That was totally unexpected to see japanese director Shunji Iwai going behind the camera for his first english-language feature. Vampire premiered at Sundance 2011, receiving some harsh reviews, so let’s find out what critics wrote about it.
First of all, it really seems like Twilight set up the standard for any (upcoming) vampire films. As explain by Screendaily, without mentioning any titles (that’s subtle), “Popular culture has brought us teen vampires, preadolescent vampires, drug-addled vampires, and Western vampires. Now, [Shunji Iwai] offers us vampire as enabler of suicides.” The review continues like this “Far from the traditional conventions of the genre, Shunji favors a more oblique, lyrical approach [...] his vampire [is] a shy high school biology teacher“.
And what about Shunji Iwai’s unique visual style? “The film’s interiors are particularly bewildering, with the digital video shot wide angles and self-conscious art-direction making these spaces all the more off-putting [but it] works better when it’s outside, amidst the lonely, sad vistas of its rainy Seattle locations. And when Shunji focuses on the delicate fragility of life, and death.”
But according to another review, “Some of the camera work, including crooked Dutch angles, felt a little uncomfortable. There were moments in which the film felt very Japanese and others in which it felt American.“. Check the clips at the end of the post to give you an idea.
On a narrative level, Screendaily reveals that “One extended sequence about a third of the way into the film [..] is such a turn-off that Vampire struggles to recover“. To conclude on this point “While uneven and overlong, Vampire addresses some engaging notions about the value of life, and human connectedness, with a profound sense of sympathy“. ScreenCrave also wrote that the “film is a remarkable critique of the different nodes of vampire culture in America“.
Variety doesn’t beat around the bush, saying that the film is “Abundantly goofy, but atmospheric only in spots, this flat-affect screwballer has its moments, and may attract a minor cult. Still, even amid the current vampire craze, Shunji’s stubbornly unsatisfying farce should keep “Vampire” mostly in the coffin.” Ouch!
BTW, during the Q&A session, Shunji Iwai said that on the set “Coppola’s Conversation was always in his mind“.
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The slow pace and the dreamy ambience may have put off viewers that expect some action-filled vampire killing.
I hate to say it, but I expected Iwai’s film to turn out exactly like the reviews depict it. Very (to most–overly) artistic, moody, and awkward. Still can’t wait to see it myself, but the clips are severely disappointing–some of the shots are interesting, though. I wonder what’s next for him, more scriptwriting in Japan?
This “awful” film just got accepted at the Berlinale (Panorama), so it’s not without its merits. It might not sit well with mainstream audiences, though. If I ever get to see this movie, I’ll put a keen eye on the visuals, the sparse music, and the philosophy underneath the film. I won’t mind its length.
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