THE VAMPIRE CHRONICLES

 

THE VAMPIRE CHRONICLES - The Vampire Chronicles is a novel series including Interview with the Vampire (1976), The Vampire Lestat (1985), and The Queen of the Damned (1988), in a saga which stretches across 14 books total.  Lestat de Lioncourt, an 18^th century French nobleman turned vampire, is the center of this universe. AMC revealed it had acquired rights to The Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches for developing film and television projects in 2020. When asked in an interview about her characters, Author Anne Rice said her vampires were a "metaphor for lost souls". 

Interview with the Vampire (1976)

Louis de Pointe du Lac recounts his supernatural transformation to an interviewer, from human to vampire. A fate inflicted upon him long ago, by Lestat de Lioncourt. The duo becomes a trio, when they make a vampire daughter together. The little family catches the latest show at the Théâtre des Vampires. Things don't go as planned, leading to ruin for one of them. 

The Vampire Lestat (1985)

Searching for his own origins and Marius de Romanus, Lestat de Lioncourt awakens Akasha, an ancient Egyptian vampire queen. She’s immobile but alive, resting for centuries in her hidden sanctuary. Later Lestat resurfaces in the modern world as rock star, only to find he's the subject of a book written about him.

The Queen of the Damned (1988)

Lestat has awakened Akasha - the first vampire and the vampire queen - with his rock music. After destroying her husband, the Queen kills vampires worldwide by using spontaneous combustion. She is herself destroyed by the vampire witch Mekare.

Related post: https://www.chadschimke.com/2021/09/anne-rice.html

The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice:

1.     Interview with the Vampire (1976)

2.     The Vampire Lestat (1985)

3.     The Queen of the Damned (1988)

4.     The Tale of the Body Thief (1992)

5.     Memnoch the Devil (1995)

6.     The Vampire Armand (1998)

7.     Merrick (2000)

8.     Blood and Gold (2001)

9.     Blackwood Farm (2002)

10.  Blood Canticle (2003)

11.  Prince Lestat (2014)

12.  Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)

13.  Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat (2018)

#vladdracula #bramstokersdracula #hammerhorror #fangs #draculavlad #christopherlee #immortal #dracula #vampire #childrenofthenight #dracul #petercushing #belalugosi #vampires #castlevania #bramstoker #romania #nosferatu #boriskarloff #vampyre

I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK

I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK - Michelle McNamara launched a podcast entitled ‘True Crime Diary’ in 2006. She published an article, entitled ‘In the Footsteps of a Killer’, in Los Angeles magazine in 2013. A burglar turned rapist turned killer terrorized California communities up and down the state, escaping capture for decades. Victims found they had been spied on from their yards outside their home, once footprints and evidence of entry attempts--successful or otherwise--had been left behind. She had become obsessed by the East Area Rapist, renaming him the Golden State Killer. Those efforts took the form of a book manuscript she worked on. Over the preceding decades the media referred to him as: the Visalia Ransacker, the East Area Rapist, the Night Stalker, and the Original Night Stalker. When DNA evidence confirmed the East Area Rapist and the Original Night Stalker were the same person, ‘EARONS’ came to be used. Along the way, California's DNA database began to fill up with samples from accused and convicted felons. The case came to haunt Michelle, which oftentimes disrupted her sleep, obsessing late into the night writing or researching. Michelle McNamara died unexpectedly in 2016, at the age of 46, survived by her husband Patton Oswalt, a professional comedian. The book had only been partially completed. She had taken a dangerous mix of narcotics, anxiety meds and sleeping pills. She died in her sleep.  Her husband released I'll Be Gone in the Dark posthumously in 2018, nearly 2 years after her death, and 2 months before an arrest would be made in the case. Media pressure intensified as a result of her book, which had become a bestseller. Detectives used commercially available genealogy searches, investigators identified family members directly related to the killer, identifying 25 different family trees from the roots up. They used age, gender, and place of residence, to rule out suspects populating those family trees.  Suspects were eliminated one by one, until a final one remained. DNA samples were secretly collected from Joseph James DeAngelo, which he’d left in publicly accessible locations. Those matched the DNA profile of the Golden State Killer. With absolute certainty, the serial attacker had finally been brought to justice. Joseph James DeAngelo has already admitted responsibility as of this writing. He committed 13 murders, 50 rapes, and over 120 burglaries between 1973 and 1986.  HBO purchased the rights and filmed a series of the same name, which premiered this year. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, the book's title, references a direct quote by the killer to one of his victims: "You'll be silent forever, and I'll be gone in the dark.”.

FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER

TWO CENTURIES OF FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER - Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, the novel, was anonymously published by Mary Shelley in 1818.  Her name appeared in the second edition. Two years earlier 18 year old Mary rented a Swiss villa, along with her husband, the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Their guests included: Lord Byron, also a poet, and his mistress/ Mary’s stepsister, Claire Clairmont. John William Polidori, author of The Vampyre and vampire fiction pioneer, also joined them. They summered on Lake Geneva taking the boat out on the water, discussing ideas, writing stories, and telling ghost stories late into the night. Long spells of incessant rain kept the guests captive inside the villa. Lord Byron encouraged them to write a ghost story. That evening was particularly restless, and the young wife couldn’t sleep. Mary was visited by a reanimated corpse, in a waking dream, a creature so compelling she put him in writing. The byline refers to Prometheus, a mythological creature, who formed humans from clay, which provided them with fire. In Shelley's Gothic science fiction/ horror story, scientist Victor Frankenstein creates an unnamed monster from pieced together collected cadavers. Henceforth referred to as Frankenstein’s Monster, a hideous abomination. When he can’t socialize in human society, he exacts his due from Dr. Frankenstein, leaving the reader unsure who to root for. Just because he’s different, he is chased by villagers carrying flaming pitchforks. Hammer Horror produced 7 films with the character, but the best studio to film the role was Universal Pictures.  Don’t miss the 1931 pre-code version, starring Boris Karloff. His look is what comes to any reader’s mind, recalling the name Frankenstein. I credit Shelley with the creation of Gothic horror, and for its influence on speculative fiction to this day. She preceded Edgar Allen Poe (The Black Cat, 1843) by two decades. John William Polidori (The Vampyre,  1819) is said to have inspired Sheridan Le Fanu (Carmilla, 1872), who in turn inspired Bram Stoker (Dracula, 1897).  The stories written by these men, forebearers of genre, moved into a space created by an 18-year-old girl named Mary.

http://www.chadschimke.com/2020/07/frankensteins-monster.html 

https://www.chadschimke.com/2019/06/mary-shelley.html

https://chadschimke.blogspot.com/2012/10/frankenstein.html

https://chadschimke.blogspot.com/2012/10/frankenstein-by-mary-shelleymp3.html

https://chadschimke.blogspot.com/2015/07/frankenstein-1931.html

https://chadschimke.blogspot.com/2015/07/frankenstein.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2012/10/frankenstein-or-modern-prometheus-by.html

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS - Hannibal and Clarice become clinician and client, parent and child, despised and cherished, never ceasing a game of cat and mouse. The serial killer sizes up the detective’s fancy bag and inexpensive shoes, her West Virginia accent, and her spunky determination. Both Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins won Academy Awards for their roles in the 1991 film. Only the third in history to win the “big five” in a clean sweep. The Silence of the Lambs was directed by Jonathan Demme, based on the 1988 novel by Thomas Harris. It features an sweeping albeit discordant overture composed by Howard Shore.

DRACULA, A CENTURY OF THE VAMPIRE

DRACULA, A CENTURY OF THE VAMPIRE - Dracula, the novel, was written by Bram Stoker in 1897. Years later, it appeared in silent films and then talking films. TV shows and streaming series came afterward. At present Blumhouse Productions, a film studio, announced a new treatment of the material. In 2020, director Karyn Kusama (Jennifer’s Body), is working to bring a fresh perspective to the tale. Why has the character endured, while so many others have faded away? Because the character has so much potential for retellings, depending on the desired outcome. Count Dracula can be: a hero, a historical figure in a period piece, an ugly monster, a PNR love interest, an antihero/ villain, or even a straight man for puns or jokes. This post will provide sample actors, scripts and renditions which have been released over nearly a century. Which one of these subjectively deserves to be considered the best, or the worst?

Max Schrek - Nosferatu (1922)

As thinly veiled plagiarism, Stoker's widow sued the film studio and won a judgement. The studio went bankrupt, and all copies were ordered to be destroyed. Somehow one version of this silent film survived and was reprinted. Technically this was Count Orlok, but nothing had been altered from novel to script. The vampire is animalistic: slumped back, sharp ears, jagged teeth and long fingernails. This is Schreck’s most famous role. His acting was so convincing legend persists to this day he was a real vampire.

Bela Lugosi – Dracula (1931)

When asked to imagine Dracula’s appearance, this is the image that comes to everyone’s mind. The widow’s peak, the tuxedo, the red lined cape, the pale skin and long fingernails. His furtive movement, the rhythm of his voice, and the way he swept his cape over his face. Lugosi never again played a part so well, but that’s why his performance has been copied so many times.

Lon Chaney Jr. – Son of Dracula (1943)

Lon Jr. could never have lived up to his father: legendary actor and makeup artist, The Man with 1000 Faces, Lon Chaney Sr. The other problem with this film is Lon Jr. attempted to copy Lugosi. Another man whose shoes he could never fill. This film fails on both accounts, as a poor and lifeless imitation. Sadly reductive it brought nothing new, compared to better versions.

Christopher Lee – Horror of Dracula (1958)

I’d like him to be known as the Technicolor Dracula. He was presented in color for the first time in this version. Hammer Horror devoted themselves to the genre, whereas Lee played the title role his entire life.  It became his signature role for good reason. Filmed on location in real chateaus, the atmosphere of lurking dread is marvelously authentic, especially in the studio’s early films. For me, Lee is the best at this part. 

Frank Langella – Dracula (1979)

This version portrays our hero as a romantic lead. Including a tagline "a love story" incorporated into the title. This iteration created space which modern vampire versions would later occupy. Such as Twilight, Vampire Diaries and Interview with a Vampire. Frank Langella is quoted as saying he “wanted to show a man who, while evil, was lonely and could fall in love."

Gary Oldman – Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

A bit hokey at points, the film is successful overall in the performances, sets and costumes. The result is a convincing portrayal of the count from Transylvania. It’s a romance between Winona Ryder as Mina and Gary Oldman in the title role. He’s lavishly costumed, strange, dramatic, intense, and sexually alluring. Somehow this film is still fresh, when compared to less successful versions. Francis Ford Coppola does a great job of creating a period paranormal romance.

Richard Roxburgh – Van Helsing (2004)

Bad early CGI, unrealistic hairpieces, clunky dialog, fake accents, and wooden overacting. What’s worse is it’s riddled with cliché movie monster references. Not to mention full-on explanations on the backstory, along with labored “how to kill vampires” sequences. Nothing works, the whole thing is canned and over produced.  As I prepped to write this post, I wondered. Why hadn’t I ever watched this movie? After forcing myself to sit through it, the answer became clear.

Claes Bang – Dracula (2020)

This concept strays far, far away, from the original source material. Reviews are mixed, pertaining to Netflix’s version of the vampire. But in my opinion, this version works well enough. I liked the fresh take on storytelling. It included satisfying, daringly dark humor. Most horror comedy doesn’t work, but this one does. It’s dark enough to be shocking sometimes. Bang is a dashingly handsome man, possessing enough elegance to bring believability to the character.  His mannerisms are reminiscent of Lugosi, which makes him well-suited to the part.

#vladdracula #bramstokersdracula #hammerhorror #fangs #draculavlad #christopherlee #immortal #dracula #vampire #childrenofthenight #dracul #petercushing #belalugosi #vampires #castlevania #bramstoker #romania #nosferatu #boriskarloff #vampyre

JOKER

JOKER - This material has been fashioned into comic books, merchandise tie-ins, live action flicks, animated movies, TV series, books and video games. The Joker was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, in Batman’s debut issue, published in 1940 by DC Comics. Directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix, the setting of Joker (2019) is razor sharp:  Manhattan in the early 80s. Imbued with sleazy porn theaters, sidewalk assassinations, garbage strikes and police corruption. Many character defects contribute to his craziness: jokes that don’t land, his childhood abandonment, weird dance moves, bizarre sense of style, and uncontrollable laughter at inappropriate times. Joaquin Phoenix takes exceedingly challenging material for an actor, and transforms himself. He’s pitiful at first, but becomes the embodiment of the Joker, in a swirling descent into madness. The film has many critics, complaining it condones violence. I will offer an alternate opinion: it can’t be gratuitous if it’s essential to the plot. Joker is a triumph of originality in movie making, in an era of cookie cutter comic book remakes. Yes, you heard that right. An original remake. An antihero becomes heroic, and accomplishes this solo, for all the wrong reasons. Somehow 80 year old source material has been formed into something fresh and new. In this nihilistic world, society steps over the most unfortunate, or does worse. You might think the audience would dislike Arthur Fleck. But you’d be wrong. Who is to blame for the Joker’s atrocities? Perhaps it’s a little bit on all of us. 

THE ROAD

THE ROAD - The Road is a post-apocalyptic film (2009) based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning book (2006) written by Cormac McCarthy. Directed by John Hillcoat, the film stars Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as a father and his son. The story flips back-and-forth between past/ present, as an unspecified cataclysm destroys almost all life on Earth, ending civilization in the process. Somehow, the father and son are optimistic, in a bleak landscape of almost unimaginable grief and loss. The narrative’s pace is lumbering and plodding, punctuated with brief glimpses of terror. Shot in real locations, mostly around Pittsburg PA, deliberate choices were made to avoid using CGI to enhance its stark realism. Featuring an eerie score heightened by loops and percussion, including violin piano and wind instruments written by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

IT CHAPTER TWO MOVIE REVIEW

IT CHAPTER TWO MOVIE REVIEW - This is a two-part review, see below for an earlier post. In 2017, I watched ‘It’ on opening weekend, and also mentioned I’d previously seen the 1990 mini-series.  The film is adapted from Stephen King’s book of the same name. ‘The Loser’s Club’ are adults now, and everyone has moved away from Derry, except Mike. He fears Pennywise has returned, 27 years later. People in Derry start disappearing, so Mike calls club members, and asks them to meet up with him. It’s at this point that plot problems with the movie begin to creep in. As adults, the ‘Losers’ don’t remember the clown battle which occurred in ‘It Chapter One’. This begs the question: Why drop everything and immediately rush back to Derry? Since only Mike knows Pennywise has returned. The ending isn’t great either. King acknowledges this, and it becomes a running joke. King pokes fun at himself, when he’s featured onscreen, in a cameo appearance. I don’t like ruining movies with spoilers, so read on at your own peril. In the climatic ending, the ‘Losers’ (or at least Mike) know Pennywise represents their greatest fears. The solution is as simple as: “just don’t be afraid anymore”. If it’s that easy to defeat the monster, why not do that a lot earlier? And finally: the opening. A homophobic hate crime occurs, that does come right out of the book. I think that scene is a throwaway which has nothing to do with the movie. I found the scene to be a random afterthought, unnecessarily gratuitous and not connected to the plot in any way. The production was better, and there was less CGI than part one, but overall there are some pretty glaring missed opportunities.

https://chadschimke.blogspot.com/2017/09/it-movie-review-when-younger-brother.html

https://chadschimke.blogspot.com/2019/09/it-chapter-two-movie-review.html