A Note of Vampires in Film

The role of vampires in film has changed drastically over the years. In the early days of films like Dracula and Nosferatu, Vampires were creatures of terror, and their tales were tales of horror. Due to trends started primarily by Twilight and Underworld films, vampires are now used in either romance or gothic action flicks. The gel spiked hair of the vampires of Twilight seems far removed from the sinister smile of Bela Lugosi in Dracula. Perhaps it is not a bad thing that vampires, as great characters as they can make, are being utilized in other genres, but it is always nice to return the cobwebs and castles of a vampire's past.

The Best in Horror

These are in my opinion the top ten horror films:

1. The Shining

2. Dracula

3. The Silence of the Lambs

4. The Exorcist

5. Vampyr

6. Psycho

7. Nosferatu

8. Carrie

9. Evil Dead

10. Halloween

Film of the Week: Dracula (1931)

"Listen to them, children of the night. What music they make." Dracula is among the most famous characters of all time, brought to life in this story by the incomparable Bela Lugosi, an actor perhaps better suited for the role than any other who has played the famous vampire. Although there have been many films about Dracula, Bela Lugosi's stellar performance makes this film perhaps the best.

The Top Ten Greatest World War Two Films

Since we were on the topic of WWII films, I thought I'd list the ten that are, in my opinion, the best

1. Saving Private Ryan

2.Bridge on the River Kwai

3. Inglourious Basterds

4. Casablanca

5. Army of Shadows

6. Schindler's List

7. The Dirty Dozen

8. A Bridge Too Far

9. The Big Red One

10. The Longest Day

WWII in film

World War Two has long been a popular subject in film. Films ranging from drama to action, and even some comedies have been made about this war. Many dramas such as Schindler's List, and Life is Beautiful deal with the Holocaust, but some European dramas such as Salo deal with the cost of Nazism on a general population. While European films tend to grapple with the cost of Nazism, it is sad to say that many American films have become little more than patriotic shooting festivals. While some films, like Saving Private Ryan, provide a bold look at the horrors of combat, others like Back to Bataan or The Dirty Dozen, exploit the war to entertain. While these films are entertaining, they lack the ability to capture the essence of humankind at its worst. Dealing with Nazism is a difficult subject for a film to suceed at, and Army of Shadows passes with flying colors.

Film of the Week: Army of Shadows (1969)

Although this French film did not see release in the United States until 2006, it was released in France in 1969. This exquisitely artistic film is one of the best kept secrets of French cinema. Mafia movie director Jean Pierre Melvile set aside the mob to shoot this dark look at the French Resistance in World War Two. Melvile brings together a superb cast in one of the most poignant films about the Sceond World War.

Film of the Week: El Mariachi (1993)

A young 23 year old director named Robert Rodriguez shot this film, and its immediate success shot him into the league of great directors. Very few people enter the film industry as directors and make enough of a success on their first film to have a career in the industry, so any time a young man struts into the film business and becomes a director, it speaks quite well for his work. El Mariachi is an interesting idea for a film. The plot concerns a criminal seeking revenge, who carries a guitar case full of weapons, and a young mariachi looking for work who arrives in town the same day. Rodriguez takes the standard mistaken identity plot, usually used for comedy, and turns it into a high intensity action film, that ends tragically for everyone except the thrilled viewer.