The Countess (2009)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Really Surprised!

Masterful Movie

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It's amazing that a film with such an intriguing story, breathtaking sets, and gorgeous costumes can be so god-awful! With the singular exception of William Hurt, the acting is just bad. Julie Delpy delivers her lines with the enthusiasm of a child forced into doing the school play. I've seen more convincing acting in porno movies. The actress portraying her witch lesbian lover is even more dismal, if that's even possible. I was hoping to be drawn into a thrilling telling of the "true" story of the Countess Bathory, but instead wasted over an hour and a half of my life that I will never get back. Avoid this movie like the plague!

"Snow White" was not able to portray the true nature of a woman in search of eternal beauty, hence, her evil nemesis was far removed from the end product of virginal perfection. Not the case for this deplorable inquisition of age and virtue. Being unfamiliar with Delpy's uncanny abilities in the realm of all that is film, I was overwhelmed with her many contributions to such an intractable historical conveyance.My first reaction was how does organic matter create powerful enzymes to effect a youthful appearance? Silly girl, however a poignant aspect of the narrative. Provide me, at least, the ingredients of the witches broth that defines silken softness? I will have many less complaints of accents, sullen sex scenes, miscasting and score.I will complement the introduction of the "God made Man in His Image" and its transpose, but the more impressive allegory was that of the glorified man in battle. Very poignant and relevant today as that Commandment from Moses is most deviously interpreted for judicious use in greed and power.I applaud Delpy's provocations of this display of deeds undone and recommend for the more refined film reviewer.

This movie rocks because it manages to be both a lavish, complex period movie and a psychological horror movie at the same time. Julie Delpy does a fantastic job in the role of a complex woman from a brutal period in European history, and her performance somehow gracefully manages to be both sympathetic and monstrous. Bathory is one of history's most prolific and sadistic mass murderers, but historians are ultimately unsure of who she really was, and to what extent she was responsible for the atrocities for which she is credited. Most agree that the whole "beauty treatment bloodbath" thing is a myth made up by later generations to spice up the story, so I was surprised that a telling supposedly rooted in fact ended up going that route, but I loved the idea of a Bathory who is a real person and not just a 2-dimensional fiend. Great sets, costumes, and performances from a well-written script make The Countess an engaging and informative portrait of a woman whose vanity and blood lust have become the stuff of legend.

I really wanted to like this. Based on the true story of 17th century Countess Bathory, who grew obsessed with retaining her youth, and decided the best way to do this was by bathing in the blood of virgins. What could have been a disturbing descent into madness turns out to be a dull by the numbers bio-pic/period piece.Julie Delpy does an alright job in the titular role, but the departure from her usual romantic roles doesn't really work, as Delpy just seems like she's on auto-pilot throughout most of the film. The script, written by Delpy, treats the Countess as some sort of feminist pioneer, and at other times, shows her to be a monster. The movie wants to have it both ways, but in the end it it just seems really confused and tiresome.