Nadja

Rating:
Summary: Don¿t take this movie too seriously
Review: or you might hate it. This is one of the most original and entertaining movies I saw in the late 90s. On the surface, this movie is highly (or overly) stylized with its black & white cinematography, use of Pixelvision cameras in some scenes, macabre vampire imagery, and a soundtrack featuring acts like Portishead and My Bloody Valentine. But I think this is a lighthearted, often hilarious, approach to a vampire movie. I also think that this might even be a mockery of all things vampirish. Evem so, the quirky and alternative cinematography is beautiful to look at, some scenes play like experimental music videos and there are moments where the Nadja character seems to break into a spoken word performance.

Yesh, this movie probably isn't for everyone. You will either love it or hate it.

Rating:
Summary: Better than most B Films
Review: Rich in metaphors, the noveau style of Nadja makes viewing it worthwhile. Whereas other low budget films of this genre tend to over-do the blood and gore aspects of the vampiric lifestyle, director Almereyda foregos that method, opting instead to delve into the psychological issues which must haunt an individual who is forced to spend eternity wandering the night and feeding on humans. His play on the ever-present human aspects of the vampire characters makes for interesting viewing, especially when you contrast the vampire Edger, who seeks to live a "normal" existence with the woman he loves even if it costs him his life, and Nadja, who accepts her lot and attempts to "be all she can be" while still "mourning" the death of her beloved (or possibly not so beloved) father at the hand of Dr. Van Helsing (Fonda).

As a point of criticism, the final clash between the two vampire twins Nadja and Edgar is somewhat anti-climatic. The buildup left you desiring to see more of a struggle or something, leaving you with a feeling betrayal, asking yourself the question, "Was that all?" Another weak area was the filmography during the shots where Nadja attacks her victims. It seems too psychadelic, as Almereyda changes the camera film speed and focus, filming the scenes through a filter in order to provide a "special effect." It seemed he was attempting to capture something sensual, almost sinister, with the moment. However, it failed. All it did for me was become a tad irritating after the first occurence, and soon I found myself longing for a little old fashioned fangs and gore. However, the choice of b&w versus color for the film was excellent, allowing the director the opportunity to splice in vintage Bela Lugosi images during episodes when Nadja reflects on her departed father.

Overall, Nadja is definitely worth viewing. I recommend only the most die hard vampire fans purchase it, as most "normal" fans will find the movie unimpressive, the plot slow, and the "special effects" primitive.

Rating:
Summary: I really liked this movie
Review: The film is told as a series of visuals. Shot entirely in black and white, the film goes from startling clarity in some scenes to gritty, pixelated imagery. The imagery at times takes over the movie, and as much as I liked this film, there were some sequences of overlapping imagery that I fast-forwarded. Over all a good film, and it reminds me a lot of Lili Taylor's film "The Addiction," so I can see where the parallels are drawn comparing this movie to that one. This one I can say has more interesting characters and better cinematography, though Annabella Sciorra's cameo in "The Addiction" is not to be missed. Cool, and definitely very weird at times, but a neat take on the vampire myth. Here Dracula's children come to America to claim his body when he is dead and the brother looks on while his sister routinely seduces, then feeds on men she meets in bars. Peter Fonda is the only name I recognized on the cast and he is amusing as Van Helsing. The majority of the people are unknown, but Elina Lowensohn is well-cast and superb as Nadja and the one who stands out the most in this film. Compared to tiresome vampire flicks like "Dracula 2000" that are being released this film is a breath of fresh air and features a cool soundtrack with Portishead.

Rating:
Summary: Nadja is a gorgeous millenial gem of a film
Review: The title may perhaps lead viewers to believe that they are embarking on an excursion into the world of Breton's mad "Nadja." In a sense, this is not unlike the Nadja of the Surrealist's scene and time. Here the protagonist "Nadja" is concerned with transcending both mortality and immortality. This movie is deceptively simple. Shot in pixelvision (by Fisher Price) which is now an art festival staple as well as celluloid black and white the noir qualities, dark humor, and sensuality combine to create a vortex effect that left this viewer laughing, tingling, and even in total suspense: cliffhanging on the edge (or off the edge) of my seat! It is rare that a movie cannot be summarized and encapsulated...it it to this film's credit (oh have we discussed it is about Dracula's daughter and her brother in Brooklyn?) that the "regional" references to New York are accessible to those who have never lived there (I hadn't) as well as a doubleplusgood hoot for those who do. This film's subdued bisexual content, it's soundtrack with the meltdown sounds of blended ambients' --Portishead, My Bloody Valentine-- all contribute with the deadpan urban shoot to "die laughing" delivery and gorgeous (can't use that word enough) oceanic washes of primordial primal pulse (no pun intended as we search for a new "pulse" and our vampires locate their own) to an extremely subdued, haunting, underplayed view...swoon! If you are a little time-warped and don't mind a sacrificial female (which was my only complaint, then again, in sacrificing oneself does one indeed become a mere victim or does one transcend?). A curlicue labyrithine plot structure and lots of quick cuts and fades and washes make the bloodsucking scenes a dream. See Fuseli (Henri) painting "The Nightmare" (the original painting not the one Ken Russel scammed). Listen to "Fade Into You" by Mazzy Starr. But really, this movie evokes...it not only conjures it evokes the feeling of now and ! it's slight time-lapse of then...a strange redemption in the desire for lost eroticism and romantic love in an urbanscape. Ahhh, see for yourself...Peter Fonda funny as Van Helsing but Galaxy Crazze a real stunner. Galaxy does for the ingenue Lucy what Winona Ryder could only dream and then the woman that played Nadja...WHEW! Look for more by this cast and crew soon! END

Rating:
Summary: 'Comic', apparently.
Review: There are some people who try to reclaim 'Nadja' - along with Abel Ferrera's 'The Addiction', the most stultifyingly pretentious film ever made, bludgeoning the audience with Wim Wenders-like globs of pseudo-philosophical gabble and supposedly 'arty' screes of visual incoherence - by suggesting it is comic. Making humour of what, exactly? Of horror films? You have to know what horror films do before you can mock them, and director Almedeyra hasn't a clue. American indie films? Probably, but it replicates that mind-numbing mindset so faithfully, it forgets to be funny about it. Students, whose existential angst and elevated notions of 'beauty' find expression in My Bloody Valentine records? Definitely. Elena Lowenstein as Dracula's daughter is so gorgeous in her designer Grim Reaper cape, she may even replace Death from 'The Seventh Seal' as my iconic nightmare of choice.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully quirky, vampire art flick
Review: This arthouse vampire film from the very talented Michael Almerayda is a wonderfully offbeat, loose retelling of the Dracula story, except that here, the focus is on the title character, the daughter of the famous Count. The setting is updated to New York's East Village, given a positively Transylvannian feel by the terrific black and white photography. Themes of existential identity questions, and dysfuctional, incestuous family relationships (both among the humans and vampires) run throughout the film, and there is a lot of clever, dry humor as well. The humor doesn't detract from the lush, earie atmosphere, though, or from the subtle and beautiful erotic mood centered around Nadja's relationship with a young, married woman, who's uncle-in-law, by the way, just happens to be a crazy, alcoholic who knows about vampires, and just happens to be named Van Helsing (Peter Fonda is terrifically wierd and funny in the part). The rest of the cast is superb too, especially Hal Hartley veterans Elina Lowensohn as Nadja and Martin Donovan as Najda's lover's befuddled husband. Galaxy Craze, an actress I'd never seen before, is mesmerizing as Nadja's human love, Lucy. "Nadja" is the best of Almerayda's films to date, but also worth checking out is his recent variation on the Mummy theme, "The Eternal", and his earlier film "Twister" (not the flying cows movie). "Nadja" is, by the way, my personal pick for all-time favorite vampire movie.

Rating:
Summary: Not for everyone, but excellent choice for indie & vampire
Review: This is a flick I'd recommend to two types: the vampire movie fan, and the indie movie fan. For indie fans, they have much originality to expect from the raw style and small budget of Nadja. It is shot with a simple digital camera and uses pixelated effects. The acting is solid. Elina Löwensohn, who plays Nadja, is brilliant. The script is fresh, despite the parallels with the original Dracula.

For vampire fans, Nadja is a must-see movie. That is, unless you prefer recycled goth-style renditions of the vampire story repeated over and over. Nadja is one of the few *modern* vampire movies that does not incorporate a form of martial arts fighting. There is a somber, crisp mood reflected from both the black and white digital film and the character script. It is a modern and fresh story which remains true to the character motives and rarely duplicated creepiness (though many have tried) of Bram Stocker's classic novel Dracula. You'll also find hidden humerous remarks throughout the film referencing aspects of 'dracula culture'.

Also, the dark theme of the music in the film (from such artists as Portishead) adds to the emotional effect the director has intended.

Rating:
Summary: my favorite
Review: This is an extremely intelligent film, but it's also one of the most sensuous. The switching from stark b&w to pixelvision that some people find annoying is actually very effective. It floods the screen with a kind of graininess, the way little particles of adrenaline flood the bloodstream during moments of arousal. We have lesbian vampires, quirky dialogue, brave spontaneous poetry readings, surrealist touches (like the image of the vibrating Dracula Doll--remember those?), and an all-pervading horror/Christmas/Halloween feeling to everything. A great, great film, vibrantly alive outside the mainstream.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful!
Review: This is definately a classic vampire movie. The story is unique & facinating. The director used a Pixel 2000 when telling the story through Nadja's eyes...hence the pixel usage. (The Pixel 2000 was a toy video camera Fisher Price released in the 80's). Personally, I think it gives a fabulous perspective to the film. If you are into films that are gothic, intense, & have many layers, you will like this film.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful!
Review: This is definately a classic vampire movie. The story is unique & facinating. The director used a Pixel 2000 when telling the story through Nadja's eyes...hence the pixel usage. (The Pixel 2000 was a toy video camera Fisher Price released in the 80's). Personally, I think it gives a fabulous perspective to the film. If you are into films that are gothic, intense, & have many layers, you will like this film.