Ferat Vampire Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Ferat Vampire Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 6, 2025

Juraj Herz's "Ferat Vampire" (1982) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films. The supplemental features on the release include new progream with actress Jana Brezkova; new program with screenwriter Jan Fleischer; archival program with Juraj Herz; archival program with auto engineer Stanislav Cink; and more. In Czech, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Note: The text below was previously used in our review of German labels Ostalgica/Media Target Distribution's Region-B release of Ferat Vampire, published in 2020.

I have a very special relationship with Juraj Herz’s Ferat Vampire, but I am willing to reveal only a tiny part of it so that this article sounds at least partially legitimate. Viewing and collecting habits are so drastically different now that my relationship would not make any sense to younger readers who are used to discovering ‘different’ films on the internet.

First, a small confession. To this day, I still consider Ferat Vampire the spookiest film to emerge from the former Soviet satellites. I used to watch a lot of these films as part of my job, and while I discovered many truly special ones, Ferat Vampire remained in a league of its own. It was something of an anomaly that was allowed to exist only because, before it, Herz had acquired quite a reputation in and outside of Czechoslovakia and created some very helpful friendships with important communist politicians. Another director would not have been allowed to do Ferat Vampire. If someone else were stupid enough to attempt to shoot such a film, this person’s career would have ended on the spot. Also, the authorities would have quickly relocated this bold auteur to some godforsaken place where, eventually, he would have quietly died while making ends meet as a hard laborer in a ‘developing area’. (Many small and extremely depressing towns emerged near such areas, with the army usually overseeing their expansion and controlling their economies, and they were always the final destinations for rebellious artists, not just filmmakers, who dared to think outside the box).

So, my first encounter with Ferat Vampire occurred some years after it had been completed, during a ‘studio screening’. I did not know what to expect from it, but mentally I was prepared for a silly thriller with some goofy special effects. However, even before the stylish black car appeared on the screen, I could already tell that Herz was going for something entirely different because the music had a very sinister vibe. It was so dark, so intense, and so effectively synced with the visuals that it instantly made me feel uncomfortable. Then, by the time the car temporarily swallowed the hand of the curious Dr. Marek (Jiri Menzel), I was already on the edge of my seat and feeling seriously queasy. I had to walk out and go to the nearest bathroom to put some cold water on my face. I came back ten, maybe fifteen minutes later and finished the screening session, but it was quite the endurance test.

A few years later, I had a similar experience with Sidney J. Furie’s thriller The Entity, which uses music in much the same way Ferat Vampire does. (Interesting fact: both films were released in 1982). But this time, I controlled my emotions substantially better because I was viewing The Entity on VHS. Also, The Entity spooks while it engages the mind with many entirely credible what-if scenarios, so this helped a lot. In Ferat Vampire, it is crystal clear that the car's antics are not real, but the atmosphere becomes so intense that eventually the mind capitulates.

Two years ago, I was quite surprised to learn that a German company was set to release Ferat Vampire on Blu-ray. (I was astonished to see that it was advertised as being English-friendly as well). I never thought that I would have another encounter with it, so I pre-ordered the release and received it approximately two weeks after its official street date. On the day the package was delivered, I screened Ferat Vampire -- and I instantly felt seriously queasy again. Ferat Vampire was fully remastered and looked beautiful on my system, so as soon as the audio flooded my speakers, my mind capitulated. It was a very, very odd feeling, one that I had not experienced in decades.

You have probably noticed already that I have not revealed much about the plot of Ferat Vampire, and this is entirely intentional. However, I wish to mention a couple of important details that may give you an idea of what to expect from it. There is very little in the action footage -- which is everything from the rally footage to the nighttime footage where Dr. Marek’s resilience is tested -- that is staged. It is a communist reality merging with a horror reality for a special blend of thrills. Also, the car is one hundred percent real. It was a cool prototype for Skoda, the jewel of the Czechoslovakian auto industry.

Ferat Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Ferat Vampire arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films.

Several years ago, I acquired this German Region-B Blu-ray release of Ferat Vampire, which offered a wonderful presentation of the film, sourced from a strong recent organic master. I expected this American release to provide an identical presentation. Unfortunately, I must report that it does not.

It appears that, for this release, the same master was accessed, but additional work was applied to ensure that the film has a healthier and more attractive appearance. Regrettably, the entire film looks noticeably softer now, likely because various filtering corrections were applied to tone down grain spikes and small surface imperfections. On my system, many visuals that previously boasted wonderful delineation and depth now appeared flat and, in some places, even anemic. The partially good news is that the softness never evolves into smeariness, which is why there is still enough decent detail. Typically, close-ups look the best, while wider outdoor footage is impacted the most by the filtering corrections. Color reproduction and balance are unchanged, which is good news as well. However, the dynamic range of darker visuals suffers. Image stability is good. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Ferat Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Czech DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I can only describe the lossless track as a revelation because it is very healthy and makes it possible to experience Ferat Vampire at home in a way that, until recently, I did not think was possible. The intense music does a lot of hard work to build the film's unforgettable atmosphere, and on my system, it sounded incredible. The dialogue is clear, stable, and very easy to follow, too. The English translation is excellent.

Ferat Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary One - this audio commentary was recorded by critic Michael Brooke.

• Commentary Two - this archival audio commentary was recorded by critic Lars Dreyer-Winkelmann. The commentary was included on the German Region-B release of Ferat Vampire that I have, but for this release, it has been revised and redone in English.

• A Person Undergoing a Strange Sequence of Events - in this exclusive new program, actress Jana Brezkova discusses her work with co-star Jiri Menzel and shares her thoughts on Juraj Herz's foray into the horror genre, the filming of Ferat Vampire, and what it was like to drive the cool prototype that was built for the film. At the end of the program, Brezkova also recalls what it was like to endure the Prague Spring in 1968, when the Czechoslovakian Communist Party allowed Soviet troops to invade Czechoslovakia and crush the anti-communist uprising. In Czech, with English subtitles. (16 min).

• Vampires Ltd. - in this exclusive new program, screenwriter Jan Fleischer discusses the early stages of his career and explains how he was offered to work on the screenplay for Ferat Vampire. Fleischer also highlights some key changes and additions he made to Josef Nesvadba's original short story, and explains why his screenplay was rewritten by Juraj Herz. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Eat Up the Road: "Upír z Feratu" and the Legend of the Blood Car - this exclusive new video essay was created by filmmaker Stephen Broomer. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• Archival Interviews - presented here are three archival interviews with Juraj Herz, Jana Brezkova, and Vit Olmer. The best information emerges from Herz, who reveals that the current version of Ferat Vampire is not the complete film he tried to make. Different segments of his version of the film were either altered or removed by the communist censors. Brezkova mentions that she was going through a very difficult period in her life and was enormously sad, often even detached from her reality, which is likely why she was cast to play her character. Olmer reveals that crucial material was shot in a real morgue amongst real dead bodies. In Czech, with English subtitles. (20 min).

• The Iron Vampire - in this archival program, auto/prototype engineer Stanislav Cinkl discusses how the cool black car that becomes the star of Ferat Vampire was built and explains why it was preserved and still looks brand new today. The program was produced in 2018. In Czech, with English subtitles. (11 min).

• Ferat Vampire: Close-Up - a look at the original Skoda prototype that was used for the Ferat in the film. Presented with music. (3 min).

• Strange Airlines (1992) - this made-for-Czech TV film is based on Josef Nesvadba's short story Mordair, which supplied the original material for Ferat Vampire. Strange Airlines is directed by Oldřich Daněk. Jana Brezkova again has a major part in it. In Czech, with English subtitles. Upscaled. (61 min)..

• Booklet - a 64-page illustrated booklet featuring Josef Nesvadba's original short story Vampire Ltd., new introduction by Czech science fiction historian Ivan Adamovic, original set photos by Jiri Kucera, archival documents from the Narodni Film Archive, and techncial credits.

Ferat Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The more the communist authorities censored local filmmakers, the more creative some of them became, which is how films like Ferat Vampire materialized. Juraj Herz reveals that the current version of Ferat Vampire is not the film he set out to make, but he is enormously lucky that his career did not end with it. His life could have permanently evolved into a tense nightmare, too, very similar to the one Dr. Marek is sucked into after he encounters a cool but seemingly alive black car that runs on blood. I am a superfan of Ferat Vampire and could not be happier that it finally received a proper American release with an outstanding selection of new and archival bonus features. However, I think that its technical presentation could have been more convincing. R6ECOMMENDED.