I started watching this film with high expectations. First several scenes, with small village covered with snow were promising. But soon after that, when I realized that, even though I kept my eyes wide open, I wasn't able to see almost anything on the screen because scenes were so dark that film was barely watchable. Vampires in this film are not scary at all. Reduced from philosophical Gothic monsters in films of the sixties, to mindless beasts without history or charm in this film, they are less scary than a pack of wolves. You almost feel pity for those simple, pathetic, bloodsucking creatures who are freezing on minus 50 C just to get a meal, instead of enjoying immortality in their castle in Romania and waiting their servant Igor to bring them fresh blood in a golden bowl. There are almost no special effects in this film, due to the obviously low budget. That was unsuccessfully compensated with shaky camera and ultra rapid nervous editing which simultaneously prevents you from seeing any detail (which was probably intentional), and makes you feel dizzy. Scary effects are made only by intense music score, loud nerve-wracking sounds, and almost constant screaming. Why was this film made? There is nothing new or original in it. On the contrary, it is full of clichés. There is no scene in it which we hadn't seen in other films at least ten times. This is just yet another exploitation movie.
Reviews
3 Reviews
The Twilight Samurai
(2002)
Lyrical masterpiece
16 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Rarely can films make any influence on our lives and change our attitudes and opinions. We are "bombarded" with mainstream Hollywood production which consists mainly of sequels, prequels and remakes of previous box office successes. It seems that world is full of superheroes who save the world at least twice a week. With some rare exceptions, such as Terrence Mallick (Thin Red Line), Michael Mann (Heat), Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia) and Brian De Palma (Carlito's Way) there are no authors in recent US production, who can scratch the surface and go really deep with exploration of human soul. However, in other parts of the world films appear from time to time, that possess such credibility that are able to shake our hearts and minds and force us to reassess our moral values and priorities in life. This is one of such films. What to say after seeing such a masterpiece. An ordinary viewer, used to usual parade of attractions and special effects attacking all his senses (but leaving his soul untouched) is probably in a small shock, after realizing, at the beginning of this film, that director (Yoji Yamada) neither will nor has any intention to indulge viewers with low taste and turn this melancholic and philosophic film into a superficial action-packed soap opera. Instead of superhero warrior, we can see Seibei Iguchi, widower, low-class samurai with even lower income, in a struggle to ensure existence to his two daughters and senile mother. And when his graceful female friend from childhood comes and viewers expect light at the end of a tunnel for Seibei, he rejects her without explanation, although he has strong feelings for her. Actually, he thinks that with his low income he can not offer to her quality of life that she deserves. As film progresses to its end, we realize that he is not a pathetic loser as he might look from the viewpoint of the Westerner but a real hero. Exposed to the twists of fate, finding out that life is not a rose garden, he embraces what destiny brings to him with fatalistic patience (influence of Zen Buddhism is obvious) knowing that there is only one thing that he can not afford to lose: his honour. Led by "starry sky above me and moral law within me" Seibei (Hiroyuki Sanada) is a "larger than life" character, not because he is supernaturally strong, brave or perfect, but because he is not and yet he sets for himself so high standards that few men would be able to achieve. He has his doubts and yet he does what a man has to do. We feel that such people with high moral standards, although rare, do exist among us, even in these modern times when virtue seems to be just a burden, and that fact gives us hope.
Yamada's direction is subtle and brilliant, as well as acting, camera-work and music. Film is full of memorable scenes. Modesty, patience, honour, for many of us have become just meaningless words, unfortunately completely detached from real life. See this film if you want to find out about their real meaning.
Yamada's direction is subtle and brilliant, as well as acting, camera-work and music. Film is full of memorable scenes. Modesty, patience, honour, for many of us have become just meaningless words, unfortunately completely detached from real life. See this film if you want to find out about their real meaning.
Heat
(1995)
One of the best films of the nineties
30 November 2003
Hollywood film with a depth is not something that we can see every day. All is here, in this Michael Mann's brilliant epic film, gangsters, drama and romance, but nothing is pathetic or shallow. There is some somber, elegiac feeling throughout the film, intensified by great use of music, that future offers no hope for the main characters, neither for gangsters nor for the policeman (Vincent Hanna brilliantly played by Pacino), regardless of their plans or actions. Their destiny is sealed and they can do nothing about it. That is the same destiny that forces Carlito towards death in De Palma's "Carlito's Way" or Peckinpah's heroes towards suicidal bloodbath in "The Wild Bunch". As if the bare fact that they do possess some code of honour (they help each other during the relentless shoot-out on the streets, De Niro risks his potential happiness in order to revenge for treason) makes them more vulnerable and unadapted to living in a modern world, and pushes them towards the inevitable bitter end. Loneliness is the key word here. " I am alone, but not lonely " says De Niro in one scene, but we know that is not the truth, and he knows that too. Action scenes are perfectly made (especially the one after failed bank robbery), sound is crisp, use of music imaginative and photography (Dante Spinotti) brilliant. Sorry, no happy endings here, no special digital effects. Some lovers of pure entertainment might be disappointed, and think that film is a bit overlong, that it lacks action and is too dark. Well, this film certainly is not Hollywood mainstream production, nor it pretends to be a crowd-pleaser. This is one of the best films of the nineties.
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