This is not a story about a vampire who stays young by bathing in the blood of virgins. This is an embellished version of historical events.
This is the story of Elizabeth Bathory (Anna Friel) who lived during a time of conflict between the east and west and Catholic and Protestant religions. She was able to survive one, but not the other. This tale depicts the countess as slightly mentally unstable suffering from a disease of the blood. There are scenes which blend reality with dreams in a surreal fashion. It worked rather well for me, but there wasn't a lot of it. Bathory was ruthless and beautiful. In an effort to gain her wealth, her enemies accused her of heinous crimes, at least some of which were true.
What you will first notice is the costumes. They went to great length and expense in this aspect reminding me of Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon." Some of the background is CG, such as the castle with its constant full moon and some of the fires. The monk and his assistant made inventions which made this account seem fictional. Indeed, both of them and the Italian artist appear to be Hollywood creations. Anna Darvulia is historical, but her exact influence is unknown. The film is long: 2 hours and 20 minutes. It moves at a slow and steady pace. You do feel the time. This movie is a not for everybody. It is artsy and based on a true story. It can get boring building background.
Parental Guide: Sex and Nudity.
This is the story of Elizabeth Bathory (Anna Friel) who lived during a time of conflict between the east and west and Catholic and Protestant religions. She was able to survive one, but not the other. This tale depicts the countess as slightly mentally unstable suffering from a disease of the blood. There are scenes which blend reality with dreams in a surreal fashion. It worked rather well for me, but there wasn't a lot of it. Bathory was ruthless and beautiful. In an effort to gain her wealth, her enemies accused her of heinous crimes, at least some of which were true.
What you will first notice is the costumes. They went to great length and expense in this aspect reminding me of Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon." Some of the background is CG, such as the castle with its constant full moon and some of the fires. The monk and his assistant made inventions which made this account seem fictional. Indeed, both of them and the Italian artist appear to be Hollywood creations. Anna Darvulia is historical, but her exact influence is unknown. The film is long: 2 hours and 20 minutes. It moves at a slow and steady pace. You do feel the time. This movie is a not for everybody. It is artsy and based on a true story. It can get boring building background.
Parental Guide: Sex and Nudity.