What's that I hear?? Epic soaring choral work in Latin sweeping majestically over a chugging symphonic sound underpinned by a rock rhythm section? How strange....how.....EPIC. This is the sheer essence of the song "Preliator" by Globus. "Who the *bleep* are Globus?" I hear you utter. Well if I may quote from Wikipedia:
"Globus is the commercial name of a mix of producers, musicians and vocalists from the prominent movie trailer music production company Immediate Music. The lead composers are Yoav Garen and Jeffrey Fayman.
Globus was launched in 2006 in response to an influx of requests to Immediate Music to make their distinctive, rousing orchestral cues available to the general public by means of a conventional CD release."
So what that means is this; you know that powerful epic style of music you hear on movie trailers and in movie soundtracks to heighten the drama as some mighty warrior dispatches some dark hellspawn as the camera sweeps back over vast armies colliding violently in some battle between Dark and Light? Yes.....that is what this music is. You won't hear this is any specific movie soundtrack....but you may have heard it in movie trailers or on other TV spots or commercials.
So what is the song about? Well....the lyrics are in some form of pidgin-Latin....so are not entirely sensible....but roughly translated they are as follows from a translation I found online where someone had attempted to make sense of the meaning as closely as possible in grammatical sense:
(The English translation is above for each verse and the Latin below)
"Savior Mine
Blessed God
Eternal One
Mysterious One, Death, Holy One go before us.
Hosana Meus Fortuna Deus
Aeterna Teus
Mystre, Morte, Sancte Pior
Blessed Savior God
Legion as the hairs of my head
Blessed, blessed indeed
Are the Warriors of Truth
Fortuna hosana deus
Legionus ab comae
Fortune fortuna equis
Ad pugnatoris in veritae
Savior Mine
Blessed God,
Protected by your cause
Of Holiness.
Hossana meus
Fortuna dues
Protego causa In sanctus
Eternal in the past
Enduring always (i.e. God that was and is and will be)
Coryphaeus (a Greek drama term meaning the leader of the choir)
Regal King of all
Aeternus praetor
Firmitas semper
Coryphaeus
Rex Regis univers
For your whole self, savior
Protecting your holy cause
Bright Father
Celebrate resurrection
Pro se solis hosanna
Protego sanctus causa
Padre illuminata
Gloria in resurrectem
For your whole self, savior
Protecting your holy cause
Bright Father
Celebrate that day
Pro se solis hosanna
Protego sanctus causa
Padre illuminata
Gloria in unum diem
The land shadowed
The Earth evil,
Those who sow seeds of his travel
Why be guilty?
Terra tenebrae
Telluris malus,
Qui sere pere
Cur reatus.
Our Father ate the meat
Of our Lord,
Bright Father
Regal King of all.
Genitor edo
In ex domino,
Patris illuminata
Rex Regis universe.
For your whole self, savior
Protecting your holy cause
Bright Father
Celebrate resurrection
(Pro se solis hosanna
Protego sanctus causa
Padre illuminata
Gloria in resurrectem)
For your whole self, savior
Protecting your holy cause
Bright Father
Celebrate that day
(Pro se solis hosanna
Protego sanctus causa
Padre illuminata Gloria in unum diem)
Tearful, Tearful,
Being away from our Lord
Lacrimosa, lacrimosa In ex dominum"
I imagine some legion of bright warrior Angels striking down some false, dark foe....bringing Light and Truth forth against some dark winged host, corrupted by lies, ego and power. Battling through some ruined, landscape of blasted Gothic architecture as a storm rages.....a blinding powerful host armed with fiery swords riding over a charge of mighty knightly warriors, banners fluttering and swords and lance points shining.....vivid ain't it? Well that's just my humble vision when I hear this song....excuse the ramblings of my disjointed mind!! Just enjoy the music and let your own movie idea play out with this as the epic gothic soundtrack....
Until next time.
Sunday 21 August 2011
Thursday 18 August 2011
Song Review: "Forsaken" - Sung by David Draiman
This song is one of a number of tracks written by Korn's frontman Jonathan Davies for the "Queen of the Damned" movie soundtrack. Due to legal issues Mr Davies' vocal tracks could not be used on the soundtrack. So he put the call out to various other Metal vocalists and Disturbed's David Draiman was one of the one's who rose to the challenge.
The song opens with some wonderfully East Mediterranean tinged strings which set a suitably Vampiric tone to the tune. There is underpinned by a pulsing bass section. Draiman's voice is more direct and growly than Mr Davies' decidedly eccentric vocal style. Yet the song suits both vocalists very well indeed (Davies' vocals can be heard on the movie). The lyrics are quite dark and forlorn all at the sametime - perfect for the Vampire mythos of the undead having to live outside of society. There is a defiance there too - a sort of 'we are different and apart from you but so be it'.
In my humble opinion this is one of the soundtrack's strongest pieces of music and is enjoyed by both my beautiful Wife and myself.
The song opens with some wonderfully East Mediterranean tinged strings which set a suitably Vampiric tone to the tune. There is underpinned by a pulsing bass section. Draiman's voice is more direct and growly than Mr Davies' decidedly eccentric vocal style. Yet the song suits both vocalists very well indeed (Davies' vocals can be heard on the movie). The lyrics are quite dark and forlorn all at the sametime - perfect for the Vampire mythos of the undead having to live outside of society. There is a defiance there too - a sort of 'we are different and apart from you but so be it'.
In my humble opinion this is one of the soundtrack's strongest pieces of music and is enjoyed by both my beautiful Wife and myself.
Tuesday 16 August 2011
Song Review: "Enter" - Within Temptation
There was a time when Dutch rock sensations Within Temptation fully embraced the Gothic doom-y side of their music. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the song "Enter" from their first album release...er......"Enter".
The song opens with a spooky creaking door and a Lugosi-esque voice saying "Welcome...to my home". You just know you are in some seriously Gothic territory before the music even kicks in. Then the keyboard/organ and guitars kick in with dark riff that just oozes European Gothic fantasy. The vocals see a back and forth contrast between the dark growling male vocals of Robert Westerholt and the lighter soaring ethereal vocals of his partner, and the band's female singer, Sharon den Adel. The lyrics drip with esoteric references and you can imagine yourself in some decaying ancient abbey or castle as a ritual is performed....but what is being summoned/invoked....something old beyong measure and powerful no doubt....but is it Dark or Light? Who is the woman? Whose wings does she require? Let your imagine answer these questions for you.....I have my theories....my own story to match the lyrics.....may you find and enjoy your own stories within these lyrics.
Lyrics:
Male vocal:
The gates of time have opened,
Now, it's chains are broken.
An ancient force unleashed again
As I enter the portal,
I feel the enchantment
It takes me away, away from here
Female Vocal:
Come near me,
enter my private chambers,
I want to feel the warmth on my face,
light-in darkness,
lift me up from here.
Give me your wings,
to flee from my ivory tower.
Male Vocal:
As I enter the portal,
I feel the enchantment
The stars above are lying at my feet.
Female Vocal:
Come near me,
enter my private chambers,
I want to feel the warmth on my face,
light-in darkness,
lift me up from here.
Give me your wings,
to flee from my ivory tower.
I hope you enjoy this masterpiece from their early days....for my part I wish they would return to a darker more Gothic sound.....something rarely heard from them these days. If only they could combine this sound with the layered orchestral sonicscapes of their classic "The Silent Force" album; would there then be a symphonic gothic metal band to compare to them?
Until next time dear readers....
The song opens with a spooky creaking door and a Lugosi-esque voice saying "Welcome...to my home". You just know you are in some seriously Gothic territory before the music even kicks in. Then the keyboard/organ and guitars kick in with dark riff that just oozes European Gothic fantasy. The vocals see a back and forth contrast between the dark growling male vocals of Robert Westerholt and the lighter soaring ethereal vocals of his partner, and the band's female singer, Sharon den Adel. The lyrics drip with esoteric references and you can imagine yourself in some decaying ancient abbey or castle as a ritual is performed....but what is being summoned/invoked....something old beyong measure and powerful no doubt....but is it Dark or Light? Who is the woman? Whose wings does she require? Let your imagine answer these questions for you.....I have my theories....my own story to match the lyrics.....may you find and enjoy your own stories within these lyrics.
Lyrics:
Male vocal:
The gates of time have opened,
Now, it's chains are broken.
An ancient force unleashed again
As I enter the portal,
I feel the enchantment
It takes me away, away from here
Female Vocal:
Come near me,
enter my private chambers,
I want to feel the warmth on my face,
light-in darkness,
lift me up from here.
Give me your wings,
to flee from my ivory tower.
Male Vocal:
As I enter the portal,
I feel the enchantment
The stars above are lying at my feet.
Female Vocal:
Come near me,
enter my private chambers,
I want to feel the warmth on my face,
light-in darkness,
lift me up from here.
Give me your wings,
to flee from my ivory tower.
Until next time dear readers....
Monday 15 August 2011
Movie Review - "Dracula - The Dark Prince"
Vlad Dracula III, Prince of Wallachia, called Tepes, the "Impaler Prince", 15th Century Voivode, legend.....Messiah or Anti-Christ? Such is the premise of this entertaining low-budget movie.
It takes the historical Vlad as its inspiration and also melds the historical truth into the mythical fiction at the end of the film. The movie shows the dark politics of 15th century South Eastern Europe with smaller states caught between the powerful Hungarian Empire and the conquering Ottoman Empire. The people suffer as corrupt barons and nobles switch sides back and forth to line their own pockets. Prince Vlad Dracul (Dracula's father) is forced to send his sons, Radu and Vlad, to the Sultan's court but is himself betrayed and killed. Young Vlad escapes whilst Radu seems to take to the Sultan's court. Vlad gains the backing of the Hungarian King and returns to his native Wallachia in modern day Romania. Through raiding against the corrupt nobles (boyars) and with popular support he becomes Prince and marries his beloved Lydia.
Already, his heart is hot for vengeance and justice against the corrupt Boyars who betrayed his father and bleed the ordinary people dry (no pun intended!!). They are called to Vlad's castle for a feast...only to discover that the toothpicks are a little on the large side and end up in places that would make you anally retentive to say the least. It begins, the impaler legend is born and the ordinary people hail their new Prince as their Messiah - here to deliver them from the oppresive yoke of both the Boyars and the Turkish invaders, which he does through numerous battles and impalings.. To Vlad a son is born but Lydia starts to uncover Vlad's methods - in one scene we see a reference to the (in)famous story of the gold chalice at the well. Legends tells of a town in which there was a well. At this well, Vlad left a golden, jewel encrusted goblet for all to use from the lowliest peasant to the richest noble. To attempt to take it was to be turned into a human popsicle/lollipop. Lydia sees the chalice at the well and talks with a local peasant woman who talks proudly of her Prince and not so kindly of those who would try and steal it.....Lydia looks up horrified at the decaying corpses of the impaled. The Church is also starting to become a little dubious about Vlad's Drac-onian methods and a priest by the name of Stefan (Peter Weller) befriends Vlad and offers hims advice, amidst dark whispering amongst his fellow ecclesiasts that Vlad is the Anti-Christ not a Messiah for the Romanian people.
Lydia's mind finally seems to snap when her son seems to display his father's predilection for tough justice. She witnesses the smile on the boy's face upon seeing Turkish ambassadors who refuse to remove their turbans before Vlad have the same turbans nailed to their heads. Vlad has her sent to a convent. Ultimately, Vlad is driven out by the advancing Turks in part led by his younger brother Radu. He finds himself a prisoner of the Hungarians.
After several years he is released and is married off to one of the Hungarian King's daughters and offered their support - but only if he renounces the Orthodox faith and embraces the Roman Catholic. Vlad cares nothing for Church politics and the inherent hypocrisy there-in. He takes up Catholicism in name only as an expedient means of regaining his throne and liberating his people. The Orthodox hierarchy have him placed on trial as the Anti-Christ....and ultimately betray him to his brother Radu, who seemingly kills Vlad. He is entombed.
The story does not end there however.......for can the Dark Prince REALLY be slain?
This movie is great with good acting, especially from Rudolf Martin as Vlad (all brooding beetle-brow and rock singer hair) and Peter Weller as Father Stefan. You can only wonder what the movie would have been like with a big Hollywood budget - something of the epic scale of movies like "Gladiator", "Troy" or "Kingdom of Heaven" - we can but hope that such a movie is one day made (as long as it doesn't end up a travesty which so many recent Hollywood historical epics have been - Oliver Stone's "Alexander the Great" anybody?).
Despite its budgetary short-comings this movie is engaging, dark and moody. You are left to make up your own mind was Vlad a legendary hero of his people (think King Arthur or Robin Hood) as most Romanians still see him today; or was he the dark murderous madmen that many Medieval writers (normally his enemies interestingly enough) portrayed him to be. Messiah or Anti-Christ? You decide....but ask yourself.....what would you have done to protect your people in such dark and dangerous times....
It takes the historical Vlad as its inspiration and also melds the historical truth into the mythical fiction at the end of the film. The movie shows the dark politics of 15th century South Eastern Europe with smaller states caught between the powerful Hungarian Empire and the conquering Ottoman Empire. The people suffer as corrupt barons and nobles switch sides back and forth to line their own pockets. Prince Vlad Dracul (Dracula's father) is forced to send his sons, Radu and Vlad, to the Sultan's court but is himself betrayed and killed. Young Vlad escapes whilst Radu seems to take to the Sultan's court. Vlad gains the backing of the Hungarian King and returns to his native Wallachia in modern day Romania. Through raiding against the corrupt nobles (boyars) and with popular support he becomes Prince and marries his beloved Lydia.
Already, his heart is hot for vengeance and justice against the corrupt Boyars who betrayed his father and bleed the ordinary people dry (no pun intended!!). They are called to Vlad's castle for a feast...only to discover that the toothpicks are a little on the large side and end up in places that would make you anally retentive to say the least. It begins, the impaler legend is born and the ordinary people hail their new Prince as their Messiah - here to deliver them from the oppresive yoke of both the Boyars and the Turkish invaders, which he does through numerous battles and impalings.. To Vlad a son is born but Lydia starts to uncover Vlad's methods - in one scene we see a reference to the (in)famous story of the gold chalice at the well. Legends tells of a town in which there was a well. At this well, Vlad left a golden, jewel encrusted goblet for all to use from the lowliest peasant to the richest noble. To attempt to take it was to be turned into a human popsicle/lollipop. Lydia sees the chalice at the well and talks with a local peasant woman who talks proudly of her Prince and not so kindly of those who would try and steal it.....Lydia looks up horrified at the decaying corpses of the impaled. The Church is also starting to become a little dubious about Vlad's Drac-onian methods and a priest by the name of Stefan (Peter Weller) befriends Vlad and offers hims advice, amidst dark whispering amongst his fellow ecclesiasts that Vlad is the Anti-Christ not a Messiah for the Romanian people.
"I'm a guy who gets straight to the point. You can stake your reputation on it"
Lydia's mind finally seems to snap when her son seems to display his father's predilection for tough justice. She witnesses the smile on the boy's face upon seeing Turkish ambassadors who refuse to remove their turbans before Vlad have the same turbans nailed to their heads. Vlad has her sent to a convent. Ultimately, Vlad is driven out by the advancing Turks in part led by his younger brother Radu. He finds himself a prisoner of the Hungarians.
After several years he is released and is married off to one of the Hungarian King's daughters and offered their support - but only if he renounces the Orthodox faith and embraces the Roman Catholic. Vlad cares nothing for Church politics and the inherent hypocrisy there-in. He takes up Catholicism in name only as an expedient means of regaining his throne and liberating his people. The Orthodox hierarchy have him placed on trial as the Anti-Christ....and ultimately betray him to his brother Radu, who seemingly kills Vlad. He is entombed.
The story does not end there however.......for can the Dark Prince REALLY be slain?
This movie is great with good acting, especially from Rudolf Martin as Vlad (all brooding beetle-brow and rock singer hair) and Peter Weller as Father Stefan. You can only wonder what the movie would have been like with a big Hollywood budget - something of the epic scale of movies like "Gladiator", "Troy" or "Kingdom of Heaven" - we can but hope that such a movie is one day made (as long as it doesn't end up a travesty which so many recent Hollywood historical epics have been - Oliver Stone's "Alexander the Great" anybody?).
Despite its budgetary short-comings this movie is engaging, dark and moody. You are left to make up your own mind was Vlad a legendary hero of his people (think King Arthur or Robin Hood) as most Romanians still see him today; or was he the dark murderous madmen that many Medieval writers (normally his enemies interestingly enough) portrayed him to be. Messiah or Anti-Christ? You decide....but ask yourself.....what would you have done to protect your people in such dark and dangerous times....
Sunday 14 August 2011
A Gothic Photograph
Well, as a little extra today, I just wanted to share with you one of my Gothic photographs that I took earlier this year. I hope you enjoy it:
Movie Review - "Revelation"
Today's movie is for a little-known British film in the same vein as the "Da Vinci Code". This film was made contemperaneously with Dan Brown's bestseller yet treads similar ground: namely, that of the mythos of the Knights Templar, the bloodline of Jesus the Christed one and Mary Magdalene, the Cathars, Freemasonry and the early pre-Roman Catholic Christians. I much prefer this to Mr Brown's treatment - which at times felt, in my humble opinion, a little lightweight.
This film is choc-ful of British character actors of the calibre of Terence Stamp and Sir Derek Jacobi, to name but two. Adding a nicely Teutonic menace to proceedings is legendary Euro actor Udo Keir.
So, on to the story. Following the crucifixion, a group of early Christians make a relic of great importance....a reliquary of a rather special sort, referred to as the Loculus. Despite a Roman raid on the group and the execution of their leader, the relic escapes. Presiding over the execution is a Roman general with a particularly cold and menacing appearance. 1200 years later, in the South of France, a Jewish alchemist is in the midst of performing a ritual when a group of flagellants ( I said, flagellants, not flatulents - so stop sniggering at the back!!) accompanied by Knights Templar break in on proceedings. The priest leading the flagellants is concerned with killing the alchemist and his family, purely by dint of their Hebrew origin. The leader of the Templars however, is interested solely in the relic. Hmm.....that Templar sure looks familiar....
Cut to modern times and a paranoid, scruffy hippy type is on an expedition to return the relic to the isle of Patmos (of St John the Divine - he of Revelations fame). Scruffy hippy guy keeps in contact with his leader, a posh English chap by the name of Magnus Martel (Terence Stamp); whom we later learn is a Knight-Commander in a latter day, quasi-Masonic Templar Order. Martel's son, Jake, is seen being released from prison and we learn he is a master codebreaker. He receives a call to visit his father's estate and on his arrival finds himself in the middle of a quest to break the hidden code of the Loculus. Aside from himself and the scientists, there is also a young female mystic and alchemist by the name of (ahem) Myra.
Martel receives disturbing calls from someone claiming to be the Grand Master of the Order - hey this guy looks just like the Roman General and the Knight Templar we saw earlier - he too is seeking the Loculus....and it is from him that Magnus is wishing to keep the Loculus hidden. One dark stormy night (well it would be wouldn't it?) an otherwordly raid is launched on Martel's gloomy Gothic castle by shadow-figures and dark hounds. Magnus Martel is killed by being skinned alive. The scientists are all turned into human torches and only Martel junior and Myra escape.
What follows is a race/quest across Europe, taking in locations such as Rennes-le-Chateau (famed in Knights Templar lore and the home of the Sauniere mysteries), Malta and Patmos and with a great little flashback interlude with Ron Moody as Sir Isaac Newton, reminding us of his studies into alchemy. Myra and Jake are joined by a shady Catholic priest (yeah - you can guess how that one works out) and are constantly pursued by dark forces. The movie is a great and entertaining romp although it is let down by the sandy demise of one of the main characters - unfortunately, this moment will make you laugh rather than fill you with any sense of tragic cathar-sis (see what I did there - ahem). In it we see the realisation of the main protagonists of their ancestral bloodlines, find out why the dark Grand Master is pursuing them, see said Grand Master's role and influence in organisations such as the Vatican and even the US military and see the birth of two children...each born with certain DNA....but with only one's birth being celebrated en masse around the globe and protected by the Vatican....and one "modest Cardinal" - hey that dude looks familiar!! The other is born quietly and without pomp and fanfare...yet his birth is heralded by a shooting star. Setting up a sequel that so far has never been made.
I must admit - I greatly prefer this to the "Da Vinci Code", despite this movie's almost "Omen" like overtones. If only the sandy death scene had been slightly better done......oh dear.....one of your abiding memories of the film will unfortunately be that scene; which is a shame because beyond that is a great occult movie. So, if you want a Grail/Magdalene/Templar movie with a bit more gravitas and less of the "oooh aren't I clever" ramblings of Dan Brown - then give this little heard-of movie a try. The DVD also has some great little extras too.
Until next time my Batlings.....
This film is choc-ful of British character actors of the calibre of Terence Stamp and Sir Derek Jacobi, to name but two. Adding a nicely Teutonic menace to proceedings is legendary Euro actor Udo Keir.
So, on to the story. Following the crucifixion, a group of early Christians make a relic of great importance....a reliquary of a rather special sort, referred to as the Loculus. Despite a Roman raid on the group and the execution of their leader, the relic escapes. Presiding over the execution is a Roman general with a particularly cold and menacing appearance. 1200 years later, in the South of France, a Jewish alchemist is in the midst of performing a ritual when a group of flagellants ( I said, flagellants, not flatulents - so stop sniggering at the back!!) accompanied by Knights Templar break in on proceedings. The priest leading the flagellants is concerned with killing the alchemist and his family, purely by dint of their Hebrew origin. The leader of the Templars however, is interested solely in the relic. Hmm.....that Templar sure looks familiar....
Cut to modern times and a paranoid, scruffy hippy type is on an expedition to return the relic to the isle of Patmos (of St John the Divine - he of Revelations fame). Scruffy hippy guy keeps in contact with his leader, a posh English chap by the name of Magnus Martel (Terence Stamp); whom we later learn is a Knight-Commander in a latter day, quasi-Masonic Templar Order. Martel's son, Jake, is seen being released from prison and we learn he is a master codebreaker. He receives a call to visit his father's estate and on his arrival finds himself in the middle of a quest to break the hidden code of the Loculus. Aside from himself and the scientists, there is also a young female mystic and alchemist by the name of (ahem) Myra.
Martel receives disturbing calls from someone claiming to be the Grand Master of the Order - hey this guy looks just like the Roman General and the Knight Templar we saw earlier - he too is seeking the Loculus....and it is from him that Magnus is wishing to keep the Loculus hidden. One dark stormy night (well it would be wouldn't it?) an otherwordly raid is launched on Martel's gloomy Gothic castle by shadow-figures and dark hounds. Magnus Martel is killed by being skinned alive. The scientists are all turned into human torches and only Martel junior and Myra escape.
What follows is a race/quest across Europe, taking in locations such as Rennes-le-Chateau (famed in Knights Templar lore and the home of the Sauniere mysteries), Malta and Patmos and with a great little flashback interlude with Ron Moody as Sir Isaac Newton, reminding us of his studies into alchemy. Myra and Jake are joined by a shady Catholic priest (yeah - you can guess how that one works out) and are constantly pursued by dark forces. The movie is a great and entertaining romp although it is let down by the sandy demise of one of the main characters - unfortunately, this moment will make you laugh rather than fill you with any sense of tragic cathar-sis (see what I did there - ahem). In it we see the realisation of the main protagonists of their ancestral bloodlines, find out why the dark Grand Master is pursuing them, see said Grand Master's role and influence in organisations such as the Vatican and even the US military and see the birth of two children...each born with certain DNA....but with only one's birth being celebrated en masse around the globe and protected by the Vatican....and one "modest Cardinal" - hey that dude looks familiar!! The other is born quietly and without pomp and fanfare...yet his birth is heralded by a shooting star. Setting up a sequel that so far has never been made.
I must admit - I greatly prefer this to the "Da Vinci Code", despite this movie's almost "Omen" like overtones. If only the sandy death scene had been slightly better done......oh dear.....one of your abiding memories of the film will unfortunately be that scene; which is a shame because beyond that is a great occult movie. So, if you want a Grail/Magdalene/Templar movie with a bit more gravitas and less of the "oooh aren't I clever" ramblings of Dan Brown - then give this little heard-of movie a try. The DVD also has some great little extras too.
Until next time my Batlings.....
Wednesday 10 August 2011
Movie Review - "The Long Hair of Death"/"I Lunghi Capellie della Morte"
Today's post is a Movie review for another 60's Italian Gothic horror classic - The Long Hair of Death. This is a 1964 movie directed by Antonio Margheriti and starring George Ardisson, Barbara Steele and Halina Zalewska.
In the late 15th Century a corrupt local Lord, Humbold, and his snivelling son, Kurt, have a woman accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death by burning at the stake. Her eldest daughter, Helen Karnstein, sneaks to see the Lord, knowing that it is the son who has had her mother set up on this trumped up charge. The foul old letch says he will save old mother Karnstein if Helen will yield herself to him.
Regardless the older woman is burnt and as she is being burnt she screams her curse against the Lord and his family. The younger daughter, Elizabeth, is forced to watch her mother burn and the elder Karnstein girl hears her mother's cries whilst the Lord is trying to have his wicked way. She flees from the room, accusing him of being the murderer that he is. Later she visits her mother's ashes at the scene of execution and hears the voice of her mother's spirit urge vengeance against Humbold and his son. She leaves town but is pursued by Humbold who silences her by pushing her to her death over a ravine.
Several years later and we find that the younger Karnstein girl, Elizabeth, has now grown up and been taken in by Humbold's family. Kurt desires her and a marriage is arranged despite her disgust for him and his bloodline. On their wedding night Kurt forces himself on his relucant bride and rapes her. All seems well in Kurt's province until an outbreak of plague enters town. A church service is arranged by the local nobility to pray for deliverance from this petilence. That night a raging thunderstorm breaks and a bolt of lightning strikes an unknown grave, splitting the earth and coffin open. Inside, the decayed corpse starts to regenerate.
Cut to the church. Humbold arrives with his son....the guilt of his earlier sins gnawing at the old man's conscience. A huge crash of thunder rings and the church doors crash open....in staggers a young woman. Only Humnold recognises her and immediately collapses to the ground clutching his chest screaming "No, No, No" - he promptly expires as the storm rages. The young woman sways, swoons and falls to the floor.
The next morning the young woman awakens in what is now Kurt's castle. She introduces herself as "Mary" and has a strange stilted conversation with Elizabeth. Kurt enters and it is plain his adulterous dark soul is already full of desire for Mary. Mary soon embarks on an affair with Kurt and a plot is hatched to do away with the seemingly dreary Elizabeth - but is all as it seems. Cross and double-cross follow with lots of scenes of long gloomy castle corridors and decaying, cobwebbed filled crypts....but is all as it seems. Who is Mary? Why does she bear an uncanny resemblance to the late Helen Karnstein? Is Elizabeth dead or not?....and just what will happen when the locals (in a film that pre-dates the "Wicker Man" by several years) burn their wicker statue of "Death".
This film is a slow-burner full of atmosphere and requires patience. It does not jump into shock action like many horror films and only in the last few minutes is the full supernatural content revealed. the cast all put in great performances - Giulano Rafaelli captures the corrupt "dirty old man" letching of Humbold perfectly, George Ardisson oozes the arrogance and debased lustfulness of Kurt excellently - you in no doubt that this is a dark souled spoiled brat princeling, Halina Zalewski portrays her character's arc from dour and demure young woman, to suspicious spurned wife, to ultimately victorious avenged lady very well, and Barbara Steele gives her dual role as Helen and Mary her usual high quality performance, moving from naive and hunted young Helen, to conniving, scheming seductress Mary and then back to avenging spirit Helen with casual ease.
If you are after a movie that will deliver instant gore and shocks but has little in atmosphere then this film is not for you. If however you want a movie that will build up a Poe-like growing sense of unease and creeping insanity, and deliver Medieval themed Gothic visuals, with great atmospherics and superb acting...well, then, what are you waiting for?
Regardless the older woman is burnt and as she is being burnt she screams her curse against the Lord and his family. The younger daughter, Elizabeth, is forced to watch her mother burn and the elder Karnstein girl hears her mother's cries whilst the Lord is trying to have his wicked way. She flees from the room, accusing him of being the murderer that he is. Later she visits her mother's ashes at the scene of execution and hears the voice of her mother's spirit urge vengeance against Humbold and his son. She leaves town but is pursued by Humbold who silences her by pushing her to her death over a ravine.
Several years later and we find that the younger Karnstein girl, Elizabeth, has now grown up and been taken in by Humbold's family. Kurt desires her and a marriage is arranged despite her disgust for him and his bloodline. On their wedding night Kurt forces himself on his relucant bride and rapes her. All seems well in Kurt's province until an outbreak of plague enters town. A church service is arranged by the local nobility to pray for deliverance from this petilence. That night a raging thunderstorm breaks and a bolt of lightning strikes an unknown grave, splitting the earth and coffin open. Inside, the decayed corpse starts to regenerate.
Cut to the church. Humbold arrives with his son....the guilt of his earlier sins gnawing at the old man's conscience. A huge crash of thunder rings and the church doors crash open....in staggers a young woman. Only Humnold recognises her and immediately collapses to the ground clutching his chest screaming "No, No, No" - he promptly expires as the storm rages. The young woman sways, swoons and falls to the floor.
The next morning the young woman awakens in what is now Kurt's castle. She introduces herself as "Mary" and has a strange stilted conversation with Elizabeth. Kurt enters and it is plain his adulterous dark soul is already full of desire for Mary. Mary soon embarks on an affair with Kurt and a plot is hatched to do away with the seemingly dreary Elizabeth - but is all as it seems. Cross and double-cross follow with lots of scenes of long gloomy castle corridors and decaying, cobwebbed filled crypts....but is all as it seems. Who is Mary? Why does she bear an uncanny resemblance to the late Helen Karnstein? Is Elizabeth dead or not?....and just what will happen when the locals (in a film that pre-dates the "Wicker Man" by several years) burn their wicker statue of "Death".
This film is a slow-burner full of atmosphere and requires patience. It does not jump into shock action like many horror films and only in the last few minutes is the full supernatural content revealed. the cast all put in great performances - Giulano Rafaelli captures the corrupt "dirty old man" letching of Humbold perfectly, George Ardisson oozes the arrogance and debased lustfulness of Kurt excellently - you in no doubt that this is a dark souled spoiled brat princeling, Halina Zalewski portrays her character's arc from dour and demure young woman, to suspicious spurned wife, to ultimately victorious avenged lady very well, and Barbara Steele gives her dual role as Helen and Mary her usual high quality performance, moving from naive and hunted young Helen, to conniving, scheming seductress Mary and then back to avenging spirit Helen with casual ease.
If you are after a movie that will deliver instant gore and shocks but has little in atmosphere then this film is not for you. If however you want a movie that will build up a Poe-like growing sense of unease and creeping insanity, and deliver Medieval themed Gothic visuals, with great atmospherics and superb acting...well, then, what are you waiting for?
Monday 8 August 2011
Movie Review - "Dracula 2000"
Last time I featured an old classic vampire movie. Today I shall review a more recent movie - though not so recent that vampires sparkle and have teen "issues" - as the classic statement goes "real vampires don't sparkle"....ugh....all that adolescent and pre-pubescent angst...pur-lease!!!!
Anyway, enough rambling and on with the movie review. This movie stars Christopher Plummer, Johnnie Lee Miller and Gerard "This is Sparta!" Butler. Plummer plays Van Helsing - who has kept himself alive for all these years by injecting himself with blood drained from a certain well-preserved "corpse" he keeps in his antique dealership vaults. A gang of theives perform a heist at the old Prof's place and steal a certain coffin - awakening a long dormant pointy-toothed Count of great renown.
Much of the action takes place in New Orleans during Mardi Gras season. Seems old Vlad takes a shine to Van Helsing's daughter Mary (that's Mary...ya know...as in Magdalene - pay attention as there is an amazing and different plot twist on our favourite Vampire Prince's origins in this movie). Anyway, lots of people get turned into Vlad's henchmen and during one set to in which one of the undead is killed by him, Johnny Lee Miller gives the world a classic line..."Never, EVER, f**k with an antiques dealer".
Gerard Butler portrays Dracula with much aplomb - imagine a cross between a particularly suave rock star and a male model from a shampoo commercial and you kind of get the picture. He obviously enjoyed the role, and manages to stay just the right side of camp. while getting to unleash some killer one-liners and even a nod to Bela Lugosi's portrayal with the line "I never drink....coffee". At one point someone tries to stop ol' Drac by flashing a Bible at him. He casually grabs it from them, tosses it to one side and sneers "propaganda".
Ultimately, we cut to the climax and get the reveal on who and what Drac's origins are (and in so doing, find out why he doesn't like silver, crucifixes and the like) and also who Mary Van Helsing was in a previous life - hey imagine if Bram Stoker and Dan Brown were forced to write a Dracula for the modern era.
So, whilst this movie may never make lists of "classic" vampire movies, I really enjoyed it - even despite it's loudness for the MTV generation (although it does have the classic "Bloodline" by Slayer in the soundtrack, so the loudness isn't all bad). I particularly enjoyed the Biblical twist too, which had some great visuals in the flashback scenes and another great line, "Blood of my Blood, Flesh of my Flesh". Ah, Vlad Dracula, Tepes, Dragon Prince of Wallachia.....interesting origin presented for you here. Give this movie a try, keep an open mind and you might just enjoy this New Testament of Dracula.
For now my Strigoi.....DO have nightmares.
Anyway, enough rambling and on with the movie review. This movie stars Christopher Plummer, Johnnie Lee Miller and Gerard "This is Sparta!" Butler. Plummer plays Van Helsing - who has kept himself alive for all these years by injecting himself with blood drained from a certain well-preserved "corpse" he keeps in his antique dealership vaults. A gang of theives perform a heist at the old Prof's place and steal a certain coffin - awakening a long dormant pointy-toothed Count of great renown.
Much of the action takes place in New Orleans during Mardi Gras season. Seems old Vlad takes a shine to Van Helsing's daughter Mary (that's Mary...ya know...as in Magdalene - pay attention as there is an amazing and different plot twist on our favourite Vampire Prince's origins in this movie). Anyway, lots of people get turned into Vlad's henchmen and during one set to in which one of the undead is killed by him, Johnny Lee Miller gives the world a classic line..."Never, EVER, f**k with an antiques dealer".
Gerard Butler portrays Dracula with much aplomb - imagine a cross between a particularly suave rock star and a male model from a shampoo commercial and you kind of get the picture. He obviously enjoyed the role, and manages to stay just the right side of camp. while getting to unleash some killer one-liners and even a nod to Bela Lugosi's portrayal with the line "I never drink....coffee". At one point someone tries to stop ol' Drac by flashing a Bible at him. He casually grabs it from them, tosses it to one side and sneers "propaganda".
"New Haemoglobin for men. Because I'm worth it!"
Ultimately, we cut to the climax and get the reveal on who and what Drac's origins are (and in so doing, find out why he doesn't like silver, crucifixes and the like) and also who Mary Van Helsing was in a previous life - hey imagine if Bram Stoker and Dan Brown were forced to write a Dracula for the modern era.
So, whilst this movie may never make lists of "classic" vampire movies, I really enjoyed it - even despite it's loudness for the MTV generation (although it does have the classic "Bloodline" by Slayer in the soundtrack, so the loudness isn't all bad). I particularly enjoyed the Biblical twist too, which had some great visuals in the flashback scenes and another great line, "Blood of my Blood, Flesh of my Flesh". Ah, Vlad Dracula, Tepes, Dragon Prince of Wallachia.....interesting origin presented for you here. Give this movie a try, keep an open mind and you might just enjoy this New Testament of Dracula.
For now my Strigoi.....DO have nightmares.
Saturday 6 August 2011
Movie Review - "Black Sunday"
"Black Sunday" is almost universally hailed as one of the greatest Gothic genre movies of all time, and not without very good reason. The film was directed by Italian horror maestro Mario Bava, and starred legendary horror actress, Barbara Steele.
This movie just oozes Gothic atmosphere out of every pore; ruined Gothic crypts, moonlight pouring through wispy clouds, fog shrouded cemetaries and forests, slow-motion scenes of black horse-drawn carriages emerging through the mist, the Inquisition burning witches, and said witches returning from the grave as vampires to exact their vengeance.
The plot is loosely based upon a short story by Gogol called "The Vij". In 17th century Moldavia, Princess Asa Vajda (Barbara Steele) is denounced as a witch by her brother, the Grand Inquisitor of the region, and sentenced to be burnt at the stake together with her lover, Prince Javutic. In a surprisingly gory scene for its era (1960) we see the black hooded executioner hammer a nailed demonic-visaged mask to Asa Vajda's face.
Just prior to this she issues her curse against her brother that she will return from the grave to bring bloody vengeance against the family and its descendants. As the inquisitors then set their flaming brands to the kindling set about Asa's feet, ready to burn her corpse at the stake, a flash rain storm appears from nowhere sending the inquisitors, and the rampant peasant mob attending the execution, scattering in all directions. The flames are extinguished.
Cut to the 19th century and two Doctors are travelling through the region. They are warned by local rustic types not to travel through the forest as there is an evil lurking there. Of course, they dismiss this as superstitious nonsense and proceed regardless. They have to stop due to damage to a wheel on their coach. On so doing, the Doctors see a ruined chapel/crypt, all moody moonlight-soaked Gothic arches, and approach to investigate. Inside they find a tomb, in which is the corpse of a woman wearing a demonic mask, a glass panel over the face allowing the shadow of a crucifix to be positioned over the corpse constantly. The elder of the two doctors, Kruvajan, is attacked by a large bat and in defending himself from it manges to smash the crucifix and the glass. In breaking the glass, he cuts his hand.....blood drips from the wound onto the face beneath.....and thus it begins....
The doctors are then introduced to the current members of the Vajda line....the first of whom they meet at the cript, Princess Katja Vajda - the very likeness of her ancestor's image....and soon to be the object of her ancestor's quest for revenge
....as the undead Vajda says to her latter day doppelganger "You didn't know your body had been consecrated to belong to Satan, but you sensed it, didn't you?".
The rest of the movie concerns the battle between the rejuvenated vampiric Asa Vajda and her lover Javutic on the one hand, and the Vajda descendants on the other, the prize being the very body and soul of young Katja.
The film was very shocking for its time and was initially banned in some countries. It strangely manages to be a product both of the past and the future. It's imagery is very much a throwback to the old 1930's Universal horror movies of James Whale and Tod Browning, yet it's storyline and the fact that the antagonist was a strong and powerful female nodded towards the future.
It was the first major role for Barbara Steele, who went on to star in many European genre movies during the 1960s. It was her offbeat and disturbing face that appealed to the horror directors of the time - her ability to change from looking innocent and angelic one moment to downright diabollic and deranged the next. As she herself put it, she always got to play "predatory bitch goddesses" - though she often played dual roles one sweet and innocent such as Katja in this movie, and the other dark and fiendish such as Asa. Very few actors or actresses have ever been able to portray such duality so effectively, representing both light and dark so easily within the same movie.
So, in a way this film opened the door for women to finally be able to take the lead in Horror stories as well as the men, and for that we must thank Mario Bava and Barbara Steele, both of whom went on to achieve legendary cult status.
There are two versions of the movie available on DVD:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0006UG69S/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thegotharstom-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B0006UG69S
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000UVV238/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thegotharstom-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000UVV238
This movie just oozes Gothic atmosphere out of every pore; ruined Gothic crypts, moonlight pouring through wispy clouds, fog shrouded cemetaries and forests, slow-motion scenes of black horse-drawn carriages emerging through the mist, the Inquisition burning witches, and said witches returning from the grave as vampires to exact their vengeance.
The plot is loosely based upon a short story by Gogol called "The Vij". In 17th century Moldavia, Princess Asa Vajda (Barbara Steele) is denounced as a witch by her brother, the Grand Inquisitor of the region, and sentenced to be burnt at the stake together with her lover, Prince Javutic. In a surprisingly gory scene for its era (1960) we see the black hooded executioner hammer a nailed demonic-visaged mask to Asa Vajda's face.
Just prior to this she issues her curse against her brother that she will return from the grave to bring bloody vengeance against the family and its descendants. As the inquisitors then set their flaming brands to the kindling set about Asa's feet, ready to burn her corpse at the stake, a flash rain storm appears from nowhere sending the inquisitors, and the rampant peasant mob attending the execution, scattering in all directions. The flames are extinguished.
Cut to the 19th century and two Doctors are travelling through the region. They are warned by local rustic types not to travel through the forest as there is an evil lurking there. Of course, they dismiss this as superstitious nonsense and proceed regardless. They have to stop due to damage to a wheel on their coach. On so doing, the Doctors see a ruined chapel/crypt, all moody moonlight-soaked Gothic arches, and approach to investigate. Inside they find a tomb, in which is the corpse of a woman wearing a demonic mask, a glass panel over the face allowing the shadow of a crucifix to be positioned over the corpse constantly. The elder of the two doctors, Kruvajan, is attacked by a large bat and in defending himself from it manges to smash the crucifix and the glass. In breaking the glass, he cuts his hand.....blood drips from the wound onto the face beneath.....and thus it begins....
The doctors are then introduced to the current members of the Vajda line....the first of whom they meet at the cript, Princess Katja Vajda - the very likeness of her ancestor's image....and soon to be the object of her ancestor's quest for revenge
....as the undead Vajda says to her latter day doppelganger "You didn't know your body had been consecrated to belong to Satan, but you sensed it, didn't you?".
The rest of the movie concerns the battle between the rejuvenated vampiric Asa Vajda and her lover Javutic on the one hand, and the Vajda descendants on the other, the prize being the very body and soul of young Katja.
The film was very shocking for its time and was initially banned in some countries. It strangely manages to be a product both of the past and the future. It's imagery is very much a throwback to the old 1930's Universal horror movies of James Whale and Tod Browning, yet it's storyline and the fact that the antagonist was a strong and powerful female nodded towards the future.
It was the first major role for Barbara Steele, who went on to star in many European genre movies during the 1960s. It was her offbeat and disturbing face that appealed to the horror directors of the time - her ability to change from looking innocent and angelic one moment to downright diabollic and deranged the next. As she herself put it, she always got to play "predatory bitch goddesses" - though she often played dual roles one sweet and innocent such as Katja in this movie, and the other dark and fiendish such as Asa. Very few actors or actresses have ever been able to portray such duality so effectively, representing both light and dark so easily within the same movie.
So, in a way this film opened the door for women to finally be able to take the lead in Horror stories as well as the men, and for that we must thank Mario Bava and Barbara Steele, both of whom went on to achieve legendary cult status.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0006UG69S/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thegotharstom-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B0006UG69S
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000UVV238/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thegotharstom-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000UVV238
Thursday 4 August 2011
A Song - “Black No 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)” by Type O Negative
Time to review an absolute classic from the Goth/Doom Metal legends that are Type O Negative with the stunningly Nosferatu-esque vocals of the late, great and much-missed Pete Steele...a giant man-mountain who showed what it would have looked like if Frankenstein's monster had been bitten by a vampire.
This is one of my Wife (my beloved Pharaoh's) and I’s favourite songs by this band (we have several - of which more in the coming days, weeks and months). This song manages to have a fun tongue-in-cheek outlook with lyrics that use oh so many Gothic cliches to devastatingly funny effect….lyrics that refer to Lily Munster have to be a classic right?
There are so many classic lines in this song not least of which is “her perfume smells like – burning leaves”…and of course the opening line “I went looking for trouble and boy - I found her”….through to the aforementioned “oh baby, Lilly Munster – ain’t got nothing on you”…a line I sometimes quote to my beloved Wife. (Yes I am and always shall be your Herman)
Well, here’s a link I found to the video on youtube. I hope you enjoy this classic from one of the groups of founding fathers of the Gothic Metal movement….with a huge dash of mischievous fun thrown in.
Until next time my Children of the Night.....DO have nightmares!
..and an amazon link for UK guests:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000HDRAHQ/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thegotharstom-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000HDRAHQ
This is one of my Wife (my beloved Pharaoh's) and I’s favourite songs by this band (we have several - of which more in the coming days, weeks and months). This song manages to have a fun tongue-in-cheek outlook with lyrics that use oh so many Gothic cliches to devastatingly funny effect….lyrics that refer to Lily Munster have to be a classic right?
There are so many classic lines in this song not least of which is “her perfume smells like – burning leaves”…and of course the opening line “I went looking for trouble and boy - I found her”….through to the aforementioned “oh baby, Lilly Munster – ain’t got nothing on you”…a line I sometimes quote to my beloved Wife. (Yes I am and always shall be your Herman)
Well, here’s a link I found to the video on youtube. I hope you enjoy this classic from one of the groups of founding fathers of the Gothic Metal movement….with a huge dash of mischievous fun thrown in.
Until next time my Children of the Night.....DO have nightmares!
..and an amazon link for UK guests:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000HDRAHQ/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thegotharstom-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000HDRAHQ
Tuesday 2 August 2011
I Bid You...Welcome
Greetings. Welcome to the Gothic Nephilim's Vault. In this blog I shall be sharing with you my reviews and opinions on a wide range of Gothic media, from the classic Gothic movies starring such luminaries as Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff, Vincent price and Barbara Steele to modern classics for the future; music with a Gothic theme, both modern and classical; classic Gothic literature and poetry such as Poe, Stoker et al; modern gothic artists such as Anne Stokes, Joseph Vargo and Victoria France; and, if you will indluge me, some of my own photographs and occasional scratchings and ramblings.
So to open proceedings may I share with you one of my photographs, which I call "A Gothic Magdalene":
So to open proceedings may I share with you one of my photographs, which I call "A Gothic Magdalene":
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