Review: Therapy for a Vampire (on DVD)

Therapy for a Vampire 

[DVD Therapy] 

First of all, I should note that this is a German-language film with English subtitles — I didn’t realize that when checking it out, as the DVD box is entirely in English and doesn’t make clear that it is a foreign-language film. This almost made me return it immediately, as I’m not really a fan of having to read the dialog on the screen.

But, in the end, I’m glad I stuck with it, as this film turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. Though it is a technically a “vampire” movie, it is most definitely NOT a horror film — it’s more a comedic relationship piece. Count Geza von Közsnöm (Tobias Moretti) has been a vampire for hundreds of years, and has been married to his wife, Countess Elsa von Közsnöm (Jeanette Hain) for most of those centuries. Their relationship has grown stale over time. This film is set in Europe in the late 1800s (or early 1900s), where Sigmund Freud (Karl Fischer — a wonderfully understated performance) was a practicing psychoanalyst. Count von Közsnöm mysteriously shows up in Freud’s office, and the doctor begins to treat him, not realizing his patient is a vampire (due to clever dialog that avoids the specifics). The Countess is vain and misses being able to see herself in a mirror, and Freud recommends that the Count have an artist paint her portrait.

Freud recommends an artist, Viktor (Dominic Oley), whom the Count engages for the job, despite the Countess’s violent streak. Through a combination of mistaken identities, the Count becomes obsessed with Viktor’s estranged girlfriend, Lucy (Cornelia Ivancan), whom he believes to be the reincarnation of the woman who initially made him into a vampire — his original one true love.

This film features marvelous performances in all the lead and supporting roles. It is atmospheric, with all its night-filming in a quaint European village. And it is filmed with lots of character-based humor. I laughed throughout the film. There is a bit of violence during a couple of vampire attacks, but it is played for comic effect — huge splashes of blood from off-screen. The vampire special effects are well done — hovering, flying, sudden disappearances, turning into bats — but the best parts of the film are actually the character interactions. I loved the bits when Freud is analyzing the Count on his couch!

I highly recommend this one! As long as you don’t mind reading English subtitles (or you are fluent enough in German to turn the subtitles off).

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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