The Countess (2009)

Director:

Julie Delpy

Writer:

Julie Delpy (writer)

Release Date:

25 June 2009 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama | History | Thriller

Tagline:

She sacrificed all for love... and sacrificed others for beauty

Plot:

A 17th century Hungarian countess embarks on a murderous undertaking, with the belief that bathing in the blood of virgins will preserve her beauty. |

Plot Keywords:

Directed By Star | Vanity | Lesbian | Masochist | Bathtub Scene

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Julie Delpy	...	Erzebet Bathory
William Hurt	...	Gyorgy Thurzo
Daniel Brühl	...	Istvan Thurzo
Anamaria Marinca	...	Anna Darvulia
Andy Gatjen	...	Miklos
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Adriana Altaras	...	Klara
Jack O. Berglund	...	Ferenc Nadsky
Lukas T. Berglund	...	Paul Báthory (klein)
Sebastian Blomberg	...	Dominic Vizakna
Sabine Firit	...	Maid
Jeanette Hain	...	Anna Bathory
André Hennicke	...	Andreas Berthoni (as André M. Hennicke)
Lisa Hrdina	...	Anna
Charly Hübner	...	Ferenc Nadasky
Jesse Inman	...	King Matthias
Justus Kammerer	...	Paul
Rolf Kanies	...	Count Krajevo
Nikolai Kinski	...	Tutor
Paula Knüpling	...	Pola 12 years
Wolfram Koch	...	Clockmaker
Frederick Lau	...	Janos
Natascha Lawiszus
Robert Lyons	...	Count
Christine Mayer
Anna Maria Mühe	...	Bertha
Katrin Pollitt	...	Dorothea
Armin Sauer	...	Lieutenant
Steffen Scheumann
Maria Simon	...	Helena
Audrey Käthe von Scheele	...	Pola 7 years
Felix Vörtler	...	Bishop
Ricky Watson	...	Party Guest (voice)
Thea Weber
Helen Woigk

Also Known As:

Bathory (USA) (working title)
Die Gräfin (Germany)
La comtesse (France)

Runtime:

Germany:98 min | Germany:94 min (Berlin International Film Festival)

Country:

France | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Brandenburg, Germany

Company:

EMC Filmproduktion

Trivia:

Ethan Hawke was originally part of the cast.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Countess Dracula (1971)

A dark, demanding piece delivered by the multi-talented Julie Delpy

Julie Delpy commands the screen here in an auteur piece of exquisite detail and rich Gothic atmosphere. Evidently careful attention has been put in to recreating the grim 15th century era in this macabre tale of a cold and formidable Hungarian Countess Erzebet Bathory - a woman driven by power, lust and vanity. After the death of her husband she attends a dance as a widow and finds herself uncharacteristically charmed by a young Count (played servicably by Daniel Brühl) - she gives into temptation but once their affair runs its course she is left wounded by his absence and becomes obsessed with him and also the condition of her outward appearance. Aided by her servant witch (played naturally by Anamaria Marinca), she deludes herself into thinking the blood of young virgins can reverse the effects of aging. The film is simplistic in its concept and narrative structure but the execution is still somehow striking and alluring and all the more impressive considering the fact that it was crafted by one person - Delpy directs with a keen eye for character introspection and morbid spectacle, writes with remarkable depth, and composes a beautiful fitting score. Her facial expressions are haunting and some of her actions truly harrowing, I don't expect her to have directed herself to an Oscar here...in fact I'm afraid the movie may remain under the radar even as it is released elsewhere...but for me Ms Delpy continues to impress and pulls off each task with class and an ironic lack of vanity