Carl Th. Dreyer: Vampyr

Here is another gem from the silent film era: Vampyr (1932), by the Danish Director, Carl Theodor Dreyer (1889-1968). I already introduced one of Dreyer's friends, namely Benjamin Christensen, whose amazing film, Häxan, I posted on the 27th February. Christensen was also an actor and was the protagonist in Dreyer's, Michael, a pioneering film in gay cinema. The Passion of Joan of Arc is considered, by many film lovers, Dreyer's masterpiece, but this film is also outstanding. Here too, the main character was no ordinary actor; it was Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg, a socialite, who would become one of the world's leading editors. Gunzburg (Julian West in the credits), actually funded the film himself and thanks to the direction of Dreyer, managed to give a convincing performance.