Isabelle Huppert as the Blood Countess: A Surreal Euro-Goth Vampire Tale
- Vienna is playing host to a decidedly unconventional visitor: Countess Elizabeth Báthory, the 16th-century Hungarian noblewoman whose legend is steeped in cruelty and the pursuit of eternal youth...
- Huppert, who has portrayed a chillingly detached protagonist before in Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher, appears perfectly suited to the role.
- The narrative finds the Countess, accompanied by her maid Hermine (Birgit Minichmayr), navigating contemporary Vienna, reconnecting with relatives, and, naturally, seeking to satisfy her thirst.
Vienna is playing host to a decidedly unconventional visitor: Countess Elizabeth Báthory, the 16th-century Hungarian noblewoman whose legend is steeped in cruelty and the pursuit of eternal youth through, as the stories go, the blood of young women. But this isn’t a historical drama. It’s , and Ulrike Ottinger’s new film, The Blood Countess, reimagines Báthory as a vampire who has awakened in modern-day Vienna, and it’s a darkly comedic, visually arresting experience anchored by a typically masterful performance from Isabelle Huppert.
Huppert, who has portrayed a chillingly detached protagonist before in Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher, appears perfectly suited to the role. As described in reviews, she doesn’t attempt to reinvent herself for the part, instead leaning into her natural aristocratic bearing and “opaque gaze.” The film, co-written with Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek, doesn’t shy away from the gruesome aspects of the Báthory myth, but it approaches them with a surreal, often bizarre, sense of humor. The Guardian’s review notes the film’s “camp, cruelty and aristocratic disdain,” and Variety describes it as a “loopy Viennese vampire hunt.”
The narrative finds the Countess, accompanied by her maid Hermine (Birgit Minichmayr), navigating contemporary Vienna, reconnecting with relatives, and, naturally, seeking to satisfy her thirst. Her nephew, Rudi Bubi von Strudl (Thomas Schubert), a somewhat hapless member of the undead Báthory lineage, and his therapist, Theobald (Lars Eidinger), become entangled in her reemergence. The film’s plot, however, isn’t necessarily the point. It’s a vehicle for Ottinger’s distinctive visual style and Jelinek’s unsettlingly sharp dialogue, and for Huppert to deliver a performance that is both commanding and subtly unsettling.
The film’s aesthetic is described as a blend of “Euro-goth and camp,” with a striking use of color – particularly a vibrant, artificial red – that sets it apart from more conventional vampire fare. Rather than relying on realistic depictions of blood, Ottinger opts for a more stylized approach, employing “garishly declarative, candied reds of off-brand ketchup, kickass lipstick and iridescent B-movie gore effects.” This deliberate artificiality underscores the film’s playful, almost irreverent, treatment of the vampire mythos.
While the film embraces the fantastical elements of the Báthory legend, it also seems to offer a satirical commentary on Austrian society and its enduring class structures. The Radetzky March, a piece of music often associated with Austrian nationalism, makes an appearance, suggesting a layer of social critique beneath the film’s surface. The review in The Guardian wonders if the film could have been a more straightforward horror or erotic thriller, or even a revisionist take on Báthory’s story, questioning whether the humor serves as a “kind of alibi in case we find it all ridiculous.”
Huppert’s portrayal is consistently highlighted as the film’s strongest asset. Her face is lit “like that of a Golden Age Hollywood star,” lending her an ethereal quality that contrasts with the film’s often-gritty setting. She embodies the Countess with a cool detachment and a hint of disdain, making her a captivating and unsettling presence on screen. The film’s success hinges on Huppert’s ability to navigate the delicate balance between horror, comedy, and social commentary, and by all accounts, she does so with remarkable skill.
The Blood Countess, directed by Ulrike Ottinger and co-written with Elfriede Jelinek, is a unique and provocative take on a well-worn legend. It’s a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s also not afraid to explore dark and unsettling themes. With Isabelle Huppert at its center, it promises to be a memorable and thought-provoking cinematic experience. The film also stars André Jung, Marco Lorenzini, and Karl Markovics.
The film’s release comes after Báthory has been portrayed on screen by a number of actresses, including Ingrid Pitt, Delphine Seyrig, Paloma Picasso, and Julie Delpy. However, the reviews suggest that Huppert’s interpretation is particularly well-suited to the role, bringing a level of sophistication and nuance that sets it apart from previous adaptations. IMDb lists the film’s runtime as 1 hour and 59 minutes.