Perhaps I know too little about Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and the country's history to appreciate this vampire satire. To me, it came across as tasteless and pretentious. The premise is certainly interesting, but I just didn't like the execution. The humor never clicked, and I didn't really gel with the black-and-white look either. As a result, "El Conde" is a really dull movie. However, since I already found Pablo Larraín's "Spencer" awful, it could simply be because I don't like the director's style. Either way, I definitely can't recommend this movie.

Extremely bold and politically unstable 'satire' on former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. It's a funny premise you come up with at 3am when faded but Pablo actually ended following through with it and creates a truly riveting little gem that's certainly not for everyone. A little context is needed before seeing it I think, not just with knowledge about Chile's history but about Pablo's own father having ties to Pinochet. In many ways it feels like an immature tantrum directed at his own father (is the "former minister and lawyer" who helped hide the documents meant to be his own dad?) and reminded me that filmmakers are always their family's black sheep.

Our intro is dark and explanatory, and the violence is 'to die for' The way they show our main story’s character is quite elegant and eye-catching, and I’m finding the storytelling to be rather fun as well. The imagery is fun and still feels poignant to our story, yet remains silly at times. There is treacherous behavior going on, and I’m hoping it holds some bearing to our story as it progresses further. The cinematography is done in such a way as to feel as though we’re watching art happen in person, and I’m finding it hard to look away. The bluntness of the dialogue is actually comical and refreshing and is silly enough to be entertaining. A wonderfully told story and portrayal of an old tale of love and desires, passion, and eternal loneliness, in a way that you felt as well as visually enjoyed.

El Conde was exactly what it tried to be, but unfortunately I didn't know what that was. This political satire leaves enough bread crumbs that even someone like me, whose knowledge of international politics is pathetic, could follow along well enough to hum the tune even if I didn't get all of the words. One of the main shortcomings of the film is its marketing. As the infamous Chilean leader Augusto Pinochet is caricatured as a vampire, the 'horror' label is getting glued onto this like price stickers in the dollar store, but El Conde isn't even horror adjacent. It's a black comedy, long on style, about historical South American politics (and England's as well), so if that sounds appealing to you then boy, have I got a film for you. If you're looking for a modern day vampire story, however, may I suggest Only Lovers Left Alive?

An unusual film compared to what I'm used to, with swimming from start to finish. It features some comedy scenes that bring laughter, however, most of the film is slow, with little dialogue for a two-hour film. Highlighting the peculiar approach to vampires, which brings an interesting and somewhat different perspective.