Behind the Couch

2013 Dir. Neil Jordan Byzantium sees Neil Jordan return to vampire territory for the first time since Interview with a Vampire ; echoes of which abound throughout this compelling story of a mother and daughter whose dependency upon human blood, and each other, threatens to become their undoing. Adapted for screen by Moira Buffini, and based on her play, A Vampire Story , the film follows bawdy Clara (Gemma Arterton) and introverted Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan) as they seek sanctuary in a rundown guesthouse in a quiet English seaside resort. Not your typical vampire film, its character driven narrative dispels many of the usual traits associated with cinematic bloodsuckers. Dreamily filmed, Jordan’s careful direction beckons us into the story and immerses us within it. Odd and wonderful things are done in the reconstruction of vampire lore - there are no fangs, only thumbnails that become talons - and while a few conventions remain – blood dependence, immortality, needing to be invi...

1977 Dir. George Romero Insecure teenager Martin believes he is actually an 84-year-old vampire and that he must drink the blood of humans to remain alive. His belief is reinforced by his elderly cousin, Cuda, with whom he is sent to live. Cuda is convinced vampirism is part of a family curse. Driven by his insatiable blood lust, the frustrated and confused teen  forces himself to kill and feed, drugging his victims to reduce their suffering before opening their veins with a razor blade. However, his inhuman desires are almost overcome when he begins an affair and he starts to question his vampirism… Criminally undervalued by audiences and critics at the time of its release, Martin is now generally accepted to be among Romero's finest work to date; it’s certainly the director’s personal favourite of his own movies. With Martin , Romero slyly subverted the conventions of the vampire myth and added a truly fresh angle to the vampire movie genre; in its wake came films such as ...

2009 Dir. Park Chan-wook Father Sang-hyun (Kang-ho Song) selflessly volunteers for some highly dangerous medical experiments to develop a vaccine to eradicate a deadly virus. He contracts the disease and seemingly dies, only to return to life and be regarded as a Messiah. He soon discovers to his horror that his immunity comes at a price: he now has a taste for blood, and all those human urges he suppressed throughout his life in the priesthood have become too strong to resist. He becomes locked in a bizarre and destructive relationship with Tae-joo (Ok-bin Kim), the wife of an old friend, and the two plummet headlong into a darkly erotic world soaked in the blood of all who cross their paths… The vampire film has proved to be one of the most versatile, adaptable and popular sub-genres with filmmakers and audiences alike. It lends itself so well to reinterpretation whilst maintaining a hardcore of themes and ideas that seem timeless in their appeal and accessibility. Of course, t...