The Vourdalak (2023)

"Like a French 'Ghost Story For Christmas' "

Aleksei Tolstoy's short story 'La Famille Du Vourdalak" has done pretty well in terms of adaptations over the years, with big screen versions directed by Mario Bava (as part of 1963's BLACK SABBATH), Giorgio Ferroni (1972's NIGHT OF THE DEVILS) and now this new French version from director and co-writer Adrian Beau, which is just as good as its predecessors. In fact, with its winter pastoral backdrop and a distinctly 1970s feels to  the photography, this one almost feels like the version Jean Rollin might have made of the story.

The Marquis d'Urfe, emissary of the King of France, gets lost and ends up at the chateau of a rather strange family. The patriarch has gone off to fight the Turks, with strict instructions that should he return after six nights he must not be allowed entrance as he will have become a vampire-like vourdalak and will destroy the family.

You can guess what happens. What you won't guess is that the vourdalak is rather originally and gruesomely portrayed using a full-size puppet, voiced by the director himself. Slightly resembling Max Schreck's NOSFERATU as interpreted by the Muppets, as promised this weird creation begins to destroy the family. Will the Marquis be able to destroy the menace? Or will he himself end up dead as well?

As mentioned above, THE VOURDALAK benefits immensely from authentic locations, a sensible script and performances that sometimes balance on the knife edge between macabre and crazy. The style of photography is reminiscent of numerous BBC productions of the 1970s, including Leslie Megahey's SCHALKEN THE PAINTER and the GHOST STORIES FOR CHRISTMAS series. THE VOURDALAK premiered at the Venice Film Festival where it was nominated for Best Film and I can believe it, because this is a must watch for fans of 'classic' EuroHorror. Let's have a trailer:

Adrian Beau's THE VOURDALAK is out on Digital from Blue Finch Releasing on Monday 16th September 2024