Subspecies - 1991 - Romania

Subspecies - 1991 - 5/10

 
Three college girls (two Americans, one local) investigate folk culture in Romania.
Where in Romania?  Transylvania.
And yes, vampires do exist, friend.  In this case, two rivals, brothers.
The “good vampire” is magazine handsome and has his eye on one of the girls.
The “evil vampire”, Radu, seems a descendant of Murnau’s Nosferatu, and has his eye on world domination.
Straight off, I root for the baddie.
Location filming in Romania is the best thing here.  Script likely penned by a fanboy reading issues of Forrest Ackerman’s “Famous Monsters”.
3-4 sequels expand this Full Moon vampire saga.

Spy/Master - 2023 - Romania

Spy/Master - 2023 - 6/10

 
Romanian Dictator Ceausescu's right-hand, Victor Godeanu, needs to defect.
Long a KGB sleeper agent, Romanian security is beginning to out him.
Bad timing.  Washington, transfixed by the 1978 Camp David talks refuses to commit itself.
Instead, Godeanu is left with a devious and inexperienced CIA handler.
A Romanian series, this steers a wary course.
The US is distracted, Soviet Union formidable, Romanian Intelligence relentless.
Decent espionage thriller, based loosely on Ion Mihai Pacepa, parts are better than the whole.

Blood Woods - 2022 - Romania

Blood Woods - 2022 - 6/10
AKA - Blutholz

 
The company man is attacked by bears and dogs.
Hold on!  Those are men in bear suits who release the attack shepherds.
The logging company hires a lawyer and aging troubleshooter to investigate.
Set in Brasov, Romania, this mystery has an excellent sense of place (I have been there).
It also explores the underlying tensions with the Roma, as well as political corruption.
Not a “romance” mystery, but a foray into murky history.
Good choice for fans of Noir.

Watcher - 2022 - Romania

Watcher - 2022 - 6/10

Julia and husband Francis arrive in Bucharest, where he has a new job.
Early on, they witness the aftermath of a murder and learn a serial killer is targeting females.
Julia, who cannot speak Romanian, leads an aimless existence.
After awhile, she realizes she has attracted an admirer / observer / stalker.
Her husband, neighbors, police … no one believes her, so she starts following him herself.

 
Well turned thriller, with at least one funky descent.
The anxiety proverb rings throughout.  “Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean …”

One Stormy Night - 1943 - Romania

One Stormy Night - 1943 - 6/10
AKA - O Noapte Furtunoasa

 
Rumanian comedy, filmed in the middle of World War II, which aroused my curiosity.
Set in the 1860's, a jealous husband suspects his wife of infidelity.
The chief culprit seems to be a sissified dandy, who always turns away from the man’s glare.
The only one he trusts is his live-in assistant, and from the opening scene we know how very wrong he is.
Narrative moves quick and plunges into farce numerous times.
Several of my favorite sequences occur in the music hall - which, alas, were not translated.
In fact, the few subtitles available are only “fair” at best.
A cursory glance online suggests this is a classic, as there is a recent theatrical version on YouTube, as well as a TV production from the 80's.
Comical proceedings fairly amusing, though poor subs (again, few available) are tedious.

The Whistlers - 2019 - Romania

The Whistlers - 2019 - 6/10
AKA - La Gomera

 
Convoluted, confused, baffling mystery set in the Canary Islands.
Romanian cop, Cristi, disembarks the ferry and begins shuttling between local police and local crime lord.
High level smuggling is ongoing, a convict needs to be sprung (because he knows where €30 M is stashed).
Supposedly undercover, Cristi proves more bent than a paper clip.
At least, that’s my take.  The narrative bounces and jumps, blundering into incoherence at times.
Relationships are murky and poorly explained.
Dialogue is in Spanish, English, Romanian, and “whistling”.
And yes, the film is also a how-to, as there are lessons on learning and improving your skills there.

Gadjo Dilo - 1998

Gadjo Dilo - 1998 - 6/10
AKA - The Crazy Stranger

 
Young French man wanders the Romanian countryside, cassette Walkman in his pack.
He seeks Nora Luca, gypsy folk singer, all but unknown in the west.
Colorful story throws him into the Romany world, where he is perceived as a curio.
The fact that he knows only a few Romany phrases and NO Romanian, cast him as the rube.
Fortunately (and fortune bears two faces), one girl speaks French.
To term their relationship highly charged would be understating it.
Film does not gloss over the tensions between normal Romanians, and the gypsies.

Note:  I have been to Romania a few times.
I never saw any of the girls wearing traditional garb, as in this film.