While having my fanboy moment of NYCC interviewing Producer, Director & Actress Juliet Landau, (Buffyverses’ Vampire Queen “Drusilla”) Ms.Landau graciously invited me to a special screening of her monumental new, award winning independent film. “A Place Among the Dead”
This film was a brilliant and compelling surprise of my New York Comic Con 2023 coverage. It’s a totally scripted “found footage” horror film produced, co-written and directed by Ms. Landau in the mockumentary vein of ‘The Blair Witch Project’ where “Jules” (Landau) & her partner “Dev” (real-life partner Deverill Weekeks) portraying versions of themselves, shoot a “documentary” surrounding the alleged reappearance of “Darcel” a vampire that exists in the local legends of a small Santa Monica CA. enclave, who may or may not be responsible for a rash of unsolved serial killings.
As “Jules” is drawn down a shocking rabbit hole investigating the murders, the tale spirals towards an unforgettable conclusion.
You’ll get an idea when you watch the bone chilling trailer here –
While visually striking and perfectly paced as a descent into horror, what elevates this project above a typical art house style macabre vampire / serial killer tale is the cleverly delivered deconstruction of the Narcissist.
Both Landau and her co-writer and partner Deverill Weekeks are survivors of families burdened with the toxicity of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) harnessing those painful experiences while using the familiar vampire genre in a new and satisfying way.
As they draw the viewer into a shadowy sub-culture in pursuit of this vampire, the film serves as a stealthy window into the allure and highlights the perils these toxic personality types have in store for the unsuspecting.
The Vampire as charismatic user and apex predator serves as NPD’s ultimate personification.
This film isn’t only a taut, psychological thriller, it starts a long overdue public dialogue about Narcissistic Personality Disorder
The excellent script goes a long way into examining how those with NPD can charm and influence those under their control. The set pieces chronicling Landau’s character “Jules’’ slow descent are hypnotic and her personal scenes are where A Place Among the Dead is at its most psychologically terrifying.
Those unfamiliar with Landau’s acting chops will be mesmerized by her heartbreakingly vulnerable yet sensual predatory portrayal of “Jules”.
I won’t spoil plot points for you in this review. Suffice to say it’s through these reveals real-world parallels are highlighted and to those of us who recognize this branch of narcissism, Landau’s film will serve as cautionary tale and eye opening experience not soon to be forgotten.
What grounds Ms.Landau’s characters initial investigation of her deadly quarry, is documenting the long ongoing cultural appeal of vampires in all forms of media. “Jules” interviews a veritable who’s who of real life actors, authors and celebrities all involved with Vampire media, featuring as themselves Gary Oldman, Lance Henriksen, Ron Perlman, Robert Patrick, Anne Rice and Joss Whedon.
“A Place Among The Dead” is a genre-bending, elevated-horror film, which explores the repercussions of growing up under the sway of narcissism and psychological abuse. Juliet Landau as “Jules” in “A Place Among The Dead” (2020)
Landau & Weekeks screenplay is so muscular, all interviews thought totally scripted seem genuinely off the cuff. In particular, Oldman’s performance as he suddenly halts his interview and shares heartfelt concerns for “Jules” and trepidations about her dangerous enterprise.
These intimate interactions really sell the premise of the film, lend credibility and confuses fiction and reality to such a degree, your suspension of disbelief will be complete.
A Place Among the Dead has a unique polish echoed throughout employing Mark Haley’s avant garde art style and Landaus’ taut, sure directorial style effortlessly switches between starkly business-like interviews, the trippy surrealism of victims dred Gothic everons and the disturbing inner monologue of Jules.
As the couple stubbornly delve in way over their heads, the tension is ratcheted up, fueled by Monica Richards’ starkly haunting score.
A Place Among the Dead is a MUST see for any fan of vampires, contemporary gothic horror, true crime stories or those who struggle in the specter of NPD.
This is an ambitious debut from a talented filmmaker with a poet’s soul and an activists intelligence that doesn’t forget to entertain by crafting a down right terrifying horror film!
A Place Among the Dead is now available on Blu-ray Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, TUBI, YouTube, and Miss Juliet Productions where you can order a personalized copy signed by Juliet Landau! I’ll have an exclusive interview with her soon in an upcoming All Things Geek!
all art – Miss Juliet Productions
