From Horror to Satire: The Vampire Trope Gets a Political Makeover
Vampires have always been a popular subject for film and television adaptations.
In the early days, they were primarily featured in horror films.
A prime example is the 1922 silent film classic Nosferatu, which portrayed vampires as terrifying and monstrous creatures.
However, in the last three decades, vampires have undergone a complete transformation.
They’ve not only become “aesthetic icons” but have also been romantically involved with humans in various tragic love stories.
Consider Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) starring Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder.
Or Interview with the Vampire (1994), which brought together heartthrobs Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.
After 2000, the vampire theme became a mainstay in teen romance dramas.
From the Twilight film series to the TV shows True Blood and The Vampire Diaries.
Now, this theme is experiencing a resurgence in the realm of South American magical realism.
Remarkably, it satirizes a national leader, portraying him as a centuries-old, immortal, and twisted vampire.
This isn’t just a typical adaptation.
It carries a strong sense of realism, satire, and artistic expression.
It not only competed in the main competition at this year’s Venice Film Festival but also won the Best Screenplay Award.
After its recent online release, it has sparked considerable discussion.
Today, let’s delve into this unique film of the year:
El Conde (The Count)
A Controversial Figure Reimagined
The film’s protagonist is the infamous Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet.
When dictators are mentioned, the first name that comes to mind is probably Hitler.
His image has been satirized and parodied on screen numerous times.
However, unlike Hitler, who is almost universally reviled, the Chilean dictator is a figure of controversy.
In 1973, Pinochet led a military coup and subsequently subjected Chile to 17 years of dictatorial rule.
Above: The real Pinochet. Below: The film’s portrayal.
On one hand, he employed iron-fisted authoritarianism.
Upon taking power, he silenced all news outlets and brutally persecuted dissidents.
During his rule, thousands were killed, tens of thousands were arrested, and over a hundred thousand fled the country.
On the other hand, he engineered Chile’s economic miracle.
He cracked down on crime, maintained public order, and lifted the country out of turmoil.
Simultaneously, he promoted economic reforms that propelled Chile to become the highest-income nation in South America.
Even today, 30 years after Pinochet’s departure, his economic legacy continues to have an impact.
Chile’s GDP per capita consistently ranks among the highest in South America, surpassing Brazil and Argentina by a significant margin.
Therefore, Pinochet’s historical evaluation is somewhat complex.
It’s akin to China’s Qin Shi Huang, who made significant contributions to the nation but also committed unacceptable atrocities.
The Emperor and the Assassin
It also bears resemblance to South Korea’s President Park Chung-hee in the 1970s.
He single-handedly created the Miracle on the Han River, achieving rapid economic development for South Korea.
However, his oppressive rule led to public discontent, ultimately resulting in his assassination.
Even today, South Korean filmmakers continue to expose his crimes on screen, inviting condemnation.
The Man Standing Next
Interestingly, Pinochet is one of the few dictators who voluntarily initiated a process of de-dictatorship.
In 1988, he surprisingly agreed to hold a referendum, allowing the public to decide whether he should continue in office.
Perhaps he was overly confident in his achievements.
However, the final referendum results showed 44% in favor and 56% against.
Pinochet accepted the outcome, agreed to step down, and actively promoted democratization and the transfer of power during his final two years in office.
Thus, the era of this formidable figure came to an end.
El Conde: A Vampire Metaphor for Political Critique
The director of this film, Pablo Larraín, has a penchant for historical and political themes.
His previous two English-language biographical films sparked considerable discussion.
One is Jackie, starring Natalie Portman, which tells the story of Jacqueline Kennedy, the former First Lady of the United States.
The other is Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart, which focuses on the legendary life of Princess Diana.
This time, the director returns to his homeland.
He turns the camera once again toward the dictator known to all in Chile.
In his view, although Pinochet has been dead for many years, his influence continues to plague Chile today:
Our country seems to be still divided internally and still troubled by Pinochet’s crimes. Pinochet died a free man and a millionaire, and this injustice is the reason for Chile’s division.
Therefore, El Conde can be seen as the director’s reflection on the fate of the Chilean nation.
However, he completely “subverts” this historical figure, transforming him into an immortal vampire.
In the film, Pinochet has lived for 250 years.
He was born in 18th-century France, orphaned, and raised in an orphanage.
He served in the king’s army and experienced the French Revolution.
After the fall of the monarchy, he faked his death and left France.
Later, he traveled to various places.
The Soviet Union, Algeria… and finally arrived in Chile, South America.
He started as a soldier and gradually rose to the rank of general.
His ultimate goal was to become king.
In history, Pinochet passed away in 2006.
In the film, he is merely faking his death.
After the funeral, he and his family retreat to a secluded island, living in seclusion.
However, having fallen from the pinnacle of power, he increasingly feels a sense of ennui.
Gradually, the thought of “death” takes root in his mind.
Meanwhile, his wife and five children arrive on the island one after another.
Seemingly, they come to accompany their father, but in reality, they are all there to divide the inheritance.
All of this makes Pinochet feel even more weary.
At this moment, a young and beautiful woman suddenly arrives.
Ostensibly, she is there as an accountant to handle the family’s financial affairs.
In reality, she is a nun exorcist sent by the monastery.
Unexpectedly, in the process of getting along, Pinochet falls in love with this young woman.
And this reignites his desire to live.
Meanwhile, the nun is secretly investigating.
Under the guise of organizing finances, she gradually uncovers more of the family’s ugly secrets.
Political Allegory and Social Commentary
The story of El Conde is not complex.
However, the political allegory hidden behind this modified story is the film’s biggest highlight.
The film uses a strange sense of humor to illustrate the facts of Pinochet’s dictatorial atrocities.
This immediately sets a terrifying tone for the entire film.
The vampire setting makes the dictator’s crimes of killing dissidents more concrete.
In order to drink fresh and delicious human blood, Pinochet often takes flight at night.
Flying over the wilderness, through buildings, searching for prey in the city’s skies.
He doesn’t suck blood in the traditional way by biting the neck.
Instead, he aims for the chest, cuts open the carotid artery, and pulls out the entire heart.
He directly drinks the freshest blood from the heart.
Even though the entire film uses black and white to reduce the stimulation, it still makes people feel terrified and disgusted by those hunting scenes.
Pinochet even has a freezer specifically for freezing hearts.
Whenever he is hungry, he squeezes a cup of “heart juice”.
The stickiness and bloodiness of it are overwhelming.
What is even more horrifying than the killings is the greed and indifference of this family.
The children are hypocritical, weak, and only care about their father’s property.
Although the vampire gene is not hereditary, the gene of greed will continue.
Descendants may not be as cruel and bloodthirsty as their ancestors, but their obsession with power and desire for money remain the same.
The wife not only covets Pinochet’s property but also longs to become a vampire and gain eternal life.
Unfortunately, her husband is unwilling to bite her.
Because he discovered his wife’s affair with the housekeeper long ago.
The housekeeper is the only member who was turned into a vampire by Pinochet.
Over the years, he has committed countless evil deeds under the guise of his master’s power.
Sometimes, he even hunts at night, wearing his master’s clothes.
In the end, he instigates the family to kill Pinochet, showing that he has no conscience.
Even the visiting nun is gradually corrupted.
She was originally a staunch exorcist.
However, under the temptation of desire, she eventually abandons her faith.
She becomes Pinochet’s mistress and a new vampire.
Enjoying the superpowers of free flight and eternal life.
Here, everyone wants to kill the dictator.
But everyone also longs to become the dictator.
Extremely ironic.
From Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: A History of Historical Mashups
El Conde is not the first to fantasize about historical figures.
Hollywood has made many such films in the past.
For example, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
It turns the American president, Lincoln, into a knight who specializes in hunting vampires.
It also reveals that the cause of the Civil War was actually vampires.
Another example is the modified version of Pride and Prejudice - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
It fills the world of Jane Austen with zombies.
In the end, it is up to five women to save the day.
Another example is the mixed bag of Night at the Museum.
With the help of the two elements of museums and magic, it directly revives celebrities from different periods around the world and puts them in the same frame.
When it comes to having fun, this is it.