Strasek, der Vampir (1983)

Serbia, in the year 1910: Milena Strasek has lived with her 12-year-old son Stefan in a small village since the father abandoned the family shortly after Stefan was born. Many years of ... See full summary »

Director:

Theodor Boder

Writers:

Theodor Boder, Ulrich Georg Meyer

Stars:

Oscar Olano, François Aubry, Marianne Burger

Cast

Credited cast:
Oscar Olano	...	Stefan Strasek als Kind
François Aubry	...	Stefan Strasek als Erwachsener
Marianne Burger	...	Milena Strasek
Tanja Vogler	...	Desanka
Michelle Hänggi	...	Desankas Mutter
Theodor Boder	...	Desankas Vater
Jackie Steel	...	Stefans Vater
Klaus Stangier	...	Erzähler
Simone Hänggi	...	Journalistin
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michel Eichholzer
Charles Kistler
Harry Lehner	...	Priester
Hanna Meyer

Storyline

Serbia, in the year 1910: Milena Strasek has lived with her 12-year-old son Stefan in a small village since the father abandoned the family shortly after Stefan was born. Many years of uncertainty concerning the man's whereabouts have taken their toll: Milena Strasek falls seriously ill and dies, leaving her son alone in the empty house. The father appears the following night. He has come to take his son, but Stefan refuses to go with him.

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Genres:

Horror

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User Reviews

New All-time Stinkeroo!

"Nothing much happens" and "hypnotic quality" would be far too generous. The first two thirds of this film are mind-numbingly tedious. Plot points throughout are unexplained. There's no significant character development, no characters to care a rat's rear end about. A few nice scenic shots are the only plus to this piece of drek. It's in black and white, but the few moments of minor tension lead to... nothing. With almost every camera shot static, you continually hope that something or someone will move within the field of view -- it rarely does -- or that something of import will be said. Hope in vain.

The set up: young adult left alone, in a nominally vampiric film, could have been something... drama, comedy, political statement, poignant slice-of-life, anything. It isn't.

I've watched (along with more mainstream fare) art films from Jodorowsky to Greenaway to Majewski's "Glass Lips", and dozens of French vignettes. "Strasek" is directed by a photographer, but except for the scenery it isn't art. Think, if you will, of the very worst efforts of Troma or John Waters (whose better efforts are worthwhile) or Chris Seaver, but minus the gore and sex... it's that pointless. Was the acting in Strasek that bad (you ask)? I can't say, because there wasn't enough acting to matter!

For point of reference, my average movie rating on IMDB is about 6.5.

Details

Official Sites:

Director's official site SwissFilms

Country:

Switzerland

Language:

German

Release Date:

January 1983 (West Germany)

Box Office

Budget:

CHF200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Theodor Boder Produktion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min (original)

Color:

Black and White (Full HD)