Dead But Dreaming

Description

A vampire film with "altitude". Winner of 9 awards in 2013 from the Beverly Hills Outlook! The year is 1805, the city of Nuestra Señora de La Paz lives in fear of an invasion from the indigenous population, and - within its walls - a rebellion is brewing against the Spanish crown. If this were not enough, a beautiful vampire is terrorizing the population, leaving a bloodbath in her wake. A young Irish spy, on a mission for the rebels, is found near the body of a victim. She is captured, accused of the murders, publicly flogged and sentenced to die by garrote. Wishing to aid in the rebellion, a novice nun is prevented from following in the spy’s footsteps by her uncle - a Franciscan priest – who believes she should help him instead to combat the “demons” plaguing the city. And lurking in the shadows, an ancient vampire is in relentless pursuit of the mysterious being who initially turned him - as he searches for the source of her power in a quest to become all powerful and conquer all. All of these stories interweave in this epic horror adventure, spanning thousands of years. "succeeds on all levels" - The Beverly Hills Outlook "Jac Avila's Dead but Dreaming does for Vampire Films what Coppola's Apocalypse Now did for War Movies" - C. Dean Andersson (horror writer) Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French Extras: Audio commentary with Jac Avila and Amy Hesketh Review: Horror in old Bolivia - This is a Spanish-language horror movie that contrasts the fantasy horrors of the vampire genre with the more realistic terrors of torture under a repressive government. The main character, an adventurous Irish girl named Moira O'Higgins, encounters both when she travels to 19th century La Paz to help in the South American revolution. Her sufferings are witnessed by a chorus: a priest and novice who sympathize with the rebellion but are banned by their vows from taking action. The sympathetic treatment of the two church officials is unexpected when one considers that the same company's previous movie, MALEFICARUM, focussed on the greed and brutality of the Inquisition. The cinematography is excellent, taking advantage of the grandeur of the Andes and scenes of colonial La Paz. The score is effective, its melancholy strains fitting the subject matter. The special effects are sufficient to make the vampires convincing without being obtrusive. The main flaw with the movie is confusing motivation of the main characters. We're never told why Moira got involved in the South American rebellion ( rather than, say, fighting the British in Ireland). It may be that her "Irish" background was invented simply to explain away the American actress's Anglo accent. Nor is it clear what the agendas of the two battling vampire groups are. The movie has not been rated by the American agencies. However, there are several scenes of nudity and torture (often simultaneous) and it would probably be considered a hard "R". Definitely not for consumption by children. Review: Amy Hesketh at her Best - As Dead But Dreaming opens, it's 1805 and the Irish traveler Moire (Amy Hesketh) is on horseback descending a dirt road. Following her on foot and unnoticed is Nahara (Veronica Paintoux), a female vampire who has traveled across time to reach La Paz, Moire’s destination. The Irish traveler is coming to help the rebel freedom fighters against their Peruvian overlords. Nahara has another agenda, to treat herself to the Irish lass in a kind of bisexual vampire lust that only an exchange of blood can satisfy. Finely scripted by director Jac Avila, Dead But Dreaming takes its shots at society and culture. The Church's oppression of women is a prime target when the novice nun Varna (Claudia Moscoso) rejects her “womanly condition” that demands obedience to Christ, or if she leaves the convent, a husband. Feminism is also on the table when Varna talks of independence and Aphrodisia (Mila Joy), a crucified slave turned into a vampire pain toy centuries ago, resists her love/hate relationship with her master. The vampire overlord Asa (Jac Avila) is at war with Nahara and demands Aphrodisia's obedience in this family feud. Like Varna, Aphrodisia is frustrated, exchanging one form of slavery for another. There are many fine performances in Dead But Dreaming but one stands out. This is Amy Hesketh’s film. As Moire, she is arrested and publicly humiliated at the whipping post (the BDSM crowd will love this scene) before her execution by garroting. Throw in a rape scene and Hesketh’s performance is convincing in a physically demanding role. For the squeamish, a warning is due about the sequencing of Moire's punishments. Everything is in real time, no shortcuts, and there are real marks on her body. Dead But Dreaming wears more than one hat. It is an erotic horror film with a vampire theme but very little blood and gore. However, there is a good dose of sadomasochism in a softcore framework. The crucifixions are bared female flesh with nowhere to hide. On the other hand, this film offers an alternative perspective as a historical drama with a political message wrapped in a supernatural fantasy. Beautifully crafted with accurate costumes and colorful sets, Dead But Dreaming does suffer from a few shortcomings due to the limited budget woes that typically plague indie films. But they are minor so buy the movie. It’s worth the price. For the record, Dead But Dreaming is a production of Bolivia's Pachamama films. The dialogue is in Spanish but the DVD includes a version with English subtitles. Commentary (in English) on making the film is offered by Jac Avila and Amy Hesketh.