Vampyr (1932) by Carl Theodor Dreyer — Movie Discussion

Danish filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer's follow-up to The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), Vampyr channeled his genius for creating mesmerizing atmosphere and austere, unsettling imagery into the horror genre. The result — a chilling film about a student of the occult who encounters supernatural haunts and local evildoers in a village outside of Paris — is nearly unclassifiable. A host of stunning camera and editing tricks and densely layered sounds create a mood of dreamlike terror. With its roiling fogs, ominous scythes, and foreboding echoes, Vampyr is one of cinema’s great nightmares.

"As close as you get to a poem on film." (Guillermo Del Toro)

"Dreyer's most radical film." (Village Voice)

"A founding and defining work of psychological horror cinema." (Sight and Sound)

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Let's discuss the horror movie classic Vampyr (1940) by the Danish filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer, recently voted the 146th greatest movie of all time in Sight & Sound's international survey of film critics and experts. Although the film opened to mixed reviews in Europe and was a financial failure, it has since become recognized as one of Dreyer's greatest works.

We previously discussed Dreyer's most acclaimed film The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) in this group.

Please watch the movie in advance.

You can stream it here (adjust the video quality through the settings in the player) or rent it on various platforms online (for best quality.)

A trailer.

Check out other film discussions in the group every Friday and occasionally other days.