Special 30th : Exquisite Corpse

Blade

Stephen Norrington

1998
United States
2h00
Fiction
Col.
English with french subtitles

A film chosen by Thomas Salvador

A half-vampire, half-mortal man becomes a protector of the mortal race, while slaying evil vampires.

When I discovered the image of the character facing this fortified castle, illuminated by a glimmer, I immediately thought “vampires” and then Blade, by Stephen Norrington.
The analogy was in fact a mirror image given that, instead of a castle in ruins, this film features a modern city and a swift, leaping hero instead of the man who walked with a gait that suggested serenity. What’s more, that luminous moment—was it a day darkened by clouds or rather a night broken by a glare of light?—refers to the uncertain nature of Blade’s hero who, as a half-man and half-vampire, hunts during night-time yet does not fear the light of day...
There is no gigantism in the plot of this playful and inventive B movie, to which I feel inclined because of the proximity with the characters, and especially the attention brought to gestures, to the materiality of bodies, whether they are jumping, fighting, bighting each other, or dancing.

Thomas Salvador (translated by Naomi Vogt)
Cast
Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright
Screenplay
David S. Goyer, d'après le comics "Blade" de Marv Wolfman et Gene Colan
Photography
Theo Van de Sande
Sound
Harry Cohen
Music
Mark Isham
Art direction
Kirk M. Petruccelli
Editing
Paul Rubell
Production
Amen Ra Films, Imaginary Forces

Films in the Retrospective