Huppert Dominates a Crimson-Glitter Vampire Tale at Berlin
Isabelle Huppert delivers a shimmering, campy turn as Erzsébet Báthory in Ulrike Ottinger’s The Blood Countess, a visually lavish vampire comedy premiered at Berlin. While the production design and Huppert’s performance are standout, the film’s sprawling, madcap plot and an overstuffed supporting cast make it feel longer than necessary, leaving it as a gorgeously staged but uneven anthology of vampire mayhem.