MTV recently interviewed Alex Proyas about his upcoming vampire film Dracula: Year Zero. Mr. Proyas plans to spin a more “realistic” take on the character and MTV was nice enough to press the issue for us. The following is an excerpt from the interview:
Draculas, and vampires in general, are known, of course, for some pretty unrealistic things: being able to transform into bats, for instance, or aversion to garlic, or a lack of a reflection in mirrors, or giant fangs.
“Oh, you’ve got to have teeth,” Proyas exclaimed. “I mean, the teeth are really important. I think Frank Langella in the ‘Dracula’ movie that was made in the 70s, I think he didn’t want to have teeth in the movie. But, no, I like the teeth. I want to see girls with a lot of teeth.”
Ok, so teeth are in. Garlic? “I think the garlic thing is kind of weird,” Proyas laughed.
And the transformation into a bat? Well…Proyas wouldn’t say. So what parts of mythology DO make it into his version? “Stakes and teeth,” the director smiled. “And we’re lots and lots of blood!”
I see where Proyas is going with this and I think I’m on board. Turning into a bat or a wolf is cool, but what really makes vampires interesting to me is their hypnotic sensuality. They woo the willing into giving up their necks in exchange for their last lusty rendezvous. Those that are fancied by the Vampires are spared and eventually turned into beasts themselves. Forever dammed for giving themselves up in exchange for carnality, they must now feed the hunger that first brought the curse upon them.
Some victims have no choice in the matter and are drained like pigs at the slaughter; but the drinking of the willing is far more interesting to me.
Garlic, Crosses, and bats I can do without. Steaks through the heart are essential, as are fangs and blood. If you are going to strip a vampire story down to the bare essentials, I think Proyas has the right idea.
What do you guys think? Will removing some of the more supernatural powers of Dracula upset you, or will you be fine with a stripped down villain so long as it works?
