Matthew Saliba is an interesting gentleman. So far his film works have been heavily mired in giallo and exploitation, while presenting his shorts in a myriad of beautifully rendered photographs that tell more of a story than most short films. And if that’s not the kicker he offers up his own interpretation of a Grindhouse classic: “Vampyros Lesbos.” I’m not a big fan of the grindhouse original, but I was very much open to see what Saliba had to offer. As a photographer and director he can tell a damn strong story. Not to mention there be lesbians and vampire lesbians in this, so I saw this as soon as I received it. “Vampyros Lesbos” is an utterly ambitious interpretation from the outset presenting a demonstration not just in sexuality, but orgasmic storytelling told through a series of photographs that rely more on human expression and soul instead of acting ability.
Salibas compels me yet again with a film that’s an outright orgy of sounds and sights and incredible imagery paired with a masterful unique vision on auteur Jess Franco’s story first perfectly mimicking the first revelation of homosexuality by our heroine from the absolutely ravishing temptress Countess Nadine (Kitty Daly is mind-blowingly sexy, by the by), which then evolves into a feast of lust and sexual pleasure between two women who accept their demonic manifestations and uncover the darkest regions of their souls. Carangi’s photography left me absolutely breathless from beginning to end, and some of the scenes here were so utterly demented but absolutely arousing at the same time.
Salba posits “Vampyros Lesbos” with a sick sense of humor carrying on the inherent demonizing of lesbianism that the original film practiced in and ends on the note of Linda’s husband exorcising the vampire (or lesbian) out from her with a phallic rod that enrages her, until the final scene symbolizes the entire message to Jess Franco’s original homophobic misogynist tale. Paired with a magnificent score, Saliba’s remake is nearing perfection. Anyone who insists that film can’t be art clearly hasn’t seen Matthew Saliba and Mario Carangi’s work. These men are brilliant and their variations on storytelling told through images and human expression rather than gaudy dialogue is mesmerizing. Saliba’s interpretation on the sexploitation classic drips with eroticism, and “Vampyros Lesbos” paves me as a fan of the man’s work, and I eagerly await his next film.