Halloween Bites! Vampire In Venice

“My prince…..”

I’ve watched a LOT of vampire films over the years. Most of them are decent and watchable, but a few are just bad, really bad. Vampire In Venice is one of the worst. Not only is the 1988 film a convoluted mess on the screen, it was a complete disaster behind the camera as well. Most of the blame for the misery on set falls heavily upon Klaus Kinski, who went full prima donna on the director and turned into a sexual predator on a few of his female costars. Kinski portrays Nosferatu, the same vampire that he portrayed in 1979’s Nosferatu The Vampyre, except he rarely shows his fangs and he isn’t bald or pointy-eared in this pseudo-sequel. Nope, instead, he looks like the oldest member of Whitesnake parading through the streets of Venice. Big hair and an even bigger ego, that’s Klaus Kinski in this film.

The movie gives us the story of Professor Catalano looking for the wicked Nosferatu some two hundred years after his last known appearance. He arrives in Venice at the request of Princess Helietta, who believes that the vampire is stowed away beneath her family home. So what’s one to do in order to see if ol’ Nosferatu is hanging out under their castle? Have a seance, of course, and unleash him on the poor people of Venice! Catalano and others attempt to stop Nosferatu as he begins to hunt those that are hunting him. He seduces Helietta, whips Catalano…….and then turns his attention to Helietta’s young sister, Maria, whom he claims can save him with her virginal love. Oh, and a lot of other goofy things happen as well. It’s all a big mess, but watch it for yourself and let me know what you think of the film.

What’s crazy about this film, from the overacting to the horrible editing, is that some parts of it are absolutely amazing. The music, composed by Luigi Ceccarelli, is beautiful, as is the song “Mask” by Vangelis. Some of the cinematography is brilliant as well, capturing Venice’s beauty with perfection. As much as I hate to say it, the sequences of Nosferatu wandering around the streets of Venice, directed by Kinski, actually add to the atmosphere of the film. It’s crazy how so many beautiful things could come from such an ugly production.

Speaking of the ugly things, Kinski was accused of going off script on multiple occasions. According to his costar, Barbara De Rossi, Kinski ripped her gown open, exposed her nude body, and viciously groped her breasts and inserted two of his fingers into her vagina. The groping scene is actually in the film, as is a portion of the violent attack that Kinski performed on another costar, Elvire Audray, who he was simply supposed to grab in a dark warehouse and bite her on the neck. Instead, Kinski ripped her clothing off and bit her on the vulva. Kinski’s ripping of her shirt is in the film, but thankfully that is where the scene ends. Audray apparently (and justifiably) ran off of the set in a screaming fit and never returned.

So, do I recommend Vampire In Venice? Yes and no. Yes, because there is beauty to be found deep within this mess, and, no, because Kinski was such a terrible human being by this stage in his life.