Plot: What’s it about?
The streets of Paris are being terrorized by an unknown killer, who stalks beautiful young woman and then brutally murders them. The bodies are found floating the river Seine, but the girls haven’t just been killed, as their blood has been drained from their bodies as well. The string of crimes has been called The Vampire Murders, but no one has been able to crack it as of yet, or even manage to find a decent lead, to be honest. As the police get nowhere in their search for those responsible, a journalist named Pierre Lantin (Dario Michaelis) decides to begin his own investigation, which could become very dangerous indeed. As he traces the crimes and tries to uncover the truth, he keeps running into Gisele (Wandisa Guida), a young woman who has impure intentions for Pierre, but he wants nothing to do with her. Even so, Gisele continues to make advances toward him, even though she is always turned down. Is Gisele somehow connected to the string of murders and if so, what are her true intentions for Pierre?
I am very pleased to see I Vampiri released in the intended form, as it has seen some unusual variations, to be sure. It was cut and renamed The Devil’s Commandment, complete with new footage that featured Al Lewis, of The Munsters fame. But now we have the film as it was meant to be seen and that’s a real pleasure, if you ask me. Mario Bava serves as cinematographer here and also codirected, but he was not given credit for his work as codirector. I Vampiri is a stylish film that helped kick off the Italian horror buzz and of course, we know how much of an impact Bava would have in that movement. I find this flick to be very tense and well photographed, with an atmosphere that sends chills down your spine, which is very cool indeed. There is a lot of suspense to be found and it is well executed, but don’t expect a bloodbath, as you’ll be let down. This is a great example of horror cinema without the gore and while I love a good splatter picture, I also love a well done horror movie without it. This is an easy recommendation to fans of Bava and the Italian horror genre as a whole, as it was a real force in starting the movement that followed.
Although he is isn’t given credit for his work as codirector, Mario Bava’s presence is obvious within the flick, to be sure. As always, his keen sense of visuals is on full display here, which is the main reason I Vampiri works so well, I think. The atmosphere is eerie and enhances the suspense many times over, which is a much needed element in any film of this ilk. He would go on to use this approach in his later works, but he would become known also for his penchant for blood, which is absent in this picture. As such, gorehounds looking to score will be let down, but real horror film nuts will be very taken with this movie, as it showcases some great work by Bava. Other films directed by Bava include Blood and Black Lace, Shock, Lisa and the Devil, Five Dolls for an August Moon, Knives of the Avenger, and Kill, Baby…Kill. The cast here includes Gianna Maria Canale (Double Cross, Devil’s Cavaliers), Dario Michaelis (City of Violence, So Sweet…So Perverse), and Carlo D’Angelo (Blood at Sundown, Streets of Sorrow).
Video: How does it look?
I Vampiri is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I wasn’t expecting much here, but Image has supplied a terrific picture here, I think fans will be most thrilled indeed. The print used shows some specks, but looks much cleaner than I had expected and in the end, also looks much sharper than I ever imagined. The black & white image looks very refined and sharp, with a high level of detail at all times and no real problems to discuss. The contrast is well balanced and never falters, so nothing is lost in this visual presentation. I commend Image for their fine treatment of I Vampiri and I think fans are in for a real treat indeed.
Audio: How does it sound?
I was pleased to find the original Italian soundtrack has been included, although the mono format doesn’t allow for much spark. I was unable to detect much in terms of hiss, distortion, or harshness however, which is good news for a flick of this age, to be sure. The dialogue is very sharp and sounds great here, with no hints of errors I could notice. The music comes across well also, while sound effects are a little thin, but acceptable due to the age of the picture involved. This disc also includes optional English subtitles, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some talent files, a selection of still photos & promotional artwork, and some bonus Bava trailers, though no trailer for I Vampiri is present.
