The Vampire and the Ballerina.

Review #1192: The Vampire and the Ballerina.

Cast: 
Hélène Rémy (Luisa), Walter Brandi (Herman), Maria Luisa Rolando (Countess Alda), Pier Ugo Gragnani (Professor), Tina Gloriani (Francesca), Isarco Ravaioli (Luca), and Gino Turini (Giorgio) Directed by Renato Polselli.

Review: 
It isn't often I cover an Italian film. This is the sixth one I've covered as part of the World cinema run and the first since Star Odyssey last May (with this one having subtitles instead of dubbing). I hope you enjoy.

I suppose there really is no better way to show your appreciation (or influence) to vampire films than to make one that seems like a patchwork of other movies, such as Dracula (1958), for example. Granted, that movie didn't have multiple scenes of dancing (including a vampire dance), but it is clear to see where they may have gotten the idea to make a spooky little film with a bit of romantic appeal, one might say. The film may be too average to live up to that expectation, but it has its occasional moments. The film was written by Polselli, Giuseppe Pellegrini & Ernesto Gastaldi, with production being done in the span of three weeks in late 1959 in the castle of Artena. The best thing that the film has going for is the atmosphere, with cinematographer Angelo Baistrocchi managing to have some nice-looking shots that give off a creepy soothing tone (no doubt helped by being in black-and-white) that do help make some scenes seem interesting to go along with, even if the effects (such as the prosthetics on the vampire) can seem a bit hokey. Any vampire film can't be complete without a dynamic involving vampires and lust, with this one having some sort of master-slave dynamic between Brandi and Rolando (involving retaining youth through biting on the other), which is somewhat thoughtful to look at, at least.

The vampire action is brief and not too particularly inspiring, but it passes for basic entertainment. The story as a whole isn't too great, however, in part because the actors don't make these characters too particularly interesting to go with. Nobody does a terrible job in the film, but nobody really makes much of an impression without much too energy to them. You are basically waiting for the horror elements to show back up, where they may be, such as a buried-alive funeral with a window in the coffin, or the first appearance of the Countess. At 83 minutes, it isn't a complete chore, going through the cliches one might expect from a horror film along with some cursory moments involving dancers that is at least amusing, if not too particularly necessary. The ending is a bit abrupt, with the effect of a deteriorating face almost making up for the swift way the movie ends (with no sort of resolution even with a parting line). The effect was said by Polselli to be one where "We made a face cast with plaster, then the make-up artist and I molded an adhesive rubber mask over it. Our trick was to put a layer of ash between the plaster and the rubber." I felt the film was average and probably not seasoned enough to be quite a gem, but it is at least watchable without being interminable for someone looking for a bit of a horror thrill.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.