Pic of the Day

I am shocked and horrified to realize I never did a post on this movie when it was first announced -- I vividly remember hearing about it happening so I know I knew about it (you never know) but somehow that never translated into me sitting down here and writing something and for that I ask your forgiveness. Because not only (as seen above in the first image, via) is Isabelle Huppert starring as the real-life imfamous historical figure the Countess Elizabeth Bathory, whose legend has it that she's bathe herself in virgin's blood to keep her youth thereby inspiring a thousand lesbian vampire movies in the process (plus that scene with Heather Matarazzo in Hostel Part II, we shan't forget that). But Huppert s playing Bathory for the avant-garde German filmmaking legend (and compatriot of Fassbinder) Ulrike Ottinger, the woman who directed, among many, Freak Orlando and (my favorite) Ticket of No Return. 

Ten minutes into Ulrike Ottinger’s TICKET OF NO RETURN on @criterionchannl and I am already in love - this is my first Ottinger and I had a feeling she’d be my kinda people - feels like Tati Meets Fassbinder shot by Guy Bourdin (swoon) pic.twitter.com/77Do8H4FO9

— Jason Adams (@JAMNPP) August 28, 2021

Ottinger's movies are kind of difficult to see -- there was a traveling show of them several years back and they pop up on Criterion every so often, but the only way to buy physical media versions are via her own website. Which on the one hand I applaud -- make your money and keep ownership of your own work, queen! But they're not cheap and I think it'd do her so good to loosen the grip just a little bit. (At least put together a box-set!) Maybe this new movie starring a legit movie star in a tailor-made role will put this iconoclast's name in big bright lights where it belongs. I mean if Bloody Disgusting is reporting on one of Ottinger's movies then she's very much moving in that direction. Speaking of they've got the plot details and what not so click over if you need those -- it is an original spin but we'd expect no less. No word on a release yet for The Blood Countess, but we'll keep watching! And maybe we'll just re-watch Daughters of Darkness to keep ourselves flush-cheeked and ready...