Vampires

Since Bram Stoker's Dracula appeared in 1897, it has been a subject of many interpretations and adaptations. In films, I would distinguish between two major types that put emphasis on different aspects of the character. I would label these as "Dracula" and "Nosferatu" films. Dracula films are either based on the novel itself, or, as the majority seems to do, rely more on the stage play adaptation of the book. Examples of adaptations following the book include Coppola's or that of Jesús Franco, but the real lasting image of a vampire is based on the stage play adaptations, and probably on the performance of Béla Lugosi in "Dracula" (1931). Here Dracula has a hypnotic personal charm, a mesmerising gaze that was extremely effective especially at a time when sound was so new that in Dracula there is no film music other than Swan Lake in the opening credits, as the makers were not sure how people would react to it... But the charmeur reading of Dracula is not limited to this film only, and has lived on until nowadays. That Dracula has figurative allusions to relationships of a sexual nature forbidden in the late Victorian era when it was written has been discussed by many. A charming vampire is sympathetic to both those who identify themselves with the seduced and the seducer. In the end, the victims may just throw themselves at the feet of the vampire as you can see in the video I am posting here with Frank Langella in "Dracula" (1979).

On the other hand, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau's version of Dracula shows a quite different aspect of the character. His adaptation is titled "Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens" (Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, 1922), as Murnau was forced to omit references to Dracula due to copyright reasons. The nosferatu also has unearthly powers, but those are more rotten than a vampire's, as Count Orlok himself is repulsive compared to the charming Dracula. Orlok is followed by rats and disease wherever he goes and albeit he possesses hypnotic powers they rather paralyse the victims with fright than lure them with attraction. The same hidden desire is present of course but in a more brutal and frightening manner. A remake was made in 1979 by Werner Herzog, with Klaus Kinski as Dracula (no more copyright issues), titled "Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht" (Nosferatu: Phantom of the Night). It is a very dazzling and dreamy experience to watch this film, quite worthy of the original's reputation. Here we now see the seduction scene as nosferatu does it. In this version, he is much more a victim of his own way of existence, the continuous need to acquire love, and despite all his powers, he is forced to retreat.

These two views on the vampire seem to confront in a scene from "Shadow of the Vampire" (2000) by E. Elias Merhige, a film which tells the story of the making of Murnau's Nosferatu assuming that the vampire was real in the movie. Here, Willem Dafoe as the creature offers his opinion as a vampire on the book "Dracula". Interesting how things depend on interpretation (points of view). He explains the sadness and loneliness lurking in the book, something only a vampire sees, as the others seem to be more fascinated by his power to fulfil his desires.

And finally, I think it is only fitting if I add my own venture into writing a vampire story. Part of it at least... This was written when I was very low... the diary of my sadness follows here. What I found very interesting that this received much more positive feedback from those I took the trouble to impress before than anything else I had previously attempted... a bit ironic maybe, but such are the doings of deep feelings... better move on to see the world in a different light before they devour you... When I wrote this, I felt that the contrast between the creature that forever longs for the essence of life and beauty and another myth, Narciss who has all those but to himself alone and for that reason needs nobody else... that contrast is what my life was about... seeing from the vampire's point of view, life appeared thus:

"Oh, yes, i know... the sunlight... these, whom i call vampires like the sun... they do dance if they see it... and their dance gives me warm feelings... that i want to join, yet i am not able to. Strange isn't it?? now i am starting to remember why is it so strange... yes, i am awakening... and yes, these is no sunshine, just the still darkness of a coffin. With this dream, all the vampires are gone... except the only true one... i... i am still lying in this coffin...

After you awake, the borders of reality and that of dreamworld are still fuzzy. But still, it makes more sense, i am the vampire... Let's just see... I set up a comfortable bed for the young and innocent... i know, even if they like dancing in the sun, sometimes they just want to rest a bit... maybe they even want a little shadow... if they are comfortable, it makes me happy. Lying in my bed, they inevitably give me drops of their innocence... For them, this bed is just a convenient possibility... they could get it elsewhere... maybe not so comfortable, but they could, and they can... I, on the other hand, need these drops, and suck them for more... it is the need that defines the vampire... and the need falls on my side...

I show the young narciss the perfect mirror he looks for. I see into his soul, that his tender heartbeat gets faster if he sees the beauties of himself gradually unfolding in their natural nudity, making the mirror shining from their image. I stand by him to enjoy... and that's it... i do not have a mirror image!!! Seeing this, their smile changes a bit, to a bit uncomfortable, maybe a bit scared at first... but the sunlight is not too far, all they have to do is to step out... Why hurry then... They are determined to go, but why hurry? He doesn't really see into me, but what he knows is enough... he can get away at any time to the sunshine, where i am unable to follow. They know the weak point of the old freak... He however feels that it would be rude to leave without saying good bye and thank you properly, so he begins this procedure with the lengthiness which he thinks is right nevertheless. He says, he will come again, and indeed, there is a possibility, since the bed is comfortable, and the freak who guards it is really managable... maybe even sympathetic a bit in his moody gloominess."