of montage, tracking shots, and double exposure to create an atmosphere that is effectively chilling, sending shivers down my spine several times. This was Dreyer’s first sound film, yet it leans more into silent film territory, relying on intertitles and stark visuals. Narratively, it can be a little hard to follow at times, especially as Dreyer attempts to show characters as spirits and the protagonist’s own dream experience. If you can commit to being simply immersed in Dreyer’s atmosphere, then the experience will be rewarding and suitably gothic.
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