Celebrating almost a century of vampires in the movies
One of our favorite villains, the vampire (or the vampire), has been a protagonist who is feared and idolized in Western culture. From Dracula and Carmilla to Edward Cullen and his family of perfect immortals, the bloodsucker has dominated our books, art, and especially movies for nearly a century.
The exhibition Vampires: The evolution of the myth of CaixaForum, Madrid is a round trip through the history of vampires, starting with the origins of the legend and reaching the popular films and series of today. The exhibition, which opened on February 14 and can be visited until June 7, also has special events such as guided tours, coffee or vermouth and social gatherings and family visits.
Although the exhibition exhibits some works of literature and also of art, such as Goya's well-known etching The Dream of Reason Produces Monsters, its focus is undoubtedly the cinema. In the 1930s, Dracula by Tod Browning and Vampyr by Carl Theodor Dreyer paved the way for the myriad of vampire movies that have been hitting theaters to this day.
Poetic vampires, politicians, erotic and the most human (that is, pop vampires) have starred on the screens throughout nine decades and Vampires: The evolution of the myth does not leave a single one. The exhibition offers exclusive views of the creation of such important films as the German masterpiece Nosferatu (1922) and The Vampire Dance (1967), with photographs of the shootings and, in the case of the second, the original script with notes from the director Roman Polanski.
In addition, you will be able to see a wide variety of international movie posters along with original costumes from well-known films, such as the suit and dress worn by Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst in Interview with the Vampire (1994). Projections showing scenes from more films on this subject that I didn't even know existed enrich the visit, along with a great variety of works, all celebrating our beloved bloodsucker.
Vampires: The Evolution of Myth focuses not only on the role of the vampire, but also on the actors and actresses who play it, and in certain cases, the performer has taken the role to an extreme level. The best examples are Theda Bara and Bela Lugosi, some of Hollywood's first vampires. The former, one of the great stars of the silent movie era, was known by her nickname "vamp" given her mystery and status as a sex symbol. The Austro-Hungarian Bela Lugosi, truly Transylvanian-born, was the closest thing to Dracula incarnate: he played the role in several Broadway productions before starring in Tod Browning's Dracula (1931), one of the many original works about him. count.
Today, we meet our pop vampires and what we see is a more human vampire, with whom we can empathize. Now, vampires live "normal" lives: they fall in love, they are saddened, and they have the same problems that any human would have. Actors no longer intimidate, but instead make you laugh, like Johnny Depp in Dark Shadows (2012), or fall in love with them, like Robert Pattinson in Twilight (2008).
And now vampires are not just a horror thing, but for the whole family. The list of vampire cartoons is long, and it continues to grow. Scooby-Doo and the Legend of the Vampire (2003) and Hotel Transylvania (2012) are appropriate for even the youngest of the family, and fittingly enough, the exhibit offers a children's area and activities for children.
Whether you are a fan of vampires or not, you have surely seen a movie ... or two ... or three on this subject. Vampires: The Evolution of Myth reminds us that the myth of the vampire and cinema have been linked throughout the 20th and 21st centuries in a symbiotic and illusory relationship. The exhibition is a joy that almost any profile can enjoy, offering a comprehensive view of one of the most beloved villains in cinema.
