In message <[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] writes: > I'm doing a case study on Vampires and in particular on the film > Dracula - Francis Ford Coppola and Interview with the Vampire. > > I would appreciate any comments on either of those films and > interpretations of various signs ie why all the blood??? > > > Thank You > > Annabelle Antao Well...bearing in mind they are vampire movies, and therefore blood is going to be a motif... The blood scenes in Bram Stoker's DRACULA, in particulor the gushing stone crucifix etc is linked heavily with the Christian concept that the Blood of The Lamb (Christ) purifying the world. Vlad, in this film, was a Holy Warrior, fighting endless physical battle for the priests, enduring Holy Wars. His 'reward', the loss of his beloved, turned him against the christian ideal, and he refutes the cleansing Blood of Christ, for the Unholy Blood of the Unclean devil. That's the centre piece of the blood pouring from the 'wounded' cross etc. In the final scenes, he once again accepts the Holy Blood of Christ as his saviour, and he is 'cleansed' by it. The refuting of the vampiric evil, and returning to Holy Mother Church. In 'Vampire' blood concentrates the essence of what it is to be 'vampire': to be a killer. Louis's refusal to accept the brutality of the vampire existance, becomes centred on the issue of bloodtaking. He and Lestat play out quite a few scenes where Louis attempts to feed off human blood, but not to kill. In this sense, the blood becomes a metaphor not for 'evil' (as in Dracula) but for lust. The overspilled excessive blood loss of Lestat's victims, underline his excessive pleasures and joy for killing: a literal bloodlust. In 'Vampire', blood is a fine wine, a food, and epicurean delight...an excess which leads to death, murder, betrayal. In Dracula, it is a metaphor for a spiritual transgression, an act against god. You might consider looking at _The Hunger_ for your study. :) -- Morgan "Come to the edge", he said....we said "We are afraid"..."Come to the edge" he said...we came...he pushed us...and we went splat. ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]