Bathory: Countess of Blood
(2008)
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Bathory: Countess of Blood
(2008)
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| Watch Trailer 0Share... |
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Anna Friel | ... | ||
| Karel Roden | ... | ||
| Vincent Regan | ... |
Ferenc Nadasdy
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| Hans Matheson | ... |
Merisi Caravaggio
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Deana Horváthová | ... |
Darvulia
(as Deana Jakubisková-Horváthová)
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| Franco Nero | ... |
King Mathias II
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Antony Byrne | ... |
Pastor Ponicky
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Bolek Polívka | ... |
Monk Peter
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Jirí Mádl | ... |
Neophyte Cyril
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Monika Hilmerová | ... |
Countess Czobor
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| Lucie Vondrácková | ... |
Lucia
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Jaromír Nosek | ... |
Miklós Zrínyi
(as Míra Nosek)
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Marek Majeský | ... |
Gábor Báthory
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| Andrew Tiernan | ... |
Zavodsky
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| Marek Vasut | ... |
Bethlen
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Bathory is based on the legends surrounding the life and deeds of Countess Elizabeth Bathory known as the greatest murderess in the history of mankind. Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth Bathory was a modern Renaissance woman who ultimately fell victim to mens aspirations for power and wealth.
"Bathory" is a long film divided in three Parts (Ferenc, Darvulia and Thurzo) based on the story and legend of an Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory that lived in the Upper Hungary Sixteenth Century in the period of the Turkish invasion and got the fame of bathing in blood of virgin maids to keep her beauty.
The art direction and the music score are classy and wonderful and the lead actress is very beautiful despite the weird wig she wears. Unfortunately after 141 minutes running time I am not sure whether she was an innocent victim of a conspiracy, bathing on herbs to remain beautiful; or whether she was a criminal logged in the Guinness Book as the remark in the very end since the messy and never clear screenplay shows her as an ambiguous character. In some moments she seems to be sadistic and in other moments she seems to be very pure. The subplots with the Italian painter and the two spy-monks are quite unnecessary and ridiculous.
In the end, director Juraj Jakubisko wastes a great budget and a story with a good potential with a confused tale of greed and treason. My vote is four.
Title (Brazil): "Condessa de Sangue" ("Countess of Blood")