Displaying items by tag: Kathryn Erbe

THE ADDICTION

US, 1995, 82 minutes, Black-and-white.

Lili Taylor, Christopher Walken, Annabella Sciorra, Edie Falco, Paul Calderon, Katherine Erbe, Michael Imperioli, Robert W. Castle.

Directed by Abel Ferrara.

The Addiction is a significant film in the career of Abel Ferrara. In independent filmmaker, eccentric, Catholic background and frequent Catholic themes, an addict himself.

After small budget violent films, he was recognised in the 1980s as a significant film maker. And, especially during the 90s, with such well-received films, Bad Lt, The Funeral as well as The Addiction, he was able to make some studio films as well is to continue on his own way.

He also drew on several actors in many films including Christopher Walken and Harvey Keitel.

This short feature, filmed in black and white, goes to the New York streets, to the University, to hospitals. It focuses on a young woman played by Lili Taylor, studying philosophy, an encounter with a vampire, played by Anna biller surer, and transformed into a dark vampire, then praying and transforming others, erratic behaviour, sexual, stealing, preying on people in the streets.

She encounters reforming vampire, played by Christopher Walken, who takes her in, tries to help her, getting her to read William Burroughs’ The Naked Lunch, helping her to get her PhD.

However, in the celebratory party, with many guests, she lets loose, transforming the party into a kind of vampire blood orgy. But then, she wanders the streets, goes to a hospital, a visit by a priest for the last sacraments and The attic.

Finally, she visits her own grave, and the question whether she has been redeemed or continue to be part of the living dead.

1. The title, expectations? Abel Ferrara and his own addictions? His life, memories, possibilities for change and redemption?
2. The effect of black-and-white photography, New York City, the University, the streets, the dark world, academia, the party, the hospital? The musical score?
3. Vampire films, the traditions? Transferred to the United States? The LOI ready, blood, the living dead, biting and killing? Possibilities for overcoming the condition? The range of characters that arise here?
4. The religious themes, Ferrara and his Catholic background, evil, sin, repentance, redemption? And the priest visiting Kathleen in hospital?
5. Kathleen, her age, studies, her thesis, the encounter with Casanova, her being transformed? In the dark, needing blind, HIV fears in the 1990s, the hospital, her anaemia?
6. Her changing character, the sexual approach to her Prof, stealing his wallet, Jean noticing, her attack on Jean, the attack on the young woman and her weeping, Kathleen asserting her indifference? The encounter with Black, the blood? Gene talking to her about guilt?
7. The encounter with Pena, his history as a vampire, trying to overcome his condition? Taking care of Kathleen, her reading William Burroughs The Naked Lunch?
8. Defending her thesis, the award, the party afterwards, the guests, the transformations into vampires, and all G of blood?
9. Kathleen, regrets, walking the streets, in hospital, life and death, the priest visiting her with Communion?
10. Her visiting her grave, the meaning of her life – and the quotation: self-revelation is annihilation of self?