Short Film: Parasite Lady

Chris Alexander is back and although I am looking at this 2023 release as a short film, given its 42-minute running time, one might argue that it is possibly the most-Chris-Alexander feature to date. Regular readers will know that I have a soft spot for Alexander’s avant garde filmmaking and he has a style that, whilst reminiscent of some of the 70s genre greats, he has developed over the course of his films and, whilst I will say that some of the colour palate and photography in this drew my mind to Mario Bava’s vivid lighting structures, this was recognisably Alexander.

Arrielle Edwards as Miranda

Narratively sparsely simple the film opens inside a rundown motel, with a coffin, a window in the lid showing the occupant’s face. Though such a coffin has been used since, it brought Vampyr to mind. The occupant is a woman, Miranda (Arrielle Edwards), her features striking, indeed actress Arrielle Edwards is very striking throughout, a testimony to both the actress and the cinematography. There is a moment where she smiles later in the film that is absolutely uncanny. Her fingers emerge from the coffin, pushing the lid up. She sits…

attack

The film follows Miranda, from her moments in the room, to her ghosting through a seedy amusement park (with a Castle Dracula sign high above and a themed attraction). She picks up victims from the park and it's notable that they are blonde and reminiscent of the one who turned her, Lady Death (Thea Munster, Necropolis: Legion). Her victims seem mesmerised, walking back to the motel behind the vampire, and she opens their necks through her sharp nails. Lady Death seems to haunt her, manipulating her. Whether she is in any way there, connected telepathically or simply a delusion is never answered.

uncanny

The vampirism is passed through oral exchange of blood. Though she sleeps in a coffin, Miranda can walk in the daylight and has a reflection. When asked what they are, she says “We wake. We walk. We drink. We go on.” They can die if they want to, though a vampire can kill another vampire. The lore is limited as is the dialogue and the narrative, though simple, is skilfully presented through the visuals as much as anything. I was struck, more so than I think I have been before in an Alexander film, by the soundtrack. Discordant it matched the photography very well. This is arthouse filmmaking and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The imdb page is here.