The Blood Countess review – Isabelle Huppert reigns supreme in a surreal vampire fantasia

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Vienna turns into a playground of camp, cruelty and aristocratic disdain in a blackly comic take on the Báthory legend – with Huppert gloriously suited to the title role From the dark heart of central Europe comes a midnight-movie romp through the moonlit urban glades of Euro-goth and camp from German director Ulrike Ottinger. As for the star … well, it’s the part she was born to play. Isabelle Huppert is Countess Elizabeth Báthory, 16th-century Hungarian noblewoman and serial killer, legendary for having the blood of hundreds of young girls on her hands and indeed her body, in an attempt to attain eternal youth. The “blood countess” has been variously played in the past by Ingrid Pitt, Delphine Seyrig, Paloma Picasso, Julie Delpy and many more, but surely none were as qualified as Huppert who importantly does not modify her habitual hauteur one iota for the role. Her natural aristocratic mien and cool hint of elegant contempt were never so well matched with a part. She gives us the ...
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‘Hypnotically terrible’: readers on 15 so-bad-they’re-brilliant Christmas movies

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Whether you want to watch the story of a killer shark, a royal romance or a long-eared donkey, these films have got you covered

The first film in the A Christmas Prince series features sledding, festive markets and a coronation. Thankfully, this follow-up provides the opportunity to dive into the political economy of Aldovia, which is mysteriously haemorrhaging money – a problem which must be solved by the royal family. In my favourite scene, a frustrated protester holds a placard with the simple message “WHY?!”, which sums up my feelings on settling down to watch this film every year since its release in 2018. And yet, I do. It’s painfully low budget and the dialogue is clunky – but it never fails to make me laugh. Rebecca, London

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