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

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 ...

Kidman, Clooney, Craig and Jolie join Venice film festival lineup

Stars will descend on the Lido as Pablo Larraín’s Maria Callas biopic contends with the Joker and Beetlejuice sequels for this year’s Golden Lion

The Venice film festival will this year feature one of its starriest lineups to date, with the likes of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Cate Blanchett, Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga all expected to descend on the Lido.

The 81st edition of the festival, which runs from 28 August to 7 September, is back with a bang after it was deprived of its usual pomp and glamour during last year’s Hollywood strikes.

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