Little Vampire Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Little Vampire Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 19, 2019

Roland Klick's "Bübchen" a.k.a. "Little Vampire" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Subkultur Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage promotional material for the film; exclusive new video interview with the director; exclusive new interview with actor Alexander Kekulél and more. In German, with optional English and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Shades of Deadly Indifference. This is the type of thought-provoking title Roland Klick should have given his film so that the critics that vehemently dismissed it would have appreciated its message. But in 1968 Klick went with the more artistically attractive title Bubchen (Little Vampire), which almost certainly sealed its fate. I have not read any of the old German reviews that did the damage, but I have a pretty good idea what they focused on and why Klick is still burning inside. (If you view the exclusive new interview that he recorded for this release, you will know exactly what I mean. All these years later Klick is still very upset -- and rightfully so).

The plot is deceivingly simple. Klick’s camera begins following two middle-aged married couples in a decent German suburb who have planned to have a good time together. Before they head to a local inn, one of the wives instructs her teenage daughter (Renate Roland) to look after the newest addition to the family, a perky toddler, and her younger introverted brother (Alexander Kekule). The arrangement with the actual instructions happens very quickly, much like a shopping recommendation that emerges abruptly and sounds important but is in fact utterly irrelevant. But shortly after the adults leave the girl’s boyfriend appears and then after a quick talk they also get out and head in the opposite part of town to enjoy each other’s company, leaving the toddler unaccompanied and the boy unconvinced that it is his duty to cover for his cheating sister. This is the film’s turning point. The boy then casually breaks out of his shell and, while enjoying his unexpected freedom, commits a hideous act. The rest of the film is about the shocked adults using poor logic to reconstruct the act and repeatedly failing while the boy casually pulls their strings and exacerbates their misery.

Klick’s film was almost certainly dismissed for two very simple reasons, or at least this is how I see them now. However, I also think that these are the exact reasons why its message feels relevant today. The first is the fact that its drama is not placed in a ‘proper’ socio-political context, meaning that after it peaks the film does not go on the warpath. Lynn Ramsey’s film We Need to Talk About Kevin does precisely that, it links the indifference that fuels the drama in it to a very particular socio-political environment. So, after the final credits roll, you are forced to ponder how a specific culture that has flourished in it is actually the real villain, not the film’s main protagonist. (By the way, in it the protagonist is another introverted kid). In Klick’s film indifference again initiates and fuels all the drama, but it is the type of indifference that is impossible to frame as a byproduct of a serious societal flaw. It is why the critics must have concluded that Klick’s film was disappointingly passive and therefore inconsequential. Even if their negative reviews differed substantially, I guarantee that this was the main argument in them.

The second reason is the film’s resolution, which can be seen as a byproduct of the same passiveness. How so? Well, consider the old phrase “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes". Now, there is one character that gets a chance to cheat before everyone else around him realizes that they are all participating in a very stupid game that has created very stupid players. But after he does so the film remains indifferent and leaves it to the viewer to decide if he is a good cheater or just an impulsive player. This may not seem like a serious issue now, and of course it isn’t, but in the late 1960s I am convinced it was too serious of a ‘flaw’ for German critics to ignore.

Good films do not have to deliver profound truths to be viewed and appreciated as such. When they are actually dealing with truths, they just have to be sincere. Bubchen is a product of its time, but it isn’t tainted by dated interpretations of the drama that is at the heart of its story. This is why it looks legit today, because all it expects from you is to make up your own mind about it.

Little Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Little Vampire arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Subkultur Entertainment.

The film has been exclusively restored by the German label and looks great in high-definition. I projected it and did not see any technical anomalies to report in our review -- depth, delineation, and fluidity are all very good and as a result the entire film has a very strong and consistent organic appearance. Density levels are also pleasing, though I think that there are a few areas where a higher resolution master will offer some minor improvements. However, it is quite easy to tell that the minor fluctuations that exist are indeed part of the original cinematography. The color scheme is convincing as well. All in all, even though I had not seen this film before and do not have a reference source, I feel quite confident stating that the current presentation does it full justice. (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).

Little Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: German DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0. Optional English and German subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio has been fully remastered. It is clean, clear, and stable. There are no balance issues to report either. Dynamic intensity is quite limited, but the lossless audio simply reproduces the native qualities of the original soundtrack. There are no technical anomalies.

Little Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

BLU-RAY DISC

• Debut Films - in this new video interview, director Roland Klick discusses the critical reception of Little Vampire, its key themes and tone, and production history. There is good information about the evolution of his career as well. In German, with optional English and German subtitles. (26 min, 1080p).

• About the Little Boy - in this new video interview, actor Alexander Kekulé, who plays the young troublemaker in Little Vampire, discusses his background and recalls his involvement with the film and work with director Roland Klick. In German, with optional English and German subtitles. (26 min, 1080p).

• Gallery - a gallery with vintage promotional material for Little Vampire.

• Booklet - 16-page illustrated booklet with writings on the film, in German.

DVD

• Commentary - exclusive new audio commentary by director Roland Klick. In German.

Little Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I viewed the exclusive new interview with director Roland Klick a day after I had seen his film Little Vampire. As soon as he began explaining why back in the late 1960s the German critics trashed it, I started smiling because he was basically reading my mind. It was so, so obvious what the critics wanted Little Vampire to be and why they felt compelled to dismiss it -- they couldn't fit its drama in a 'proper' socio-political context and then promptly concluded that it failed to deliver a relevant message. So predictable. Little Vampire is a product of its time, but it isn't tainted by dated interpretations of the drama that is at the heart of its story. This is why it looks legit today. Recently restored by the folks at Subkultur Entertainment, the film is now available on an English-friendly Region-Free Blu-ray which can be obtained via Amazon's German branch. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.