Posts Tagged ‘ vampires ’

Philcon 2023 Schedule

Friday, November 10th, 2023

I have my Philcon schedule. This is going to be good!
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Star Trek in 2023 – Crystal 2, Fri 7:00 PM
Matt Black (moderator), Alyce Wilson, Keith DeCandido, Savan Gupta, Andre Lieven
Description: Since last Philcon, a ton of new Star Trek content has been released: new seasons of Prodigy, Picard, Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks. What were the most memorable moments? Where will they go from here?
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Deep Space Nine: An Unfolding Text – Crystal 2, Sat 3:00 PM
Daniel M. Kimmel (moderator), Raven Green, Alyce Wilson, Barbara Purdom, Dan Persons
Description: 2023 marks the 30th Anniversary of this well-loved show’s premiere. How did it change the Star Trek universe when it first aired? How has it stood up over the last three decades? Does re-watching the show in the present day give us any new takeaways?
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Star Trek: Lower Decks – Plaza 5, Sat 5:00 PM
Alyce Wilson (moderator), Courtney Kwok, Daniel M. Kimmel, Dr. Jim Prego, Michael D. Pederson
Description: Star Trek is BACK!! From Picard to Strange New Worlds, Star Trek is back on the small screen for fans across the generations. For the first time since 1973, we have a new animated Star Trek series. Lower Decks follows the misadventures of the low-ranking support crew of cadets assigned to duty aboard the California Class Starship the Cerritos in the 24th century. It is also the first sitcom of the Star Trek franchise. Now in its third season, the show is a hit! So join us to talk about and share why we love the misfits of ST: Lower Decks.
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THE VAMPYRE – Plaza 3, Sat 7:00 PM
Richard Stout (moderator), Alyce Wilson, Teel James Glenn, Scheherazade Jackson
Description: In 1816 a teenaged girl, her married lover, a lord, and his physician decided to have a ghost story competition. While the teenager’s eventual novel became more famous – something about a modern Prometheus – the physician, John Polidori, also published his shorter work a year later in 1819. “The Vampyre; A Tale” caused a sensation that started a vampire craze throughout Europe. Among other elements, it greatly influenced Bram Stoker to make his Count Dracula a member of the nobility like Polidori’s Lord Ruthven. While a film starring Malcolm McDowell and Derek Jacobi is in development, has Dr. Polidori gotten his literary due? Let’s discuss it.
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Dracula: Eternal *and* Changing? – Plaza 3, Sun 1:00 PM
Hildy Silverman (moderator), Teel James Glenn, Alyce Wilson, Darrell Schweitzer, Amy Grech
Description: How has the story of Dracula changed over time and through different portrayals in media? What vital aspects of Bram Stoker’s original story have been lost, which have been twisted into something new, and what – if anything – has stayed the same through all the various retellings?

5 Must-See Vampire Movies

Saturday, October 31st, 2015

Lesser Known Films for the Vampire Lover

About 20 years ago, I wrote a four-hour radio program about the vampire mythos. In the course of doing research for this show, I watched and read countless vampire movies and stories. Countless vampire movies have been made, ranging from campy to dramatic. Here are a few worth watching.

Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)

Director: F.W. Murnau

Starring: Max Schreck, Gustav von Wagenheim, Greta Schroder, Ruth Landshoff

Shot on realistic sets in Wismar and Lubeck, Germany, this classic silent film was based on the Bram Stoker novel, Dracula, with minor efforts made to change the names. Therefore, the vampire is called Count Orlock. All copies of the film were ordered to be destroyed due to a legal settlement with the Stoker estate, but a complete copy survived in the possession of one collector.

The special effects are done with simple camera tricks and expressionistic lighting. Even today, however, this film still evokes a feeling of forboding and even terror.

The Spanish version of Dracula (1931)

Director: George Melford

Starring: Carlos Villarias, Lupita Tovar, Barry Norton, Pablo Alvarez Rubio, Eduardo Arozamena

Many people have seen the classic Bela Lugosi version and can quote lines from it. For a brief time in the early days of sound, studios made Spanish versions of movies, starring Spanish actors, instead of simply dubbing the original. The actors used the same sets and sometimes the same costumes, typically shooting at night.

The Spanish version of Dracula is much more compelling and romantic than the Lugosi film, with Villarias as a sensual, charismatic vampire and superior camerawork. Watch both and see if you agree.

The Horror of Dracula (1958)

Director: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh, John Van Eyssen

The British studio, Hammer Film Productions, put out dozens of low-budget horror films that are, nonetheless, beloved by horror film fans for their artistry, acting, scripts, and lush costumes and scenery. This role made the career of well-known character actor Christopher Lee, who up until then had only played minor roles.

Not all of the Hammer Dracula movies are as good as this first one — some are very campy — but this film is justifiably praised for its modern, sexy and dangerous retelling of the classic Stoker novel. Though he’s only on-screen for a short while, Lee’s presence is astounding, and Peter Cushing, another veteran character actor, is unforgettable as Van Helsing.

Vampire’s Kiss (1988)

Director: Robert Bierman

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Alva Restrepo, Jennifer Beals

This is no doubt the cheesiest movie on this list, and it is a personal favorite because of its different take on the vampire movie. Nicolas Cage plays a businessman who meets a woman in a nightclub (Jennifer Beals) whom he believes is a vampire. The question becomes: was she really, or is he simply going insane?

Cage’s hysterics as he deals with the results of his encounter are highly entertaining. The script by Joseph Minion is highly quotable. Just don’t expect to take this film too seriously.

Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

Director: E. Elias Merhige

Starring: John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Udo Kier, Cary Elwes, Catherine McCormack.

It’s a good idea to watch Nosferatu before seeing this movie, because it tells the fictionalized tale of the making of that film. According to this account, the actor playing Count Orlock, Mac Schreck, was so convincing because he was, indeed, a vampire. At times black comedy, at times horror film, and at times meta-film about the filmmaking process, the movie easily draws viewers into this isolated, strange world.

Willem Dafoe does a terrific job as Mac Schreck, which is little surprise, since the role was written specifically for him. Udo Kier, incidentally, once played the count himself, in Andy Warhol’s Dracula, a.k.a. Blood of Dracula (1974). This film captures the look of the original amazingly well, and in many ways is just as scary.