Lady of the Dark: Genesis of the Serpent Vampire and Seduction: A Movie Review

Director/writer: Philip Gardiner.

Cast: Melanie Denholme.

Home videos cannot be any more beautifully exotic, if not erotic, with Philip Gardiner’s Lady of the Dark: Genesis of the Serpent Vampire. His style has truly evolved with each successive film he makes, and this one has the feel of being very personal. And from his The Stone: No Soul Unturned to this latest one, he’s making strides in creating a very artsy product instead of going for another ghost story.

With this latest dramatization, he takes the folklore of the vampire and redefines it. By delving into "Genesis," the creation myth he’s suggesting a different course of evolution of the Eve figure. Had there been no Adam, just what would she become? Could she have become just like Lilith, the first wife who spurned both Adam and God? Or could she be as two-faced as Janus, the Roman god who represented transition into adulthood? But there is more to this deity than what can be described here.

Appropriately enough, the Eve (Melanie Denholme) in this picture is of a child turning into a fully realized adult. The fact she becomes a vampire does not matter. The framing, composition and developmental cycle of her innocence are at this film’s heart. She is, as Denholme describes in the video featurette, your average everyday girl next door. When she becomes a vampires, look out! This actress does a very good job in delivering a variety of emotions.

To look at her life, Gardiner takes a voyeuristic approach that is very tame to start with. With bright back lighting, a touch of overexposed composition here and there, and a soft focus (along with plenty of breast shots throughout) some viewers may wonder if they are watching an early 90’s Playboy video. But as time marches on to the 21st Century, the content gets raunchy as Eve's transformation takes hold.

The inevitability of what she becomes, as the title suggests, may very well be something more, like a succubus, a seducer of men. Trying to figure out when she will finally succumb is part of the fun of watching this musical compilation.

With songs to match the transitions, the scores vary from light-hearted to reflect an innocent Eve to heavy metal. No Redemption’s “Forever Dark” is the signature tune, and other composers include: Sylvana White, Warrior, DanoSongs, Zac Mac Band, Philip Hochstrate, and Syrreed. They help create a soundscape that is Gardiner’s moniker with his more ambitious works. Sadly no soundtrack is being offered, but links to each performer will eventually be listed on the movie’s official website.

With this director’s excellent ability to pick cutting edge performers to provide the music, hopefully one day he will produce a music video to add to his repertoire. When considering how he likes to compose his films, he is a natural at it.

Overall: 7.5 out of 10.

Lady of the Dark's Official Website can be found at:
ladyofthedarkmovie.com
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Posted in: 2011,movie poster,movie review,myth,united kingdom,vampire,vampire apocalypse