The Strange and Supernatural Adventure of Allan Gray

For those of you who like art film, you might want to check out what might be one of the earliest art-horror films ever made. Vampyr was made in 1930, though released in 1932, and is one of the first handful of films made after the invention of sound. Of course, this movie does not rely on the new technology of sound to make its point. With little dialogue — and some may say plot — Vampyr relies on lighting and shadow techniques to create drama. The film appears a little grainy at times, but don't be alarmed. That's all part of the lighting effects. In fact, the lighting of this film has been continually praised since its making. For those of you who want to watch it, the film is public domain and can be found here.

The film is French-German but is made by Danish director Carol Theodor Dreyer, whom takes credit for the magnificent lighting effects. The film is meant to have a dreamlike, surreal quality to it and focuses more on imagery than anything else. The film itself was popular enough that it was translated into French, German, and English. Unfortunately, prints of the English version are all but lost and so we have to do with self-made title cards and subtitles with the film in the original German. Most of the actors were amateurs (think student art film people), but nonetheless, it is a good film. I really hope none of this information detracts from you wanting to watch it because it truly is a good film.

Vampyr is based on Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's novella Carmilla, which predates Bram Stoker's Dracula. For those of you interested, Carmilla can be read here on the vast online library that is Project Gutenberg. The story is relatively the same, and parallels most vampire stories of the era. The story follows young Allan Gray as he comes to a castle to study demonology and vampires. A dreamer himself, Gray had some problems distinguishing between what is real and what is surreal. He is given a copy of a book called The History of Vampires, which arouses his suspicions about the strange things happening in the area. Then, the beautiful daughter of the lord who's castle Gray is staying in comes down with a mysterious illness. At first, it is believed to be only anemia, but Gray feels there is something more sinister at work and tries to uncover the mystery of the dark forces haunting the area. As things get more intense, Gray discovers his quest to find the truth could cost him his soul.

So, this film is a great art film for those of you into that and does have vampire elements for those of you who are into that. It is also great for anyone who is a fan of lighting effects and early sound films. Of course, I don't want to limit this film to anyone in one of those categories. I really think everyone should watch Vampyr as a means of broadening your film horizons.