What Is the Story About?
The film follows a comedic and fictional take of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet as a 250-year-old vampire who desperately wants to die. The film narrates his account right from the phase of French Revolution to being the most notorious dictator Chile has witnessed. However, after living and faking his death over and over for 250 years, Pinochet has given up on life and wishes to end his life worrying his wife and butler who also is a vampire.
Performances?
El Conde’s most central character and most entertaining performance comes from Jaime Vadell who plays Augusto Pinochet with finesse. The power hungry lustful dictator who essentially is also an egoistic, narcissistic maniac being done with the way world functions and his power snatched, is safe in his hands. He also is funny.
Analysis
One of the most relevant and noteworthy films of the year, where Jackie and Spencer fame Pablo Lorrain reimagines Chilean Dictator Augusto Pinochet as a vampire, is a satire, horror comedy and political commentary with a lot of metaphors rolled into one. Lest forget, El Conde is an entertaining ride.
The film follows a fictional hypothetical situation, where the infamous Chilean dictator who overthrew the socialist government of Chile and killed thousands of reds, rose to be a fearful authoritarian from the ranks of a mere soldier, is a 250 year old vampire in the present day. He’s seen enough, lived enough, looted enough, killed enough and now wishes to die after all the rightful humiliation the world subjects him to (after faking his death).
El Conde overflows with metaphors. The film paints dictatorship, power for greed, authoritarianism and fascism to ever living greed for power, that never dies and keeps existing like an immortal monster. In Pinochet, Lorrain places lust for power as a never dying monster. A Gothic, fearful and a more violent monster who thrives on eating ‘hearts’.
The voice-over, one of the major marvels of the film amplifies the comedy and horror in this pitch black (and white) horror comedy, and also acts as a humourous commentary on Pinochet and a lot many other power hungry politicians of his time. Pablo Lorrain goes all gun blazing in picturising the villain of his country as a blood sucking monster, after hitting on his looming blood-red legacy in No (2012).
To speak more of El Conde would unravel a chain of spoilers, but that said the film has one of the most hilariously scary and sometimes divisive finales ever. El Conde also takes the form of an investigative procedural at one point where it uncovers more on the illegal money laundering and corruption Pinochet’s government was involved in.
To be concise, El Conde is a very novel, engaging and equally entertaining political satire. It dissects the lust for power and never ending cycle of greed with aplomb writing. The screenplay finesse of this Golden Lion nominated satire is well on display, and so are the performances from its lead actors. History fanatics are especially going to dig the film, a lot.
Other Artists?
The most memorable performance of the film comes from Paula Luchsinger who plays Carmen. She is the element of honesty in a maze of greed, and the moment when she *spoilers* sacrifices herself to have a Joan of the arc moment, her eyes speak more than her lines ever could.
Stella Gonet as Margaret Thatcher is the most fun an almost cameo character has had in a long time (in my memory) and Alfredo’s Fyodor is an equally interesting performance.
Music and Other Departments?
Edward Lachman’s cinematography is stunning. His frames are sheer poetry in motion and captures the essentialities of the premise, the writer and director tries to convey. The camer work also film’s spoof nature (Old Catholic themed movies like The Passion of Joan of the Arc). The music maintains the right balance between comedy as well as ancient horror.
Highlights?
Humor
Screenplay
Cast
Interesting & Novel Premise
Cinematography
Drawbacks?
Divisive Climax
Less memorable characters
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes.
El Conde Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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