The — Vourdalak

The — Vourdalak

: The review from Ghouls Next Door explores the "darkly comic sensibility" of Adrien Beau's 2023 adaptation. It specifically highlights how the old Slavic folklore is used to comment on who becomes a victim in society and why.

Director Adrien Beau not only voices the titular creature but also personally operates the life-sized marionette, a choice that deepens the film‘s artisanal, handmade quality. Kacey Mottet Klein’s Marquis d‘Urfé is a departure from the novella‘s version. Co-writer and director Beau intentionally made the character more foolish, boastful, and arrogant, creating a protagonist who is almost as unnerved by Sdenka‘s strange and icy demeanor as he is by the supernatural threat lurking in the house. Ariane Labed, a trained dancer, brings a physical, almost statuesque quality to Sdenka, using body language to express more than words ever could—a key aspect of Beau’s directorial approach. The rest of the cast supports this with performances that blend naturalism with a subtly theatrical, silent-film-era sensibility, enhancing the film‘s otherworldly tone. The Vourdalak

The Vourdalak is far more than a simple creature feature. Director Adrien Beau uses the folklore of the vourdalak to craft a biting allegory for the horrors of patriarchal tradition, inherited trauma, and the suffocating weight of family. The monster is not a seducer but a tyrant, returning to his home not to whisper sweet nothings, but to enforce "the values of traditional family and the strength of the household" in the most literal and horrifying way imaginable . Gorcha represents a toxic, archaic patriarchy that demands total obedience from its children, even after it has become monstrous. The film positions its most sympathetic and rebellious characters—the effeminate Marquis, the unmarried Sdenka, and the androgynous Piotr—as the ones who resist this destructive force, highlighting a powerful contrast between queer-coded individuality and heteronormative familial decay . : The review from Ghouls Next Door explores

The Vourdalak is a French-language film and is available for streaming on several platforms worldwide. It can be found on in many regions, either included with a subscription or available for rental/purchase . It is also available for rent or purchase on other digital storefronts like Apple TV and Google Play . Kacey Mottet Klein’s Marquis d‘Urfé is a departure

“Stay away from the house,” Alexei said. “Go where you cannot touch them.”