What a glorious movie. As someone who has indulged in pretty much all genres of horror, I would say this was a mystery with distinct horror overtones. For the average horror fan, I can understand that this might not tick many boxes. But for those who are more entrenched and broad-minded about the genre, this is a must see ! Seriously well made, and not as artsy as some may suggest. Just adventurous direction, well-scripted, great acting, great story - anything but boring for those seeking the fresh rather than the obvious. What more could I have asked for ? Nothing. A welcome surprise in a genre that rarely does these days.
5.8Keywords: barcelona, spainspanish history
Plot summary
Barcelona at the start of the twentieth century sees two cities living alongside one another. The first, bourgeois and modernist, the other filthy and sordid. When Teresa Guitart, the young daughter of a rich family, goes missing, the news sends shock-waves through the whole country. The police soon have a suspect: Enriqueta Marti, a woman who's also known as "The Barcelona Vampiress". The journalist Sebastia Comas decides to venture into the Raval neighborhood's maze of streets, brothels and secrets, where he will find out the dark truth around the kidnappings and macabre murders of children that the Vampiress is accused of. His investigations will reveal a sleazy elite, who will stop at nothing to hide their tawdry vices.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU 971.4 MB
1280*536
Spanish 2.0
NR
Movie Reviews
Reviewed by
Wonderful movie - but more of a mystery than horror
Reviewed by
"We have written the lies,that others wanted us to write."
When looking at the line-up for the 2021 Grimmfest film festival,this was the title I was most looking forward to seeing,due to it sounding like a eye-catching Spanish title that crossed True Crime with Gothic Horror,leading to me meeting the Barcelona Vampire.
View on the film:
Revealing in a discussion after the screening/stream that the idea for the appearance of the film came after he left seeing a theatre performance one night, director Lluis Danes makes an immaculate feature film debut, going back to the scene of the crime in thick,gloomy black and white,which Danes & The Hidden Face (2011-also reviewed) cinematographer Josep M. Civit splinter with shards of red dripping across the screen,as the horrors are unveiled.
Taking place in the early twentieth century, Danes brilliantly seeps the artistic methods of the period into the mystery,from startling, cutout animation,to German Expressionism shadows looming large, tinted-style splashes of colour and looming, large stage wall,which the camera looks down on as the corrupt elite commit their brutal crimes.
Extensively researching the background of Enriqueta Marti ( called "The Vampire of Barcelona" by the press) the screenplay by Maria Jaen and Lluis Arcarazo take a forensic approach towards exploring each level of the sickening child-killing crimes,with journalist Sebastia Comas (who was a real journalist, and played with a ragged heaviness by Roger Casamajor) walking down the dirty side-streets where those who hold political power abuse children,and partake in the horrors of the Barcelona vampiress.
Reviewed by
Boring
Sorry, but movie directors that love to be artists put me to sleep.
Black and white was a bad sign but constant scenes that are like dreams killed my interest in this movie.
I guess all that artifice just tries to hide the hollowness of the story.