Short Film: Vampire (2019)

I was contacted by Billy about this short film that he came across on YouTube – many thanks for the heads-up Billy.

This is a short that I am sure will tweak some people's privilege, which is great. Based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1924 story "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", director and co-writer Evgeniy Gavrik has gender swapped Holmes – now Jane Holmes (Julia Magpie) – and Watson – now Emily Watson (Tatyana Lukachina). But let us be honest, there is no reason why this can’t be done (indeed this story was also the basis for an episode of Japanese TV series Miss Sherlock).

The story itself is pretty true to the original story, albeit modernised and moved to Russia (despite the English names used), and so I will only introduce the set-up as you will either know the story or I can preserve the mystery.

at the neck

Mr Ferguson (Sergey Gutko) is a businessman working from home. His son Jackie (Nikita Kapelyushny) is playing at aeroplanes nearby. Our first observation is that Jackie is older than one would expect for such games and has, it becomes clear, learning difficulties. Bored of the game he starts banging the table either side of a full tea cup – inevitably spilling it on Ferguson’s papers. The father’s cry brings maid Marta (Sofia Polovenko) in but Ferguson sends her to feed baby son Jimmy. Getting upstairs, she sees Ferguson’s second wife, Meredith (Irina Marynichenko), with her lips at the baby’s neck – seemingly sucking his blood.

Holmes and Watson

Holmes and Watson are getting ready to go to separate appointments. Holmes has been contacted by Ferguson – Jimmy is being checked at the hospital, Meredith is ill in bed and Marta is convinced that she is a vampire. Watson’s appointment is actually with Meredith. But what could be the answer to the mystery? Is Meredith actually a vampire?

watching Twilight

The answer is in the short. Billy, when contacting me, suggested that Julie Magpie “is very good and really displays the detached nature the detective often gave as he worked a case” and he is spot on when it comes to the detachment. However, I will say that she seems fairly young and I think some pithy and inciteful observations might have been useful early on in building the character as Holmes. Incidentally we get a moment with Watson watching the Twilight Saga@ New Moon. At the time of writing I couldn’t find an IMDb page.