Vlad Tepes

In my opinion, the films of that generation create a beautiful way to know history and at the same time to see how the art of cinema has developed over the years. These are movies that reach the soul. Congratulations to Stefan Sileanu and the entire production team!

like many films under Comunist regime, it is a tool of propaganda. and this is the rule who defines especially historical films. the past legitimating the present. the hero in heroic aura. the history as a kind of magnificent page of hagiography. two small details impose the difference. first - the theme. it could be an answer to the image of vampire who is so popular in West. and who has an explanation in film. then - the performances. like in many other Romanian films from the same period, saving the film against the not remarkable dialogues or political command.in rest - well known ingredients : the fight scenes, the music, the war between boyars and the leader, the loyal poor men and the Ottoman Empire. but the virtue is the science of Ștefan Sileanu to do a remarkable Vlad Țepeș. to reflect the essence of a not comfortable and too ambiguous character. then,Alexandru Repan as Mahomed II and the fascinating meet between Vlad and the Valachian Metropolit.

Seen this movie recently, didn't even heard about it and I was very excited to find it one the internet. And it's good. Finally, a film about Vlad the impaler, directly and strictly about him. No, vampires, no fangs, no sexy euro accents, no capes, no Van Helsing... thank Jebus. This is an historical film about Tepes and it's pretty enjoyable. If you got chance to see this film, don't miss it. Movies about Vlad the impaler are pretty rare, I saw Dark Prince (2000) with Rudolph Martin, the movie wasn't that bad, but... they just couldn't resist to put supernatural element in the film. In Vlad (1980), there's nothing supernatural, and that makes this movie excellent. I am not from Romania, and I have read many historical facts about Vlad Tepes, I really don't know how this film accurate is, but no matter, most of things are accurate and it's because it was filmed in Romania and it is a Romanian film, and who else knows better about Vlad than Romanians themselves? And it's in Romanian language, for which I was grateful, finally yo hear Dracula speaking in his native language. Actor who plays Vlad Stefan Sileanu is brilliant, with his powerful stare and rasping voice, he is the face of true evil and also true savior of his people. Watch this film, you'll love it.

To speak about Vlad Țepeș is always a risk. Too many masks. The hero, the demon, the myth, the vampire, the character of historiography and the silhouette of Bram Stoker. The leader from chronicles and the model for Russian czars. A story without frontiers and rules. And, for the circle be full, the Communist vision about past, part of an absurd ideology. So, Procust bed. And, in this case, a good result. A story about courage and justice, patriotic values and crumbs of Medieval facts, politically correct and not very far from facts. A sage interpretation of a period with small extravagant sparkles. Ștefan Sileanu at perfect place, in struggle to create an interesting character, Ernest Maftei in same eternal role and director under PCR pressure. Today, an ironic remark is obligatory. But the 80 years was not a comfortable decade in Romania. In this case, like more others, a gentle smile is enough. And search to discover the dust of that period in its movies.

The communistic states used historical films to make propaganda on their policy, as well as to promote national pride. Romania was not an exception and this film is one of the most interesting of its kind.

It presents the true story of Romania's national hero, prince Vlad Tepes of Vlachia, a man who tried to reform his country and resist the Ottoman invasions, using every way available, no matter how cruel, in order to succeed. The idea is that the cause justifies the means and for this, Vlad Tepes was a perfect example.

Having cinema treating their national hero as a monster since 1922, the Romanians have every right to present him as a cruel BUT great leader, which he practically was. There have been other films about this topic but no other has approached so much the historical truth as this one.

Worth the trouble of watching if you don't hate history.