This is a truly original genre film. Tony Scott took on the vampire myth in his first film about an aristocratic older vamp, played beautifully by Catherine Deneuve, who seeks out a young female doctor (Susan Sarandon) to help keep her lover (and blood donor, David Bowie) from aging rapidly from some blood disease.
There is such a natural beauty to this film. The rooms and scenes have such a distinct play with natural light. The sun only seems natural when its being kept out by windows and shutters. Only when it peaks through the cracks does it feel welcome. The city daylight is shot as dusty and antagonistic as the lead characters feel it is. It makes us uncomfortable to be in it, as much as the vampires feel it is.
And it should be said, the film is never distracting by the use of the word "vampire". The characters are only presented as people with a sinister disposition. Never is it mentioned by name what they are. The mystery and seductive nature of these "creatures" is thanks partly to this fact. Its the immortality, the tragedy that surrounds the nature of immortality that is on stage here. The longing for companionship...the longing for something more. Catherine begins with a motivation for survival, and turns into the emotional creature dealing with a sense of loss that humans can't comprehend, looking for solace, and finds in Susan.
The relationship between Catherine and Susan builds like two lovers learning each other for the first time. The resistance to the taboo nature (especially for the times) of two woman falling in love, a young and an old, a monster and a healer. Finally the giving over to the desire of it all. Seductive is almost too soft a word for the metaphors and themes at play.
It's shot with a sure hand, a naive but confident hand. Tony was definitely finding his 'style". It's a romance and horror, social and humanistic film. A mystery with mythological twist.
A beauty of a first film, similar to his brother, Ridley Scott, first film "The Duellests". But with more of what was soon to be, the edgier motief of Tony's work.
FFFFFoooooorrrreeeaaaallllzzzzzz.
8/20/12
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