A traveller encounters strange occurrences in a small village, and learns that vampires might be behind them.
Danish filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer, only having completed five features between 1928 and 1964, is nonetheless regarded as one of cinema's greatest directors. After the success of his film The Passion of Joan of Arc, Dreyer desired to work next with sound (a process still in its infancy) and spent a great deal of time in England and France learning and preparing for his new project. Vampyr's story comes not from Bram Stoker's oft-adapted Dracula but from short stories written by Sheridan Le Fanu, which predates Stoker's novel by 25 years.
Financing for Vampyr was provided by a European socialite who put up the money on the condition he could star in the film, and adopted the screen name Julian West. No dialogue was recorded on set, as to increase the film's bankability all of the vocal performances were dubbed afterwards in three different languages. The absence of sound equipment allowed Dreyer to keep his camera movements unrestricted and maintain his daring visual style, as well as freeing him to shoot the whole film on location in the French countryside.
While unappreciated at the time of its release, Vampyr is now acknowledged alongside Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari as one of the most influential and innovative horror films ever made, with their focus on atmosphere and striking imagery.
Vampyr runs approx. 1 hr, 15 min and will be followed by an additional short feature.
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