It's certainly not the first or only film to have ever been made about an automobile with some sinister trait; John Carpenter's adaptation of Stephen King's 'Christine' is the chief example to come to mind for me. Unlike some other instances, though, there's a wonderfully wry sensibility about the presentation, stopping just short of outright humor in telling a story about a car that runs on blood instead of gasoline. Moreover, the narrative here is as much about the manufacturer as it is about a singular vehicle, and we're treated to corporate boardrooms, showrooms, and beautiful women modeling with cars as much as anything else. Not just that, but at some points the picture is almost parodic, such as in the directness of the dialogue and scene writing, or the extra contrived introduction of a romantic element. 'Upír z Feratu' is an oddity, for sure, but I'd also be lying if I said it wasn't fun!
Fun - but not flawless. The storytelling often seems rather sideways, not just for the cheeky feel about it all, but for how much the plot focuses on Dr. Marek's investigation while bypassing footage of the car in question. It does meaningfully meet the qualifications as a horror movie, especially with instances of blood, gore, death, and broader underlying nefariousness; at the same time, latter are employed sparingly, and the horror is thematic as much as it is actualized, if not more so. It's almost more of a plain thriller with an aspect of horror added as flavoring. Speaking of themes, filmmaker Juraj Herz and co-writer Jan Fleischer weave in clear-cut if passing underhanded commentary on modern obsessions with cars, the psychological impact of cars and the impulse behind the wheel to keep moving, and how modern civil engineering is shaped around automobiles instead of people, though I don't think these are explored as much as they could have been. Not least as the titular vehicle is sidelined for much of the runtime, there is also a sense of the plot being more than a little incohesive as it bounces back and forth; it quite seems to lack a strong center, and plot development is sometimes altogether rather vague. Scenes as written are fine, though at large there could have been more focus; I take no issue with Herz's direction, except perhaps to say that the title could have been rendered with more vitality, and energy.
Yet 'Upír z Feratu' only wanted to have a good time, and even if it's not perfect or wholly captivating I think it ably achieves its goal. The production benefited from splendid resources being available to it, including apparent access to an actual rally. The effects and stunts are terrific, and Richard Valenta's cinematography is admirable. The cast give commendable performances, particularly Jiri Menzel with the nervous, harried disposition he gives protagonist Dr. Marek. Like those themes that are briefly touched upon, I think the biggest issue facing this feature is a failure to meet its full potential, and really delve into the possibilities the premise lays out. The writing does speak in part to the callousness of the Ferat manufacturer, the implications of further vehicle production, and the core notion of a car operating on its driver's blood. Yet whether it was a creative choice of Herz and Fleischer, possibly standards enforced in the contemporary Czechoslovak film industry, or some other factors or combination thereof, the tale comes off more as a conventional thriller about corporate malfeasance than it does a saga of darker vibrancy. We get what we were promised, and what we came for, yet only in bits and pieces, and not to an extent that's fully satisfying.
I do think this is enjoyable and worthwhile on its merits, but very simply it's just not all I had expected or hoped it would be. For all the peculiarity of the concept, in practice it's nothing all that special or noteworthy. I'm glad for those who get more out of 'Upír z Feratu' than I do, yet I just think that if one is planning to watch, they should temper their expectations. Watch, by all means, but don't go out of your way for it, and maybe just save it for a quiet day rather than specifically set time aside.
