If by "poor quality," the reference is to the washed out, somewhat spotty look of the print, please be aware that this was deliberate. Cinematographer Matte had accidently opened a can of exposed film, and when Dreyer saw the result, he was delighted. It was just the effect he had been looking for.

This film was originally shot as a silent. It was only later half-dubbed with voice-overs. Again, however, like the fortuitous "damage" to the print, the sparse and somewhat vague, even incoherent, dialogue contributes to the sense of dislocation which, I believe, is one of the great virtues of this genre masterpiece.


Great Transfer - Annoying Subtitles   March 26, 2001
 26 out of 26 found this review helpful

Another release from the same folks who produced "Nosferatu" (Film Preservation Assosiates/Blackhawk Films). Excellent print transfer to DVD (and VHS)! I have seen several versions of VAMPYR and this DVD (and VHS version) are by far the best available. Much of VAMPYRS' "poor production" IS intentional, so consider this fact when reading other comments regarding print quality. This is about as good as it's gonna get! BUT I'd like to know who in the F.P.A. is responsible for allowing the atrocious subtitles (same is true for NOSFERATU)????!!! They should be taken out and covered in flour or fully exposed to the sun on a hot summer day! The gothic fonts are not easy to read and Dryer is Danish NOT German! The original (and very cool) opening titles have been replaced with a psuedo aged effect that is not necessary and in some scenes, the subtitles are really huge and also not necessary. What were they thinking??? Obviously, not much! Hey guys, leave the cutesy stuff for another day and just give up the facts! So for you, dear reader: if you can forgive them for annoying subtitles, then this version is well worth the investment!


One of the great horror films   March 10, 1999
 20 out of 22 found this review helpful

Directed in France by the legendary Danish director Carl Dreyer,Vampyr is not only one of the best horror films but also probably one of the greatest films ever made. Unlike the American horror pictures like Frankenstein that were being made at the same time, Vampyr has relatively little action but a sustained atmosphere of strangeness like that of few other movies. The action takes place during one night and the entire film has a slow, trance-like quality. The picture quality of the DVD is vastly superior to that of the older videotapes--the film was photographed by the great Rudolph Mate--but the sound recording is shaky at the best, and the dialogue is hard to follow even for someone who understands German. The music comes across more effectively but is boomy in some passages--it's a good idea to reduce the bass before viewing. The DVD like an earlier video has quite large subtitles in Gothic type--designed I think to eliminate Danish subtitles--which unfortunately mask a third or so of the picture in some shots.


Haunting Tale of Life and Death & Incredible Early Animation   January 13, 2004
 13 out of 15 found this review helpful

In a small French town, a man named Allen Gray (Julian West) takes a room at an inn. His sleep is interrupted when a strange man (Maurice Shutz) comes into his room speaking incoherently about death. The man leaves a small package with instructions that it should be opened upon his death and departs. Allen gets out of bed and prowls around the inn in search of an explanation, eventually wandering onto a nearby estate where he finds the mysterious man who was in his room living with his two daughters. One of his daughters has been bitten by a vampire, and the house is shrouded in death.

"Vampyr" was written by director Carl Theodor Dreyer, who was inspired by the Victorian supernatural tales "In a Glass Darkly" by Seridan Le Fanu. The film has a semi-coherent narrative, but it is primarily an abstract meditation on Death. Dialogue is sparse, in German, sometimes muffled, and not consistently subtitled. The story is also told with text that is displayed between scenes. But it is the film's cinematography and score that do the most to communicate "Vampyr"'s sense of mystery, foreboding, and helplessness. Rudolph Mate's cinematography is truly astounding. I was most struck by the way that the camera just kind of lurks, mimicking Allen's activity as he explores the inn. And Mate created some truly effective visual effects in spite of 1932's primitive technology. Wolfgang Zeller's score provides most of the film's audio track and reveals more about the characters' feelings than the spare dialogue does. "Vampyr" won't appeal to those who prefer a strong narrative. It is often abstract. "Vampyr" concerns what goes on in the hearts and minds of characters facing circumstances beyond their control and understanding -facing death itself, and these things are not explicitly communicated. Carl Dreyer's direction and Rudolph Mate's cinematography are terrifically creative. Recommended if you like abstract tales of death or admire extraordinary early cinematography.

Also included on this DVD is an animated short film from 1934 entitled "The Mascot". This is a fantastic example of early stop-motion animation by director Wladyslaw Starewicz. "The Mascot" was created using puppets or dolls that were photographed one frame at a time in order to animate them. It was certainly the inspiration for Pixar's "Toy Story" and Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas", and a considerable influence on many other modern animated films. "The Mascot" is about a toy dog who is trying to bring an orange back to the little girl who loves him. And you wouldn't believe the obstacles that he encounters. The animation is extraordinary; the dog is adorable beyond words; the story is sweet and sinister all at once. I have never seen such facial expressions in an animated film before. I have rarely seen such creativity. "The Mascot" is, in fact, the best animated film I've ever seen. It is absolutely enchanting! Fans of animation will want this DVD just for "The Mascot". The film is French, and the few lines of dialogue are dubbed in English. "The Mascot" gets five stars. I can't recommend it highly enough.

The DVD (Image Entertainment): "Vampyr" starts playing as soon as you insert the disc. And there is no Menu, only Scene Selections. The disc does not pause between "Vampyr" and "The Mascot"; it just keeps going. If you want to see "The Mascot" without watching "Vampyr", go to the last scene selection. The print of "Vampyr " isn't very good, especially in the first act. But it's not so bad that it detracts from enjoyment of the film. The print for "The Mascot" is fine. "Vampyr" is subtitled in English only. And, if ever a film would benefit from an audio commentary, "Vampyr" would. But it doesn't have one. So this DVD isn't very well constructed. But it contains two important and fascinating examples of 1930s European cinema, both of which are very much worth owning.