Guy Maddin directed this extraodinary interpretation of Bram Stoker's Dracula by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Several episodes of the original story are narrated lineally with dance and the help of intertitles. Consider this is a 73 minute adaptation of a very, very long and complex book. Do not be very demanding in what
faithfulness to the source is concerned. The ballet is set to the 1st and 2nd Symphonies by Gustav Mahler.Maddin's Dracula is ethereal, evocative, suggestive, sensual, humorous, and beautiful. Now that vampires are so fashionable and that countless interpretations, re-imaginings, derivatives of the famous story have been done and seen, this particular adaptation stands out. It stays, of course, on the classical side of the spectrum, boasting beautiful sets and costumes and staying true to a certain sobriety that ran through the original story. However, any pretension of gravity is pretty much overshadowed by Maddin's liberal use of color, black and white, iris transitions, distortion, light, and shadow. "Dracula" is eye-catching to say the least, and that also speaks for the attractive of the dancers' performance. How one can stay focused on them is marvelous, especially with how meticulous ballet often is, considering all the visual distractions. I don't know if all the actors were dancers, even those who did not do much dancing, but I can say their performances were perfectly dramatic and haunting.Watching Dracula unaware of its technical specifications, one could be misled into thinking this film was made in the 1920s: it uses techniques typical of that era. It's expressionistic and self-aware and knowingly elegant. But it is distinctly free-spirited in that it revels in its own ambiguity; this, I suppose, comes free with the vampire package. To work suggestion and ambiguity in a vampire film is to do it right. Vampyrism is, by itself, loaded with symbolism and darkness. Guy Maddin honors this tradition, while adding some personal touches... The film begins with Lucy Westenra's nightmare about immigrants. Come on, it's funny. Maddin underlines the xenophobia in Bram Stoker's book. Yet this is not a satire; he's simply poiting out something. Another addition is one very protagonic role played by money. Perhaps he is suggesting greed is no different than vampyrism.Finally, the casting choices were excellent. Lucy was just adequately wicked and looked like a complete bitch throughout; as it turns out, that's about right. I don't believe there was a single miscast. Zhang Weiqiang as Dracula was spot-on. In such a peculiar film, in which so many things fight for the spotlight -be it artistic direction, music, cinematography- Dracula had to be a highlight, and what better way than by casting an Asian dancer? Not only that, but he is great. His Dracula is not caricaturesque or over-the-top, it's a perfectly elegant, vicious, lustful young man. With fangs. A scene-stealer.What I liked best about this film is that it didn't intend to over-emphasize the sexual undertones. In fact, by using such a delicate technique as ballet, these aspects are highlighted in the classiest and most elevated way. Pages from a Virgin's Diary may, therefore, not be for everyone. But it's an undeniably ambitious and original project and an artistic achievement. And now I can't wait to see what else Guy Maddin can do...
April 1, 2009
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