#gorcha

[collinsportmaine]

Vampire Identification Guide

The Vourdalak is French film is based on a Russia novella that predates Bram Stoker’s Dracula by 58 years. It tells the tell of a family waiting for Gorcha (their patriarch) to return from fighting the Turks. Before leaving he warned them, if he returned after 6 day - do not let him enter the house. But he returns on the 7th day!

Vourdalaks are from Balkan and Slavic folklore - vampires that return from the grave to feed on their family, decimating their bloodline and feasting on the blood of all those they hold dear.

A unique element of this French film is the Gorcha is depicted as a life size puppet, voiced by the director Adrien Beau.

[massgrav]

cunty little corpse i love you

[allsystemsblue]

Yoooooooo. Sorry I’ve been MIA, I’ve been dealing with some personal things. Howeverrrrr, I have been working on something. Himmmm. Him. I looooovelovelove Gorcha from The Vourdalak. He’s such a horrible, lovely little vampire princess. And what better way to write a love letter to the film than to turn our horrible, lovely vampire princess into a marionette?

[vampiresmashorpass]

[see-arcane]

Orlok and Gorcha at the toxic masculinity off who wins?

Gorcha has the excuse of being fucked up on Vourdalak vampirism which clearly soured his personality enough to make him demand his once-favorite dog be killed for barking. And then he had his enemies severed head nailed up outside as a trophy, which shocks his family. Dude is all hopped up on undeath weirdness, so we can't say that's entirely on him

Orlok 2024 went out of his way to Nosferatu and Scholomance his own ass into that condition and has been chilling this way for centuries when we meet him. He is how he is and that is Supremely Aggro Ye Olde Macho Rat Bastard Man.

Though I will speak up for classic 1922 Orlok who is not an aggro manly man's man. Not sure what he is other than a supremely awkward stick bug who does not know how flirting works beyond going 👁️👁️until his crush lets him suck their thumb and/or tiddy

[lokiinmediasideblog]

Thinking again of The Vourdalak (2024) and how realistic and pragmatic (and funny bc I laughed) Gorcha is when killing. He doesn't go like "I vant to suck your blood". He will shoot those in his way. I love that gay and homophobic puppet. lol. He uses that big-ass rifle (phallic symbol lmao) as a fucking walking stick.

[lonely-dog-draws]

awww so cutes (Gorcha + special guest star Sam)

[ursacolossus]

Thoughts about the queer themes of Le Vourdalak. Spoilers under the cut:

I think it’s really telling and interesting that Piotr is the only family member killed in a non-intimate manner. Gorcha doesn’t even get -close- to Piotr, Piotr was also the only family member willing to fight back, who saw Gorcha for what he was. Queerness recognized in others as a reflection of the self.

Gorcha shooting Piotr in the head, (with a traditionally phallic, masculine weapon) from a distance, wasting all of that blood, that life force, avoiding the physical intimacy of Piotr’s destruction, feels like internalized disgust from Gorcha, especially in light of the last half of the film.

Piotr shooting the dog in men’s clothing, trying their best to be a good model of what a dutiful son and man is supposed to be, shooting the dog -because- Gorcha asked them to. The man whose respect everyone else in the family, even the dog, dies for.

But Piotr doesn’t die respecting Gorcha, Piotr is the only one that knows they will most likely die for trying, goes to that death facing it with clear eyes. They dressed in something that made them feel brave and Gorcha saw them, saw the disrespect for his authority, the disrespect of traditional gender, and killed that queerness before it could kill him.

Piotr is also an incredibly important symbol of queerness not equating to evil in this movie. Piotr is just a person trying to do the best they can, caught in a system that does not accept them, but their queerness is never framed as evil, honestly neutral for the most part, which really helps contrast Piotr against Gorcha. Piotr is also never bitten, and so they are excluded from the family’s second rising. They get to end as they are, human, instead of being transformed.

Gorcha simpers a lot in this film, he moans and flounces and makes fun of the man he likes and ultimately tricks him into sex, and that is what both kills the Marquis -and- kills Gorcha. The Marquis could be seen as a hero for killing Gorcha, (he isn’t, for personality-related reasons) but he’s already been corrupted due to the -interest- and the bite of Gorcha. The queerness thrust upon him. The same as Jonathan Harker, the same as Thomas Hutter, doomed by the visceral attentions of The Other.

Obviously I’m not saying this is a homophobic film, there are just a lot of layers and to have the monster be so explicitly queer is so -interesting-. To have him be the traditional, Slavic-origin vampire, a shambling corpse, to have him be an otherworldly puppet AND to have him represent centuries of patriarchy and have him be queer is so many things at once, I love this movie a lot, is what I’m trying to say.

[wordwizards]

like you don't forget that Gorcha is a marionette obviously he has very limited facial expressions because of it and sometimes he moves in a way where it's obvious that it's just puppet arms being puppet arms. but i don't know. i guess you just get used to him and you're like "yep, that's their dad" and their dad is this

[sam-keeper]

The Vourdalak (2023)

The metatextual commentary on the horror genre looms large when people talk about Funny Games (1997), and understandably so. It doesn't take long after the first literal wink to the camera for meta stuff to take over, and for the commentary on horror fans to get pointed. But I was struck, while watching, by a different aspect of the film: politeness and middle class social convention setting traps as diabolical as any Jigsaw ever designed. The characters sleepwalk their way into their gruesome torturous deaths in part through politeness and forbearance. indeed the serial killing duo that torments them seem almost like an infection spread from one household to the next via the same social niceties, polite introductions transmitting them from one group to the next.

So: The Vourdalak.

The titular monster in The Vourdalak is a puppet, and an almost muppet-esque one at that. Like, we're not talking near-naturalistic animatronics here, we're talking a puppet that can flare his eyes open, and open and close his mouth, and otherwise acts through the body language artistry of puppeteers. It's incredible to look at, and totally not even remotely a little bit believable as a person. And yet, the entire family that Ambassador from the King of France Marquis Jacques Antoine Saturnin d’Urfe encounters in the wilderness of (maybe) Serbia seems paralyzed by the apparition of the household's patriarch. Despite the man's own firm warning not to trust whatever comes back from the woods wearing his guise, they sit this grotesque, obviously dead puppet down at the table, offer it food, and force the family closeted transsexual to shoot the family dog at its behest, all while Jacques Antoine Saturnin d'Urfe sits there in his poncy white makeup and blush and wig all but looking right at the camera helplessly. It's horrific, and also completely ludicrous.

The absurdity of it is part of what makes it horrible: even though everyone involved (except perhaps the drunken, pathologically devoted son Jegor) can see something has gone catastrophically wrong with grandfather Gorcha, their filial duties render them powerless to halt what's happening. They're also profoundly vulnerable: Piotr is at minimum a cross dresser, Anja is cowed by her husband Jegor and must look after her young son Vlad, and Sdenka is trapped in a futureless morass after the murder of the stranger who promised to take her away from the village. Also, the village has been seemingly wiped out by bandits, making the Vourdalak's presentation of the bandit leader's head impressive but pointless, and rendering the cast profoundly isolated.

Even Jacques Antoine Saturnin d'Urfe is hampered by being just the wettest protagonist. The man is a floppy noodle in period accurate caked on makeup. Wildly out of his element, he summons periodically the gumption to chase after Sdenka (she responds by nearly tricking him into falling off a cliff) but otherwise just minces about rather aimlessly, too out of his depth and paralyzed by social convention to put up much resistance to the blood sucking revenant. I didn't hate him, mind--part of the humor and horror of the story comes from watching this high society guy bumble around in the 18th century equivalent of a backwoods hick horror film. It's clear he wants to do the right thing, and shows the Vourdalak's prospective victims sympathy alien both to the monster and to Jegor. He just happens to be about as effectual and plausible an opponent to the undead as a peacock dipped in a particularly muddy puddle.

This year we also watched the 2001 French adventure horror period film Brotherhood of the Wolf, and it's interesting that for all its attempts to feel contemporary to 2001, it mostly feels… very contemporary to 2001, if you get me. I mean, credit where it's due, it CLEARLY inspired a significant part of the look of Bloodborne, but in trying for a modern glitz it winds up embodying not just a bunch of aesthetics (ZOOMS! FAST CUTS! THE MATRIX JUST CAME OUT EVERYBODY LET'S SPEED UP AND SLOW DOWN THE ACTION SCENES!) that are very locked into their time, but a bunch of tropes that feel similarly dated (the Wise Native American Sidekick, the love interest menaced by a disfigured and incestuous brother, sssssome sort of position on the French Revolution that's kind of hard to figure out?).

The Vourdalak, in embracing an already "outmoded" form of puppetry, and cleaving closer to the alien high class aesthetics of the 18th century that Brotherhood replaces with their more hip take, feels like it's destined to age a bit better. The strength of the fable helps. When in one of the most truly wretched scenes of the film the Vourdalak picks up a shotgun and blasts a hole in poor Piotr's skull, it feels discordant that this gothic horror should be wielding modern weaponry. But it also feels perversely fitting: the patriarch simply makes use of whatever tools are at his disposal to keep the family disciplined. The Vourdalak is said to prey first on its closest loved ones. Jacques Antoine Saturnin d'Urfe does such a good job of being a polite guest who doesn't make waves that the Vourdalak can't help but see him as one of the family. I don't expect this narrative of being sucked (hah) into complicity losing its bite anytime soon.

[immediatebreakfast]

Carmilla is not original conflicted vampire in literature. Varney the Vampire was conflicted vampire in 1840s already. He even committed suicide by throwing himself into Mount Vesuvius to end it all. Many of today's standard vampire tropes also originated in Varney: Varney has fangs, leaves two puncture wounds on the necks of his victims, comes through a window to attack a sleeping maiden, has hypnotic powers, and has superhuman strength.

Carmilla was influenced and inspired by Varney. All other multi-dimensional vampires or takes on vampires exist also thanks to Varney.

I admit that you got me there, BUT Carmilla does have something that Varney does not have which is pure unfiltered inmortal teenage angst. And yeah! It's really interesting to see how all of the tropes about vampires that we have today sort of pile from every single vampire related piece of literature that has one. It's almost like a collaborative work that spawned from centuries ago that is still going to this day to build what literature calls classic vampire stories.

Let's see what we can trace from the beginning until we run into Carmilla:

The creature Strigói from romanian mythology, linked to vampirism thanks to characteristics like: Not eating garlic and onions, avoiding incense, and how towards the feast of Saint Andrew they sleep outdoors. It has been around Romania for a long time, and it's most early mentions was the story of Jure Grando Alilović who lived from 1579 to 1656. He is possibly the first person to be described as a vampire, or in the correct language a strigói.

The vampire from Der Vampir by Heinrich August Ossenfelder, a poem published in 1748. It references the vampire outside the figure of the Strigoi.

The bride from The Bride of Corinth by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, a german poem published in 1797. Starring a female figure as the vampire.

Geraldine from the unfinished two part narrative ballad Christabel by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, published in 1816. She has vampiric like qualities, and a "terrible but undefined" mark on her chest.

The infamous lord Ruthven, from the Vampyre which was published in 1819 by John William Polidori. The first cohesive story about vampirism entails.

Anthony Gibbons, and the Prince from The Black Vampyre: A Legend of St. Domingo by Uriah Derick D’Arcy, also published in 1819. Introduces the literary concept of the dhampir, and the first story to feature black vampires.

Vampirismus or Aurelia by ET Hoffman, published in 1820. The narrative focuses on the rise and downfall of Aurelia after transforming into a ghoul who has vampire like qualities.

Brunhilda from Laßt die Todten ruhen by Ernst Raupach, published in 1823. It features the reanimation, and transformation of a person into a vampire, along with the consequences that it brings.

Alinska from La Vampire by Etienne-Léon de Lamothe-Langon, published in 1825. It shows the rather tragic transformation of a vampire via suicide.

Lady Clarimonde from La Morte Amoureuse, published in 1836 by Théophile Gautier. Establishing the trope of the female vampire as a figure of seduction.

The mysterious Stranger from Der Fremde by Karl Von Wachsman, published in 1844. features the use of vampiric powers like turning into fog to enter the chambers of their victim, and wolf control.

The titular Varney the Vampire by James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest, published around 1845 to 1847. Another instance of the vampire being presented as a victim of its nature, and a more complex character work.

Carmilla Karnstein (She's here! ♥️) from Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu, published in 1872. Introduces the prototype literary trope of the lesbian vampire.

The Gorcha family from The Family of the Vourdalak by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy, published in 1884. It plays with the concept of vampires transforming their loved ones into vampires.

Count Dracula and the Weird Sisters from Dracula by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. Establishes the modern tropes, look, and notions of the vampire in popular culture.

Wow... those are lots of vampires!

Edit: Christabel, Aurelia, and Alinska added thanks to the important note of @wiliecoyotegenius!

[catboybiologist]

and i forgot the link, its https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmRWHdJwtGw at 13:25

Gorcha, I asked about this in my ask response so if ire that part

Still, your first reaction to hearing something that you suspect is misinformation shouldn't be to "urgently" use me as some kind of gotcha

[massgrav]

Tillsammans är vi allt

—

The Vourdalak x Nosferatu (2024)

[allsystemsblue]

As a love letter to my favorite puppet, I wanted to create a marionette version of Gorcha from The Vourdalak.

[see-arcane]

Worst match-ups for Jonathan in the Classic Vamps Line-Up?

Oh man

Lord Ruthven of "The Vampyre"

Would definitely be thirsty to alternately drink him or torment him because the guy has a kink for making virtuous pretty young things deader, miserabler, and/or insaner than they started. But, all things considered, I think Jonathan would either side step him or relieve him of his head--the Vampyre is shown to be fairly limited in his supernatural juice, preferring to use his own knives to open throats rather than chomping. Jonathan could take him.

Clarimonde

She would be fiending for Mr. Holiest 'I would kill and die and blaspheme in every direction for my beloved' Love so fast. But, seeing as she is not Mina, no sale. Jonathan would scramble out of psychic reach the second he got airdropped a little ;) from her and feel ashamed about daring to think a stranger was pretty. No amount of loving or hedonistic pspspsps will get him back either. Sorry, Clarimonde. (Talk with Mina though, maybe if you get a permission slip you three can work something out)

The Family of the Vourdalak

Good news! No risk of romantic entanglement, also for Mina reasons! No crush on the vampire patriarch's daughter! Bad news. Jonathan's still going to Jonathan and that usually means unwittingly endearing himself to nice strangers he shares a roof with. Someone's going to get attached to him in Gorcha's house -> threat of being targeted by the Vourdalak 'turn who you love' curse. And honestly, unless he kicks into the spontaneous super speed that got his ass through the Carpathians, Jonathan might get got here. These Vourdalaks are sturdy enough to walk off heart impaling and attack en masse as a shrieking tidal wave dedicated to Not Letting You Escape. The narrator of the original short story only made it because he had a horse. If Jonathan was solo? No telling...but his odds aren't good.

Countess Dolingen and the Undead Village of "Dracula's Guest"

Proto-Jonathan made it out of their reach via Dracula saving his ass. Finished Jonathan? It depends on him being Pre or Post-October 3rd. Human Jonathan out on a little nature walk? Probably gets got. Enigmatic Cryptid Jonathan, fresh from lopping off Dracula's head? Dolingen and crew alternately A) Keep their distance of B) Toss him a gift basket (also from a distance).

Carmilla

If she's sticking to her known MO, she's likely not interested in Jonathan. But if it's down to a confrontation, my money is actually still on Jonathan, pre or post-October 3rd. Carmilla is not a fighter. She infiltrates, she drinks a victim to death or undeath, and she ditches. If he makes it to her coffin, it's over for her. (It's over for her much faster if she happened to target Mina or Lucy, but I digress)

Helen Penclosa of "The Parasite"

Somehow she keeps winding up in vampire anthologies despite being more of the 'hypnotism/possession' villain type, but if she's good enough for the anthologies, she's good enough for this list as a psychic vampire. In brief: Jonathan loses. He loses bad. If he does not have outside help or she doesn't helpfully croak out of her own poor health, we are never seeing this boy again because Penclosa is puppet mastering his romantic ass out of sight forever. No contest. RIP. (Don't worry, Mina will handle it. But still. Not Jonno solo.)

[mo-jo-jo]

A Dreamy, Horrible Fairytale || The Vourdalak (Review and Write Up)

A French Vampire Horror Film that caught my interest some time ago. I didn't realize it was on Amazon until recently and finally had the chance to watch it. Most of this video is admittedly just me babbling about my pretty broad observations of the film.

It's been a few days since I posted this and so have a few more thoughts, which you can read below:

I was apprehensive to really dive into any of the concepts concerning gender, sexuality and cultural hegemony vs folk belief. While I do think there's a lot of those elements worth dissecting in the movie, I wondered how much of those perceptions are formed from my own cultural background and lifestyle - As opposed to actually being baked into the film.

Elements such as Piotr's gender expression or Gorcha's suggestive comments (and eventual, direct physical iniquity) towards the Marquee stand out within first viewing. Piotr also involves himself in actions that - at least to my American perspective - feel like something more akin to traditionally womanly roles. This includes taking part in folkloric beliefs and practices, as well as him simply expressing emotional distress. While the Marquee is shown in similar conditions, he glides somewhere between the expected roles of both Jeger and Piotr. His foreigner status and eccentric otherness seems to permit him a fluidity not allowed to the other men... At least for most of the film.

Painted both as a subjugated and illicit action, this never the less weaves a fairly fluid expression given the rigid dynamics within the film. I personally would interpret this as another way to highlight just how stigmatizing and alienating the familial and cultural structures can be for the family. The implication being (at least in my opinion) that their relationship was tenuous at best, and held together at least partially from societal expectation long before the events of the film.

This is seen in other ways too, such as in Anja's open distress that her sister-in-law (Sdenka) is unable to be married off due to her previous indiscretions in the eyes of their community.

I think they do love each other, but would not necessarily like each other in a world where each were strangers. Personally, I believe that is a sentiment that many siblings can attest to. I love my sisters, but we are each so starkly unique that in another world we may have never properly met. At the same time, we are tied together through our shared experiences and - obviously- our family togetherness.

Additionally Gorcha holds an iron grip over his family, allowed to him through cultural tradition and (at least later in the film) fear. This enables him firstly to reenter the home as a monster and later to guide them to their demise. It's only when everything is lost that Jegor is able to reflect and admit what had delivered them to their end. We don't see or hear much of Gorcha's character before the events of the film, so his nature before the film starts is definitely up to interpretation. Was he always a monster, or did becoming one bring out the worst in him?

On a different note - it helps that The Vourdalak itself so physically nice to watch. Filmed on physical film as opposed to digital gives the movie a more classical look, with a graininess (although that could be my monitor as I watched it on my computer) and grit akin to movies from days gone by. In my YouTube review I highlight it's fairytale look, but I would be remiss not to mention how well I think this could work as a theater production. Many shots look like they could be pulled directly from a stage. Sdenka's speech as she explain their father's whereabouts feels almost like a soliloquy. A moment where she is just as trapped in her own thoughts as her family is enraptured in her tale. Likewise this could come from the puppetry element... or maybe just because I love a nice dramatic stage show.

Ultimately, The Vourdalak paints a melancholic and perhaps even bitter narrative that leaves me feeling a bit forlorn. It's a woeful piece of art, with much more going on aside from it's vampiric elements. Expressing a lot in less than 2 hours, it entertained me enough (even after a few rewatches) that I have yet to be truly bored with the film.