Nadja (1994)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Michael Almereyda

Writer:

Michael Almereyda (writer)

Release Date:

1 September 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror

Tagline:

Unseen. Unforgiving. Undead.

Plot:

This ultra-hip, post-modern vampire tale is set in contemporary New York City. Members of a dysfunctional...

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Lesbian Vampire | Dracula | Lesbianism | Lesbian

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Elina Löwensohn	...	Nadja
Nic Ratner	...	Bar Victim
Karl Geary	...	Renfield
Peter Fonda	...	Dracula / Dr. Van Helsing
Martin Donovan	...	Jim
Jack Lotz	...	Boxing Coach
Galaxy Craze	...	Lucy
David Lynch	...	Morgue Receptionist
Isabel Gillies	...	Waitress
José Zúñiga	...	Bartender
Bernadette Jurkowski	...	Dracula's Bride
Jeff Winner	...	Young Dracula
Sean	...	Bela
Suzy Amis	...	Cassandra
Jared Harris	...	Edgar

MPAA:

Rated R for some scenes of bizarre vampire sexuality and gore, and for some language.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R

Company:

Kino Link Company

Trivia:

A clip of Bela Lugosi in White Zombie (1932) is included to show the face of the father of the vampire family, Count Dracula. In other scenes not showing his face, Peter Fonda plays the Count, as well his main role as Van Helsing.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the opening dialog between Nadja and the man at the bar, Nadja is initially wearing a scarf over her hair. At one point the camera cuts to the man's face and we see the back of Nadja's head, but now suddenly and inexplicably, the scarf has disappeared and remains absent for the rest of the scene.

Quotes:

Nadja: It's hard to read a medical book without feeling disgust for the whole human race. Our bodies are so complicated and ugly.
Cassandra: Compared to what?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

One Way to Go

one of the weirdest vampire films around

A vampire legend with a David Lynch-style twist to it sounds pretty darn good on paper and looks just as good on screen. In fact, this film is a "David Lynch Presents" and he's even got a bit part as a morgue attendant in it. Nadja is a modern day vampire living in NYC, and she "gets lonely", so when she gets lonely she, of course, "makes friends", in this case, Lucy (Galaxy Craze). Lucy isn't taking too well to this vampire thing though and seems to be losing her marbles. Her husband, Jim, has an uncle, by the name of Van Helsing (Peter Fonda, in probably his strangest role ever) that he's just had to rescue from jail for staking someone through the heart.....seems that he thought someone was a vampire, and since it's Nadja's father, in this case he was right. Nadja also has a brother living in Brooklyn, who wants nothing to do with her, and despite his wishes she certainly seems to want to get back together. Most of this consists of Jim & loony Uncle Van Helsing trying to get Lucy back to normal and finding who did put the whammy on her, and it's all quite strange and entertaining. This is filmed in black and white, at times starkly beautiful and at other times it looks like grainy, out-of-focus Super 8, but it all works pretty well with the story, although I'm sure some may find it too "arty". Not that any vampire story is "normal" but this one is far less "normal" than usual and therefore worthy of your time, if you enjoy the strange and bizarre, darkly humorous at times,and definitely if you're a David Lynch fan you'll love this, since it's kind of in his style. 9 out of 10, HIGHLY recommended.