THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER

US/UK/Malta/Italy/Germany, 2023, 118 minutes, Colour.

Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian, Chris Walley, Woody Norman, Javier Botet.

Directed by Andre Ovredal.

The voyage is from the Carpathian mountains and a port in Bulgaria through the Aegean Sea and Mediterranean to London. And the cargo includes a huge chest and, inside, Dracula, resting during the day, appearing at night, thirsting for blood. This new Dracula film is based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, specifically the chapter, “The Captains Log”.

Vampires have been in cinema consciousness for just over 100 years, the German Nosferatu in 1922 with its similar story to Dracula. Bela Lugosi was Dracula in the early 1930s and there has been a succession of actors taking on the role, Christopher Lee, and Gary Oldman in Francis Ford Coppola’s classic Bram Stoker’s Dracula. This time Dracula is more of a monster creature, a gargoyle, skeletal, with webbed wings rather than any human appearance. Which means that there is nothing to make Dracula a sympathetic character here. Rather, he is evil, diabolical.

One of the great advantages of this story is the reconstruction of the sailing ship, the Demeter, the vast hold storing the cargo, the high masts and sails, the slippery deck and steering wheel. The audience can vividly relive the experience of the hardships and dangers of 19^th century sailing, the winds and storms, the perils of the sea.

The central character here is Dr Clemens, played by American actor Corey Hawkins. He is a medical graduate of Cambridge, unable to find a position in England, at a port trying to become a ship’s doctor. The reason for the prejudice. He is black. He is well spoken, skilled, something of a philosopher-scientist puzzling about the meaning of life, puzzling about the presence of evil, his scientific background questioning the possibility of Dracula’s horror with its supernatural overtones. The crew is small, led by the sympathetic Captain Eliott, Liam Cunningham. Soon into the voyage, they discover the young woman, Aisling Franciosi (so strong in the Australian film, The Nightingale), drained of blood, needing continual transfusions, ultimately revealing that she comes from Dracula’s village and tells his story of power for centuries.

This is a film of atmosphere, drawing us in with its drama, increasing foreboding, atmosphere of fear, then the grim revelations, crew disappearing, members of the crew mutilated, all the livestock drained of blood… The captain’s grandson, Toby, Dr Clemens had saved when the Dracula chest was about to fall on him, blames himself for the death of the livestock that he cared for, becomes the target of Dracula’s thirst for blood. No sentimentality about children in this story.

The film draws on traditional aspects of vampires, sleeping during the day, roaming and terrorising for blood each night, merciless. There are religious emblems, but no stake through the heart. And there are some terrifying moments as Dracula’s victims are exposed to sunlight and become ablaze.

This is a very serious Dracula story, an appeal to audiences response to the drama rather than just simply your average horror story.

1. The significance of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, at the end of the 19^th century, the tradition of film versions, from Bela Lugosi, to the Hammer Studios, television versions, Francis Ford Coppola? This film in the tradition?
2. The screenplay based on the chapter of Bram Stoker’s novel, The Captains Log?
3. The ship, the wreck, empty, the log?
4. The opening, the port, the ships, the framework for the story? Cargo, crews, ordinary busy work, the mysterious chest, the suspicious characters? The emblem on the chest? Sinister?
5. Introduction to Clemens, at the port, a qualified doctor, race issues, the reactions of the men, the crew, his saving the Captain’s grandson, welcome to board? The focus of the drama on him, his personality, education, calm, skills?
6. The crew, different nationalities, the leadership of Captain Eliott, Irish background, with Toby, Toby and his role on the ship, caring for the animals? Woychyk, second-in-command, having the confidence of the captain? The other members of the crew and their interactions, the cook and his demands, religious perspective? The cargo?
7. The reconstruction of the ship, vast, the depth of the hold, the cabins, the masts and sails, the deck?
8. Audience knowledge of the Dracula story, expectations, the falling of the chest almost killing Toby? Clemens and the rescue? The soil coming out of the chest?
9. The young woman, considered a stowaway, wanting to throw her overboard, Clemens and his care, needing blood, the transfusions? Her gradual improvement? Her story, the village, Dracula, in control of the village and its inhabitants for centuries? Taking their blood?
10. The gradual revelation of Dracula, the Nosferatu appearance, gargoyle, skeletal, with wings? The attack on the member of the crew, blood, mutilation, the body overboard?
11. The atmosphere of fear, the different perspectives, the cook and his themes of religion, the devil? His ultimately leaving the ship, the boat, Dracula’s attack, his death?
12. The Captain, decisions, watch? The wheel, fixing the wheel? The crew member at the wheel, sympathetic character, the attack, his bleeding, tied to the mast? His comments, hearing everything, interior feelings, the sun coming up, death in the blaze?
13. Clemens, the meal table, wanting the meaning of life, his scientific background, philosophy, sceptical about religion? His bonding with the stowaway? Her explanations?
14. Toby, the death of all the animals, their being drained of blood, his feeling the responsibility? His sensing the presence of Dracula? Hiding, the back attack and banging on the door, ultimately, his death? Audience sentiment at the death of a boy? The captain’s response, the funeral, saying that he was alive, to be thrown overboard, opening the cloth, the body ablaze?
15. Clements and the stowaway, examining the cargo chests, the discovery of Dracula’s chest?
16. The final disappearance, the captain and his loss of hope, but he saying that he was faithful to his task on the sea?
17. The weather, the storms, the attack on Clemens, Dracula becoming more powerful?
18. The trap for him, the wheel, the fire, the shooting? The stowaway setting herself up, firing the rifle?
19. The two adrift, the ship near the English coast, the stowaway, her loss of blood, her farewell to Clemens? Her drowning?
20. Clemens, his explanation of his studies, Cambridge, rejected, travelling, on the ship? The information about Carfax Abbey, his enquiries? But the confrontation with the elegantly dressed Dracula in the street?
21. And the audience knowing what was to follow?