Gothic Vampire Horror - THE VOURDALAK (2024)

Now that the dust has settled with the astonishing trailer for Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, I feel you all need to know about The Vourdalak.

The Vourdalak is a new gothic vampire comedy by Adrien Beau marking his feature-length debut. It is based on a gothic novella, The Family of the Vourdalak (La Famille du Vourdalak ) which was written by Aleksey Tolstoy in 1839.

The original story of The Family of the Vourdalak is based on a different kind of vampire mythos, one from Slavic folklore. The Wurdulak (original spelling) is a vampire that rises from the dead and returns home to his/her loving family for one reason only: to turn them all into blood-sucking creatures of the night.

Another mesmerising fact about The Family of the Vourdalak is that it’s a vampire tale that pre-dates what is widely known as the original, and best vampire story of them all: Bram Stoker’s Dracula. So, I am not 100% but just maybe this could have been a paving stone to the vampire horror we all know and love today.

I’ve been reporting on The Vourdalak now for a few months and I am pretty sure Moviehooker was one of the first media outlets to bring you the news on this new gothic horror. If you’re like me and you can’t wait to see what’s in store – then you can check out the audiobook on YouTube, it is only an hour long. The channel I use for all my horror audiobooks is called Horrorbabble. You’re welcome.

This ain’t the first time The Vourdalak has been given some screen love. Mario Bava’s Black Sabbath in 1963 starring Boris Karlof. We’ve also an Itallian movie loosely based on Tolstoy’s novella called Night of the Devils from 1972 directed by Giorgiro Ferroni.

Stay tuned for more information on The Vourdalak. A screener should be coming my way soon for review and it looks like there might be lovely interview with Adrien Beau being set up by writer/director/publicist Ted Geoghan. Fingers crossed!