Fedor Sendak
26Oct: Harry Kumel - Le Rouge aux Levres, directors cut
Greetings once again,
Continuing our move towards Halloween, next Monday at the DNA we will present this classic psychosexual shocker that stunned both art house audiences and grindhouse crowds worldwide back in the 70s.
Even after all the years since I first saw it, it remains one of my favorite lesbian vampire films of ll time....stylish as hell!
- Jeffrey
MONDAY OCTOBER 26
DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS
(Le rouge aux Lvres) 1971
Directed by Harry Kumel
100 minutes
In English
This phenomenal film works on many levels, and is extremely elegant and artfully executed. It isn't a gore film, nor a porn film, but something I would call a stylish erotic thriller that examines the relationship between men and women, and women and women. Officially classified as a lesbian vampire film, its actually a film that defies categorization.
In this piece of Belgian cult cinema Delphine Seyrig (Last Year in Marienbad) plays the notorious Countess Bathory (in case you don't know, she was a real historical figure who murdered hundreds of young women in her quest to stay young). In this film, Bathory and her female companion (the stunning Andrea Rau) cross paths with a young couple, Valerie and Stefan, who are honeymooning during the off-season at the seaside in Belgium. At first the happy newlyweds seem fairly normal. But soon things start to fall apart- the woman is shown to be emotionally unstable and the man has a violent streak and is maybe even sexually excited by death. Their relationship is also undermined by what turns out to be repressed homosexuality on both sides and Valerie soon falls under the spell of the ageless and beautiful Countess Bathory.
"Daughters of Darkness" is a mesmerizing and hypnotic masterpiece of lesbian vampire cinema.The use of color is bold, the mood is fantastic and the atmosphere is chilling and sexually tense. The sweeping cinematography is gorgeous in an autumnal sort of way, and the film also contains a haunting musical score. Co-written and directed by Harry Kumel, DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS remains one of the best loved adult horror films ever made. Combining the aesthetics of early Marlene Dietrich films along with the theme of contemporary vampirism, the result is both chilling and erotic....
And of course we will be screening the Director's Cut!
DE NIEUWE ANITA
Frederik Hendrikstraat 111 (Hugo de Grootplein)
Doors open at 19:30
Film starts at 20:30 sharp
Amsterdam, NL
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