Styria (2014)

Depicts the intense and fractured relationship between a lonely teenager and a beautiful stranger.

Directors:

Mauricio Chernovetzky, Mark Devendorf

Writers:

Karl Bardosh (dramaturge), Mauricio Chernovetzky (screenplay)

Stars:

Eleanor Tomlinson, Stephen Rea, Erika Marozsán

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Eleanor Tomlinson	...	Lara
Stephen Rea	...	Dr. Hill
Erika Marozsán	...	Miss Eva Pasztor
Jules Willcox	...	Mother
Katie Silverman	...	Young Lara
Julia Pietrucha	...	Carmilla
Gerda Pikali	...	Lara's Mother
László Kádár	...	Guard
Jacek Lenartowicz	...	General Spiegel
Miklós B. Székely	...	Miss Eva Pasztor's Father (as Miklós Székely B.)
Laszlo More	...	Istvan
Claire Castillo	...	Feral Girl
Jeanette Jordana	...	Feral Girl
Leah Castillo	...	Feral Girl
Márk Kun	...	Driver

Storyline

Lara (Eleanor Tomlinson) and her estranged father, Dr. Hill (Stephen Rea), travel behind the iron curtain to a decrepit castle outside the Hungarian town of Styria. In the nearby woods, Lara witnesses a car crash. Carmilla, (Julia Pietrucha), escapes from the wreckage as a driver attempts to run her over. When Lara hides this beautiful and mysterious stranger in the castle, the two start an intense and chaotic friendship. As their relationship deepens, the young women of Styria begin to go mad. When local girls are found dead from apparent suicides, Lara wonders if Carmilla is to blame or is there a darker secret behind the mass hysteria destroying the town.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | decapitation | lesbian kiss | blood | gothic | 

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Taglines:

Love requires sacrifice.

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Hungary

Language:

English Hungarian

Release Date:

21 August 2014 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

Angels of Darkness

Filming Locations:

Aszód, Hungary

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Like Fire Productions,MCMD Films,Pioneer Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

How many people know the origins of the vampire legend, and not only the modern vampire stories, which has only been around for about 200 years. The ideas of vampires has been around for far longer. Styria (2014) or "Angels of Darkness" depicts the earlier superstitions of vampires. The house they live in was used as a place for people with consumption, or tuberculosis as we call it now. When people were ill with this, it was thought they were being drained by a "vampire" though that term was never used until later in history. In the movie they dug up the bodies, examined them, then cut off the head and burned the bodies. It was thought that if the body looked fresh, it was enough proof they were a vampire, just like it was shown in the movie when fresh blood came out of the girls mouth. With all the knowledge we have now it sounds crazy that this would ever happen, but it did along with many other gruesome, superstitious rituals . It didn't help that after "patient 0" or "vampire" was cut up and burned, the sick sometimes got better. It's only the odds of surviving, but back then they thought they cured it. Random information, but worth knowing while watching.

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Goofs

The car hits the tree hard enough to pop the hood open and dislodge the grill and one headlight, but the chrome bumper is undamaged. That type of bumper is more ornamental than functional and would have been seriously damaged by even a low speed impact.

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Soundtracks

Just Like Honey
written by Jim Reid (as James Reid) and William Reid
Performed by The Jesus & Mary Chain
Published by Domino US Publishing
on behalf of Warner Music Group

User Reviews

A modern Vampire Classic

Wow, I haven't seen a movie like this in a long time. This is a classical Gothic experience, set in the 1980s. In Hungary. Dang it. Long story time: It's beautifully shot, especially considering the relative newcomer status of the Directors (there's two by the way). The script really shows the work that was put into it, that they worked it until it was the best possible version of the story possible. The story, by the way is an adaptation of Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. It's a vampire tale in the most classical of molds, though it's also a tale of modern youth (done so seamlessly that the fantastical elements could easily be the product of a troubled mind, though the mental illness aspect is still treated rather realistically). Actually it hands a certain problematic part of culture (cutting. I'll say it. The main character was a cutter) very well, not promoting it nor demonizing it. The acting is fantastic, Stephen Rea providing a decent performance as the distracted dad (ergo not in it very much but being focal to the resolution), Julia Pietrucha turns in a very decent performance as the seductive and mysterious Carmilla, but Eleanor Tomlinson is the eyes of the movie. She provides a character that is tortured, yet curious, enthralled, yet wishing for freedom. The location is one of a kind and provided a greater character to the scenes. This movie needs to be seen and supported, as film like this needs to be made. It's available on Amazon and Itunes as Angels of Darkness, so check it out if you have the chance.