Styria

Made by Foreign Directors, Mauricio Chernovetzky, Mark Devendorf, in a Foreign Land, this Update of Carmella looks and Feels Foreign when Compared to Stateside Movies of its Type.

It is Better because of it. The Film is Dark, Dank, and Depressingly Decaying with its use of a Remote Castle in a Far Away Land of an Era Gone by. The Good Cast also Lend some Eeriness to the Proceedings.

The Organic Sets, that needed No Embellishment, and the Classic Story of a Lesbian Vampire is right at Home in the Undergrowth. The Movie always seems Disconnected from Modern Times, even though the Soundtrack, the Troubled Teen, and other things are Distinctively Today.

More like a Crack in Space-Time Existing Simultaneously. This lends the Film an Other Worldly Template that befits the Gothic Subject Matter. It Echoes Universal and Hammer Horror at Times.

The Third Act opens up to some Serious Bloodletting and the Storytelling may Lose a bit Over the Course of the Movie. But, Overall it is an Oddity of a Film that is surely Worth a Watch for Vampire, and Horror Movie Fans in general.

Others Might Even Enjoy it because it is Anything but Typical.

Note...Also known as "Angels of Darkness".

Lots of potential but no PUNCH. It does not follow through. The actors seem to be sleep walking through their roles. Probably fault of the director. Completely unsatisfying ending. Filled with clichés and scenes that done better in other movies. I kept thinking the movie was finally going to make the viewer jump but did not. Ultimately not worth the time or effort.

Styria should have been called "Her-styria". Bad joke but then Styria is a badly made movie.

Styria is confused, much like its target audience, clumsily mixing 60's style cinematography, teen angst, awkward psychological elements and vague references to vampire mythology.

Its gruesome fare for all the wrong reasons. There are hysterical daddy complexes on offer, issues with mum, rejection of adult authority (surprise, surprise) and a lot more emotional baggage besides. This icky mess is all topped off with a with a bit of fake blood and a beautiful teen vampire temptress.

Simply put, Styria is codswallop, that can only appeal to snotty teen girls who wear dark clothes and make up. Three out of ten from me.

This starts reasonably enough, an academic travels behind the then Iron Curtain to undertake a restoration project on what in the UK would be a listed building. Travelling with him is his daughter, who is a troubled young woman, not the least on account of the razor blade she carries around with her which has been used to, well, just look at the scars on her arm.

Then there is Carmilla; she is real enough on account of her escaping from a crashed car, but exactly how real are her nocturnal visitations, and is she a vampire or a witch?

The former, 'twould appear, because this is an update of the novel "Carmilla", a precursor to Bram Stoker's "Dracula". Alas, unlike the 2013 adaptation of "The Monkey's Paw", our Gothic lesbian femme fatale does not age well, and is more than a little confusing, as is the end of this extremely disappointing film.

Kinda saw that coming, didn't you? The title I mean. Yeah, the very subjective take on not particularly great film that threw around Joy Division references and "Means to An End" at crucial moments. I'm sold! If Styria had been made in the 70s its spirit and iconography it was trying to recreate would have been a memorable piece. Still, I kinda feel for the pure fanboyism for the film and music of that period this piece displays and am on board. Would I do the same, given the opportunity? You bet!

Stephen Rea. Time to face the facts: greatest actor that never was! Loved this gent since Citizen X, but he just did not give his 100% here. Just kind of exists and wanders through this film hoping for it to be over already.

Can't shake the feeling Styria was an ambitious project. What it lacks in story telling and filmmaking skills makes up in pure enthusiasm. Usually, it is not enough. Was enough for me though, at least this time. I'd "blame" it on predominant music choices, couple of lovely gals, Hungarian countryside and some brief gore. Captures that Gothic atmosphere quite well. So, mission accomplished, as far as I'm concerned. Means to an end. Yeah.