Courtesy of IFC Films
I love a sexy vampire movie. It’s weird, too, since while I grew up in the era of Twilight, I never actually read Twilight. I did, however, watch Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula, and that got my heart racing. Bela Lugosi seduced me. Hell, even Countess Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden) did something for me. The vampire mythos are steeped in romance, and while there’s an argument to be made about whether it’s truly romance or coercion, there’s something primal about belonging to someone immortal, infinitely more powerful than you are, even if that person is Gerard Butler (any Dracula 2000 fans?). Luckily, Tubi has one of the most romantic, violent vampire movies around streaming free, and it’s probably one you’ve missed. Let Byzantium cast its spell over you.
Byzantium, from Interview With the Vampire filmmaker Neil Jordan, follows Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan) and Clara (Gemma Arterton), two female vampires who seek refuge in a derelict coastal community. They’re on the run and have been for centuries. In Byzantium, vampirism is the providence of man. However, centuries before, Clara violated the code of the brethren, first transforming herself and then her daughter to save their respective lives, and they’ve been hunted ever since.
Courtesy of IFC Films
A Subversive Vampire Epic
Ronan and Arterton are fantastic, gamely pairing the tender mother/daughter relationship with a strained generational gap. Eleanor, after all, is condemned to be a teenager forever, forced to feed on the blood of the sick and dying simply to sustain herself. It’s orchestral in its staging, romantic in its literary style, and just so, so damn sexy.
Our own contributing writer, Kaiya Shunyata, had this to say: “While most vampire media depict these characters as wealthy, Jordan showcases two women who remain members of the lower class despite their immortality. This leads to a restlessness that isn’t often explored in films of Byzantium’s kind and makes for one of the most languid vampire films of the century,” adding later, “Byzantium is gorgeously shot, and its feminist themes are harnessed by Jordan’s deft camera work and both lead performances.”
Watch the Trailer Here:
I’ve been on the Byzantium train since 2012. On account of it being a limited release at the time, you’ve likely missed it. If Sinners got you itching for more subversive takes on established horror lore, I have no doubt Byzantium will fill your cup. If it does, let me know over on Twitter or Instagram!
Categorized: Streaming News
