Tale of a Vampire (1992) Online

I'm a huge a vampire horror/romance fan and I thought this movie delivered that romance, mystery, and horror found in most vampire stories. Alex (played by the physically stunning Julian Sands) is a lonely vampire still mourning the loss of his lover, Virginia. He spends most of his time brooding the streets and hanging around the local library until one day he meets Ann (Suzanna Hamilton, a wonderful actress who seemed to have disappeared after a good body of work) who bears a striking resemblence to Virginia. Like Alex, Ann is alone and in mourning of her lover who died in an accident. Through bizarre circumstances brought on by a mysterious man, Ann and Alex become drawn and attracted to one another.

I loved the relationship between Alex and Ann. Filled with tension, repulsion, regret, sadness, longing, and desperation. The film is flawed because it moves at a slow pace, but the story itself is good. The performances by Sands and Hamilton are good and does not play out the cheesiness of the whole swooning into the vampire's arms routine. Ann is real and lovely to Alex while she is touched by his sadness and drawn by his mystery. It's a vampire movie that tries not to play the same formula and plays as a human drama of two very different beings.

This is one of the most morbid and thoroughly depressing vampire stories I have ever seen...and yet, it also contains moments of dark beauty that nearly redeem it.

Alex (Julian Sands) is a lonely, centuries old vampire wandering the streets of London. The only woman he ever loved was lost to him centuries ago...but there's a new woman in his life, a woman named Ann who bears an extraordinary resemblance to Virginia, the young girl Alex once loved. Ann has recently lost a love of her own to a fiery car crash, and lives deep in her own gray depression. After an anonymous letter leads her to a new job in an occult library, Ann begins a slow, hesitant courtship with Alex, whom she finds both attractive and a little spooky. Alex, confused and jaded (and also unable to refrain from imagining himself feeding on Ann) holds her at arms length. But the fears and emotions of Alex and Ann are not the only complications in their relationship. There's another man stalking them both...a man named Edgar, who was once married to Virginia and has been looking for Alex for a very long time.

This movie is, quite obviously, an homage to the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, most of which dealt with the sad, early deaths of beautiful young women, one of which was Poe's own wife and cousin, Virginia. It is a slow, dark, oppressively bleak tale, filled with blood and despair. It is an all-too mortal tale of loves lost and people scarred by the cruelties of life, be it mortal or immortal. This sad tale of pain has no happy ending and reinforces the depressing ideal that what we love most will be taken from us forever, before the love can ever be admitted, known, expressed and shared.

This film is beautifully shot and has great performances. The story is nothing new, but its strange little twists almost make up for that fact. By all means, see it at least once, especially if you're a fan of vampire cinema...just don't watch it when you're already depressed, because it won't do a thing to snap you out of it.

This film isn't about plot or dialogue so much as it is about angles, style and lighting technique. The plot moves slowly so the watcher can enjoy the express talents of the director's shot choices.

Julian Sands is riveting, capturing the personality of a slightly deranged vampire riddled with heartache and centuries of guilt, while Suzanna Hamilton portrays a woman beside her own wits with grief. The shift between plotlines is especially brilliant when they collide with present moments in time.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who can appreciate a good art film.

Best vampire movie I have seen in a long time.

I have many vampire films and quite enjoy the genre. Unfortunately most vampire (or horror, for that matter) films go for action and gore instead of more subtle approaches. Which is where this film really shines. Slow and Plot-Driven would be the keywords for this film, as there is not much violence and the gore that is included is merely there so we can see the main character for the monster he is, as well is his human side, for the added contrast.

The performances by the actors are on the whole good, the settings are truly excellent and ambient light and sounds are used with great attention and a certain amount of style, and create exactly the right atmosphere at each moment. One such instant would be every time the vampire (Sands) is in a dark scene with another character, nice use of lighting to show his heightened senses. The script is also solid, with good dialogue and character development.

I can understand those who dislike the film, though. It IS slow, and for those who just meant to grab a quick and violent vampire flick, this is not the right movie. On the other hand, if you enjoy the vampire mythos and would like to see a film driven by characters and a good script (as opposed to ultraviolence to a frantic techno beat) then this film is for you.

The lack of huge fangs was also a nice change, this vampire is mostly human, and the eroticism of the vampire legend is not lost in this film, and believably carried by the actors.

Highly recommended (for the right audience)

If your idea of vampire films involves buckets of blood, fast-paced action, a ton of ultra-violence, a fair bit of sex, then more blood, this film will not be for you. You will be bored stiff, and will find little satisfying in this film.

However, for those people who can appreciate something more than that, and value the more subtle approaches to filmaking, then this is definitely worth a look.

This is an art-house style movie, with a good, and suitably heart-wrenching story, directed, filmed and lit in a stunningly beautiful, and thoughtful way.

Acting is superb throughout, but its the sets, the lighting, and the film work itself that make this film shine. And it does. I didn't find it boring, or even particularly slow paced. I had enormous empathy for the situations of both main characters, and was pleased that the ending avoided all the cinematic clichés of the past 50 years.

You could view it as depressing, and in many ways it is, but I don't mind that in a film. If I want inane one-liners, and throw-away vampire entertainment, I'll watch Buffy, or Blade. If I want something a bit more intelligent, thought-provoking, and different, then this is it.

I happily award this film 10 / 10 - I haven't enjoyed a film as much as I did this one for quite some time. i will be buying it on DVD.

This is by far the best Vampire film I have ever seen. Finally a film which is based on character rather than driven by plot and endless gore. Wonderfully shot and with great performances from all involved. Highly recommended! So often films are influenced by the likes of Interview with the Vampire and other post-Rice trash, which contain a romanticised view of the Vampire's nature and life, but this film takes us back to the original meaning of Vampires: anguish and death, but without letting the gore take over. This is by far the best Vampire film I have ever seen. Finally a film which is based on character rather than driven by plot and endless gore. Wonderfully shot and with great performances from all involved. Highly recommended! So often films are influenced by the likes of Interview with the Vampire and other post-Rice trash, which contain a romanticised view of the Vampire's nature and life, but this film takes us back to the original meaning of Vampires: anguish and death, but without letting the gore take over.

I will repeat what other reviewers have said about this movie before me: if you expect action,horror,gore and sex in the type of Blade or Underworld, don't watch it, because you will be disappointed.

This is an "art" movie, directed by a Japanese director, which means that there is little dialog, the plot is very simple, on the limit of boring to some viewers, and that the movie will try to convey to you the feelings of the main characters through a unique filming technique,the lightning, the camera angles and the general atmosphere of the movie. From this point of view this movie is a small masterpiece, describing to perfection the never ending sadness and pain of an immortal and indestructible creature. I have never understood so well a vampire character, nor felt so deeply for one as in this movie. Interview with a vampire came really close, but it lacked the superb atmosphere of Tale of a vampire. What does one have to live for if one has lost the most precious thing in one's life? And how excruciating is it to know that you are condemned to live on, forever, with this pain. It is what Alex, the vampire, is feeling, and the acting from Julian Sands is superb. Suzanne Hamilton is Anne, a woman who has also lost someone dear, and a very complex character to my eyes. Although she barely speaks, you understand that she is brave, lonely, kind, understanding, warm, balancing between despair and hope. The destinies of Anne and Alex cross each other due to the mysterious character Edgar, a reference to the poet and writer Edgar Allan Poe. The movie reflects a lot the sad and tragic atmosphere of his poems, as Anne's and Alex's fate begin to unfold. Fantastic vampire movie!

p.s. *major spoiler alert!!!* for those who do not understand why that little girl falls from the sky with a sword in her, it's Edgar's doing to incriminate Alex and force him to kill the witnesses. Edgar has a sword, remember? Also, it looks to me as if Edgar is responsible for the death of Anna's fiancé too since he's at the scene of the car accident in the very first scene. He planned it all to bring these 2 together and have his revenge on Alex.

I agree with all the positive comments. I saw this movie mid-1990s and was blown away by it. I've since seen it about six times. Yes, it's slow, and if by 'horror' you mean fast-paced, aggressive, obvious, then this film isn't for you. But if the word horror means an emotion to you and you enjoy seeing that emotion woven into a mosaic of other emotions that will end up creating a rich and complex tapestry on film, one that can move you in a lot of different ways which includes horrifying you, and if you enjoy stylish movies, then you definitely should see this one. Julian Sands is excellent in the vampire role, very quirkily British, and it works wonderfully. I can't say enough good things about this movie. I only came to this site today because I remembered the movie, was telling a friend about it, and wanted to check the release date. From the comments, it's either a love it or hate it movie, it seems. Put me on the love it side.

I enjoyed this film. It has a dreamy quality to it and has an element of mystery. The design is nicely evocative and the pacing is almost languid. If this is the intention then bravo, because it perfectly captures what Alex, the titular vampire, must feel through the century plus of his undead life. Night after night of ceaseless existence which must be filled with stimulation and not just the stimulus of hunting humans. It captures the loneliness that such a creature, still endowed with all the normal feelings that he once knew in his human life, must endure. In fact, it captures this better than "Interview With A Vampire" does.

If you seek a bloodbath, look elsewhere. This is a vampire film about longing and despair and well worth a viewing.

The opening scenes move as fluidly as frozen velveeta. The attempt at dramatic dialogue only makes me wish I had better control of the fast forward control. Vampires are usually portrayed as sexy and intelligent or mangy disgusting creatures. This vampire tries to seduce his prey by imitating a lost puppy. I usually tally a body count, so there was a cat (which doesn't count) a bum, a girl who fell out of the sky with a sword in her (whatever that was about) and then the plot. Foley artists are respected for using celery to create the sound of a broken arm, but using the sound of biting into an apple for a vampire biting a victim is just plain silly. I liked Warlock, but this movie just stunk so bad that we turned it off, and it was so forgettable we rented it a year later only to turn it off again.

I love Julian Sands and will at least attempt to watch anything he's in, but this movie nearly did me in. I'm hard pressed to remember when I found any other movie to move....so......slow.........ly.....zzzzzzzzzzzz

Pop it in the VCR when you've run out of sleeping pills.

All mood, little substance seeps from this subdued, slowly paced melancholy modern-day vampire tale of sensual passion and obsessive love. Director / co-writer Shimako Sato does show promise with this Gothic low budget horror effort. This is on the technical side though, as the material is quite flawed and limited. Still there was a good (if unique) enough story within the framework wanting to emerge, and the ending throws up an unexpected chain of events. There's mystery, and it's driven by its characters and the tragic air is drilled in tight. But on the other hand the script is a little stuffy and empty, and there's a lack of thrills even though it does quench itself in some bloody, viscous scenes. It's quite messy on the blood drinking too. Even with these jolts, it focuses more on the moving story at hand. Some of the traditional vampire customs see little daylight too. The exemplary Julian Sands' beautifully placid, forlorn, heart-aching presence doesn't look out-of-place, and leading lady Suzanna Hamilton complements Sands with a edgy, but determined performance. However it's Kenneth Cranham's dark, enigmatic support turn that surprisingly engages. Sato purposely stages a bleak atmospheric stench with steady timing, and her articulate visual sense is dangerously succulent and enticingly poetic. It's ambitious, and haunting to watch. Elegantly masterful photography gives it a real personal guidance, brooding lighting shapes up nicely and the sweeping orchestral score is ineffectually jarring and emotionally layered.

I have to admit that Julian Sands is one of my favorites, and it was the strength of Mr. Sands in the title role that was my draw to film. It was a very atmospheric piece with some of the most haunting scenes that I can remember in a movie.

All of the three principals in the film did an excellent job! I liked the plot a lot. The movie kept you wondering who the love interest was. You wondered if she was immortal. The twist ending was unexpected, but on a second watching, the director did insert clues throughout the film.

It was not quite the Sixth Sense, but Tale of a Vampire did it better than most movies do.

The first thing I'd like to say about this movie is that the synopsis is incorrect. While the vampire "Alex" (Julian Sands) does in fact drink the blood of animals, it also clearly shows him drinking the blood of humans and he admits doing so as well. So it isn't like he's a "pacifist" or the vampire equivalent of a vegetarian or anything. I say this in order to make the mood of the movie more understandable. It's a dark film and I think Julian Sands does a good job showcasing the brooding and sad state of emotion that has come over him. Likewise, Suzanne Hamilton (as both "Anne" and "Virginia") also shows a certain sense of loneliness that is necessary for the character as well as a sober film of this type. To be sure, this is not an action-packed film with all of the usual clichés thrown in for good measure. The vampires in this film can function during the day without bursting into flames and there are no scenes of wooden stakes through the heart. So some viewers may not enjoy the film because of the lack of action or preset notions they have come to expect. On the other hand, I don't believe that this is a film without flaws either. In some parts it is both slow and dull and I think it was due more to the director (Shimako Sato) trying to create something "artistic" rather than something just simply enjoyable. But that's just my opinion. I also would have preferred that Julian Sands had shown a bit more passion instead of keeping things so lifeless and understated. In short, this isn't a bad movie. But I don't think it set any new standards of excellence either.

Vampire falls in love with a woman who looks an awful lot like a long lost love of his who died many centuries ago. However, a pesky doctor seems to know more then he is letting on and seems to have an evil motive. All three leads are exceptional (as far as horror movies go), the sets are well done, and the premise & story is intelligent & interesting, but the snail like pace almost does in a fine horror film.

Rated R; Violence.

Regarded as oftimes somewhat of goth-fodder and less worthy of consideration, the romantic vampire film, especially in its more modern incarnations has seen some bad times. Tale of a Vampire certainly satisfies the goth-fodder side of things but it's a surprisingly fine film nonetheless. It stars Julian Sands as Alex, a cultured, melancholy creature of the night who falls for Anne, an employee new to his preferred library for research. She shares his melancholy search for companionship, with the bonus of being the spitting image, indeed perhaps some reincarnation of his long lost love Virginia. The film takes a slow approach with luxurious atmosphere, one of its most notable features is the cinematography of Zubin Mistry and its transformation of London exteriors into a gorgeous nightworld, a phantasmagorical realm of blue hues, streets that fair gleam in the rain and puddles that seem like deep pools. A place of dark beauty, where past and present can twine, fantasy, romance and the real, in visual contrast with sad and sylvan romantic flashbacks of a brighter palette. A dreamlike ambiance pervades the film, as well as the aforementioned shifts in time and reality there are moments where characters shift gears imperceptibly, connecting tissue of relationship dialogue elided as the plot moves on emotional inevitability rather than laid out structure. Writer/director Shimako Sato clearly isn't aiming to snag fans of tight plotting or fast pace here, but captures perfectly her mournful themes. Julian Sands does well in his role, not terribly expressive but imbued with tired, sad intelligence and bracing flashes of violence. Suzanna Hamilton is even better as Anne, lonely, fair aching for love but still dignified, moving stuff, whilst a spot of antagonism is provided by a suitably sinister Kenneth Cranham. There's even some nice bloodshed in this one, not a whole lot but certainly a couple of unexpectedly brutal moments, its certainly not afraid to get its hands dirty every so often. There are minor flaws in the pacing and construction here I think, Cranham's character appears too late, potentially interesting side roles come to naught and there are bits and bobs of plotting and thematics that are introduced and then fall by the wayside but in general I was more concerned by these problems after watching the film, whilst sat there in front of it I was largely captivated. Tricky to throw out a full on recommendation with this one, as many will no doubt find it sappy or boring, but if macabre romance and beautiful visuals tickle your fancy, this is well worth a look.

Tale of a Vampire starts with immortal Vampire Alex (Julian Sands) reminiscing about the way things used to be, about his one true love Virginia (Suzanna Hamilton) who he lost many years ago. Alex then picks a cat up & drinks it's blood... Alex is currently writing a thesis on religious marters, those burned at the stake for their beliefs & that sort of thing. Alex regularly frequents a library full of the reference & old manuscripts he needs but the library only has one employee at the moment Denise (Marion Diamond) so she plans to advertise for an assistant when Anne (Suzanna Hamilton again) walks in & offers her services despite the job not being formally advertised yet, seeing it as a stroke of luck Denise gives Anne the job. Alex instantly recognises the resemblance Anne has to Virginia & starts to get close to her, taking her to dinner, walking her home & having strange cryptic conversations with her. Anne knows something isn't right about Alex & her fears are seemingly confirmed when a man named Edgar (Kenneth Cranham) suddenly shows up & explains to Anne that Alex is a Vampire & that he must be destroyed...

This English production was written & directed by Shimako Sato & I saw some nice ideas & elements in here that were ultimately lost amongst the sedate pacing. The script really is about as threadbare as one could imagine, the whole first forty minutes of Tale of a Vampire is nothing more than Anne getting the job at the library & meeting Alex, that's it. Alex is a bit of a dull Vampire, all he does everyday is sit in a library reading books which in the end has no real relevance to the story & pine over Virginia. On the positive side Tale of the Vampire is a quite emotive film & I ended up feeling for the character's, I started to feel somewhat sorry for everyone involved & a little sad for Alex at the downbeat climax. The story of Virginia unfolds through flashbacks that Alex has so that subplot punctuates the slowness of the main story at times. Tale of a Vampire is a different sort of Vampire film, it's very story & character driven, there's no big action or horror scenes even though it is gory on occasion & it's not very traditional in the sense that Alex never grows fangs, he's not afraid of the daylight & he doesn't sleep in a coffin. There are only two or three main character's in Tale of a Vampire & the dialogue is kept to an absolute minimum which may be a problem for some as it definitely doesn't help the pace of the film.

Japanese director Sato has created a visually stylish film, because of the minimal dialogue & story Tale of a Vampire relies heavily on it's imagery. The cinematography & lighting are both great & Tale of a Vampire is a nice looking film with some cool shots, lighting & angles. Having said that where did that kid who falls from the sky with a sword stuck in him come from? Anyone whose seen it will know the scene I'm talking about, I couldn't work out what was supposed to have happened in that scene. Set in London the dark back alleys make for a grimy setting & give the film a nice familiar & modern but sinister & creepy atmosphere throughout although there aren't many libraries like that in London, if any. There is some nice gore, most of it involves fountains of blood pouring from wounds, someone has their throat slit, people are stabbed with swords & old piping, cats are mutilated & someone has their head bashed against a wall which results in gallons of blood spurting everywhere.

Technically Tale of a Vampire is top notch considering the budget it must have had, the photography, production design, special effects & music are all impressive & it's generally well made throughout. The acting was OK, I liked Sands as Alex, the way he looks & his subdued lonely performance worked well. Hamilton as Anne didn't do much for me but she was alright.

Tale of a Vampire isn't a film for everyone, it's a challenging piece of film-making. Sure it's just about as slow as a film can be but the way it's filmed & put together I found it watchable & I actually cared for those on screen for a change.

Alex(Julian Sands), a vampire who often frequents a library, finds that a newly hired clerk, Anne(Suzanna Hamilton) resembles a long lost love, Virginia, sparking up a desire for relations with her. A mysterious intruder named Edgar(Kenneth Cranham)who persuasively ignites dinner conversations with Anne, attempts to warn her of Alex, because she indeed is attracted to him. There are unresolved deaths plaguing the London streets, and we watch as Alex pursues his victims, unable to halt the blood thirst his nature so requires.

More of a doomed Gothic romance set in gloomy modern London where the fog still lives and breathes at night as Alex stalks the streets for his prey, and his feeding can be quite messy. I fell in love with how director Shimako Sato builds the mood of this tale, using blue, the way light is reflected and produced, rain, graffiti walls, the crumbling walls of Alex's dilapidated dwelling, & various other London locales which seem the perfect background of our vampire's existence and anguish. Sands, who facial features and hanging shoulders has him resembling a droopy lost puppy seeking refuge and a kind heart, I thought was perfect in the lead as Alex. I also liked how Sato often captures Sands, quietly emerging from a dark corner..while quite a sympathetic figure thanks in part to Sands work, he's also a brooding menace. I've always liked those vampire tales which display a lonely figure, melancholy, yearning for someone taken away, whose craving for human blood is so insatiable he's almost beast-like. I think that works well in this film..showing how Sato's camera seductively captures Sands', a handsome smallish man, whose not all that imposing, turn savage when it's time to feed, such as one scene where he throws a victim up against a wall, crushing his skull, lifting the poor soul above him with blood scattering throughout his face and lips. Another scene shows Alex caressing a wayward cat before sinking his teeth into it's furry neck. We even get a dream sequence where Alex is drinking the blood from Anne's cut finger, as he plunges on top of her, biting into her neck, drinking her blood. Cranham as Edgar is scholarly while quite imposing and straight-forward, often abrupt while also, at the same time, keeping secrets with a darkness behind his eyes. Even when Edgar informs Anne of who Alex really is, it seems like an agenda is always present as if this air of animosity drives/motivates him. Who Edgar really is heightens the despair and angst of Alex's loneliness. I felt Hamilton provides a moving performance as Anne(..and Virginia)using subtlety instead of melodramatics. Like Alex, Anne is a lonely-heart as well, having lost someone dear to her as well. The idea of having someone you love snatched away and the fear of dying, yet living all alone are themes I felt really make this film work well. Not critically acclaimed, I think it's one hell of a vampire film.

Off course, Tale of a Vampire is no masterpiece, but a good movie with great actors. Julian sands plays great. The movie is a little bit boring but not bad! A good movie about the very sad life of a vampire! If you like sad movies, you will like this movie!

This is the movie that I use to judge all other bad movies, and so far there hasn't been anything close.

The only good thing I can say is that after watching this I know that I have seen the worst movie I will ever see.

I have to say this: the reason i liked this films is double. First, because of Julian Sands, of course, he is very handsome and a very attractive and believable vampire. The second is that I loved the twisted end about this Edgar Clemm being Edgar Allan Poe and taking revenge on poor Alex, although the actor chosen to portray Poe was a little bit of a disappointment. It is a pity, however, that the movie is so slow, and so short. A little more of vampire romance and more flashbacks of the XIX century Baltimore would had been a nice gesture to all vampire and Gothic fans. Also I watched it entirely dubbed on Spanish language which, I guess, diminished the possibility of hearing the original voices of the actors. I enjoyed the loneliness of the main character and laughed at the scene of the bloody-finger-kiss. All in all, the movie is a good effort in story telling and very valuable for us, vampire fans, who tend to be very romantic.

I watch lots of scary movies (or at least they try to be) and this has to be the worst if not 2nd worst movie I have ever had to make myself try to sit through. I never knew the depths of Masacism until I rented this piece of moldy cheese covered in a used latex contraceptive. I am a fan of Julian Sans, but this is worse than I would hope for him.

On the other hand the story was promising and I was intrigued...for the first minute and a half while the credits rolled and I had yet to see what pain looked like first hand. Perhaps there are some viewers out there that enjoyed this and can point me in the right direction, but then again I know of those viewers who understand if not commemorate me, especially when we had to turn the video off, and that simply is NOT done with our watching (we had to make one exception obviously).

If it were up for a remake, I'd give it a chance so long as they had at most 1% of the original incorporated into it. That's all.

The premise of the history (an ancient vampire with a lost lover finding a look-alike he can't get close to for fear to kill her) can't be more overdo.

But when the movie advances, much of the vampire-clichés are thankfully absent, and the acting is good.

Julian Sands can get afloat almost anything, get that in mind.

Having said that, and as you should know if you have seen the other reviews,the thing is SLOW.

SLOW as you won't believe. If you can deal with that and the inherent sadness of the whole thing ( that you know from about twenty minutes of watching that can't end well), may be a good midnight event.

The movie opens upon Julian Sands, lying on his back, a black kitten drooling blood into his awaiting mouth from where he holds it, about two feet above him. That was so provocative, and I thought, "Here we go! A good vampire movie!"

And then it died. That was literally the only scene which captured any part of the imagination. It was slow, uneventful drivel thereafter. I was vastly disappointed, as my previous experience with Sands' acting was quite enjoyable. However, this attempt was obviously misdirected and the screenplay left a lot to be desired.

Even Julian Sands's questionable performance could not begin to save this already sunken barge of a movie.

It rates a 1.1/10 from...

the Fiend :.