Daughters of Darkness DVD Review

The digitallyobsessed.com Web site has just posted a new review of the Daughters of Darkness DVD that's worth checking out. Not surprisingly it singles out John Karlen's performance - but it also says something that went completely over my head:

intriguingly, his portrayal gets an added depth not so much from anything he does but from a cutaway when we learn who exactly his mother is. It's a mind-blowing little sequence that puts everything into a new context, and it's really quite independent from the story proper.

Granted, it's been at least 5 years since I've watched DoD, but I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't even recall that sequence/revelation  :-   (though I do seem to remember that Stefan has [spoiler]some past history with violence/abuse).[/spoiler]Could someone refresh my memory (using the forum's spoiler tags so as not to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen the film)?

When Stefan is supposedly on the phone with his Mother he's actually speaking to [spoiler]an older male lover[/spoiler]

Oh, yes. How quickly I forget. 

Thanks! 

Well, I'd say there's a lot in Karlen's onscreen performance that excavates lots of layers to Stefan's character as the film unfolds.  One of the best is his scene with Delphine Seyrig as they begin swapping stories about Countess Bathory.  I'm pretty sure that scene was done as was most of the movie in one take.  Incredible stuff.

If you get this DVD, you have to listen to Karlen's commentary.  I was struck that Anchor Bay also got the director to do a commentary so we also get to hear his side of things.

One of the many reasons why Anchor Bay is (or was) one of my favorite firms...  Too bad THEY couldn't have done the work on the 1991 DS!  but, I lacerate myself needlessly...

G.

Oh, yes. How quickly I forget. 

Thanks! 

No problem....you knewI would know the answer.....

Actually, Anchor Bay's DVD only had the Karlen commentary...
It was the later re-issue by Blue Underground that has both his and the director's commentaries...

The seond best commentary was in NYC in 2001 when I got Johnny Karlen to sign my DoD laserdisc sleeve. The dear, late Dennis Patrick looked over and asked him, "What's that?" John replied, "It's a film I made in Belgium, in BELGIUM. Its an arty vampire. I was NUDE." To which Dennis replied, "Who would wanna see THAT?"  Those two were always magic together.

Michael

The seond best commentary was in NYC in 2001 when I got Johnny Karlen to sign my DoD laserdisc sleeve. The dear, late Dennis Patrick looked over and asked him, "What's that?" John replied, "It's a film I made in Belgium, in BELGIUM. Its an arty vampire. I was NUDE." To which Dennis replied, "Who would wanna see THAT?"  Those two were always magic together.

"Who would wanna see THAT?"  I'll answer that, every female DS fan I know of!!

I missed that scene, and I watched it for the first time just a few weeks ago, on a "director's cut" videotape, so everything that should be in there is in there, I guess.   I think I wondered why I never heard what that whole business was about with his not wanting her to meet the parents.

"It's a film I made in Belgium, in BELGIUM. Its an arty vampire. I was NUDE." To which Dennis replied, "Who would wanna see THAT?"  Those two were always magic together.

OMG...Michael that is so funny...'arty vampire.....nude'...lolol...thanks for passing that on.

Patti

One of the best is his scene with Delphine Seyrig as they begin swapping stories about Countess Bathory.

This doesn't really have anything to do with John Karlen or DOD, but it does relate to Countess de Bathory and a new film about "a group of friends who play a video game that is based on de Bathory's crimes and find themselves dying when they lose." Crew members claim to have been possessed by de Bathory    and supposedly footage of this is included in the film.  Check out: Spirit Haunted Stay Alive?