All the pieces Besides the Turkey Puppet Clucking Sucks in ‘Amityville Turkey Day’ [The Amityville IP]

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu has redefined the long-lasting vampire story, however Buffy tackled comparable territory 25 years earlier with its subversive Dracula episode.

“Your energy is rooted in darkness. You should really feel it.”
“No. You recognize what I really feel? Bored.”

This text accommodates heavy spoilers for 2024’s Nosferatu and Season 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Society has been telling vampire tales for over a century, whether or not it’s the austere gothic horror of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, Dracula, extra palatable and playful tales, just like the Twilight sequence and The Vampire Diaries, or one thing in between, corresponding to Fright Evening or The Misplaced Boys. Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu harkens again to the vampire’s vicious roots and his interpretation of F. W. Murnau’s 1922 unique grew to become one among 2024’s largest horror motion pictures and it’s nonetheless going robust. Nosferatu is darkish, disturbing, and devoted to its craft, but amongst all of the dread and despondency is a surprisingly feminist vampire story. Lily-Rose Depp’s Ellen Hutter spends most of Nosferatu being stalked, manipulated, and chained up, but she nonetheless possesses unbelievable energy – though it’s not totally understood, even by herself. Nosferatu’s slant on this story is as stimulating as it’s scary. Nonetheless, there’s one other tackle Dracula from 25 years earlier that presents an identical story that’s much more subversive and empowering. Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s “Buffy vs. Dracula,” written by Marti Noxon and directed by David Solomon, makes use of Dracula to assist Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy Summers higher perceive herself, her energy, and her function as a feminist icon.

Each Buffy season is transformative and difficult, however season 5 is particularly revelatory for the Slayer. Buffy beneficial properties a sister, loses a mom, and grapples with a number of completely different id crises, all whereas she prepares for battle towards a literal God. Buffy’s fifth season is steadily considered not solely one of many sequence’ greatest years, however some of the spectacular seasons out of any of Joss Whedon’s productions. It’s a masterpiece in serialized storytelling that doesn’t simply sublimely join all of the season’s dots, however brings collectively a number of concepts and themes which have been current since Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s begin. Buffy’s season premieres are sometimes heavy, introspective experiences, so audiences have been understandably caught off-guard with season 5’s “Buffy vs. Dracula.” This season premiere is simply as deep as its predecessors and it elegantly units up broader questions on Buffy’s id and the Slayer’s function in society, but that is considered one among Buffy’s most polarizing entries due to its cavalier method to Dracula (Rudolf Martin) and the episode’s oddly comical slant.  Even the title “Buffy vs. Dracula” could be very tongue-in-cheek and undercuts the episode’s severe subject material. The one factor extra farcical could be if it have been titled “Buffy and the Scooby Gang Meet Dracula!”

“Buffy vs. Dracula” is admittedly tonally dissimilar from many Buffy episodes. It even begins with Buffy and her pals goofing round on a sunny seaside. Nonetheless, Buffy could be very cautious to not make Dracula himself a joke. He triggers comical occasions, corresponding to Buffy’s starstruck demeanor, Xander’s insect-eating fealty, and Spike’s petty grudges with the vampire and the way he’s made life tougher for his personal variety, however Dracula himself is deathly severe. Dracula as a substitute seems like he’s out of a very completely different sequence. He talks in flowery gothic prose as a substitute of witty Whedon-speak one-liners. The one “humorous” factor he does is the mist materialization gag that ends the episode, however even that’s largely comical due to Buffy’s response to it. A lot of Buffy’s fifth season entails an altered actuality that darkish monks have created for sinister functions. It virtually seems like Dracula is a byproduct of this alternate universe and that he’s a vestige of Bram Stoker’s novel who’s been plucked out and dropped into Sunnydale. 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer makes use of Dracula to inform a private story that connects to Buffy’s ongoing evolution. That being stated, it’s nonetheless entertaining to see this thought-provoking episode take pleasure in lots of the traditional Dracula tropes, not not like Eggers’ Nosferatu. “Buffy vs. Dracula” provides Dracula further vampire powers that aren’t sometimes explored within the sequence, corresponding to his potential to show right into a bat, a wolf, and weaponize a hypnotic thrawl on others. Xander fulfills the Renfield function and turns into the episode’s central comedian aid, whereas Giles turns into Buffy’s resident Jonathan Harker and quickly loses himself to a trio of vampire brides. These are the main points that stand out most when “Buffy vs. Dracula” is damaged down purely on a narrative degree they usually’re enjoyable Dracula fan service. Nonetheless, these touches aren’t actually essential or what the episode is definitely about.

It’s simple to get misplaced in Xander’s humorous fealty and the methods by which Dracula ruffles everybody’s feathers. Past this silliness, a number of the most compelling materials to come back out of “Buffy vs. Dracula” entails how the Darkish Prince prods Buffy concerning her energy. Curiously, Dracula doesn’t reduce Buffy’s energy, however as a substitute tells her that she might be much more magnificent if she grew to become his vampiric bride. This materials would fall flat if it have been to occur in Buffy’s first or second seasons, however it hits with larger depth 5 years in. No person expects Buffy to turn into a vampire by the top of the episode, however it’s a heavier proposition for Buffy. On some degree, after the whole lot that she’s skilled, it feels as if there’s some degree of temptation to only escape on this immortal fantasy. She will’t and he or she received’t, however Dracula comes alongside on the excellent time when he’s really in a position to get in Buffy’s head and have her query herself. This makes it all of the extra important that Buffy might be some notorious Vampire Queen and thrive by means of killing, however she as a substitute chooses to be humanity’s thankless protector. It’s a strong theme that programs by means of the season and reaches a devastating breaking level within the season’s finale, the place Buffy makes the final word sacrifice. 

In a deleted scene from “Buffy vs. Dracula,” Dracula goes even additional with this degree of dissection. “I do know intimately what it’s to be completely different,” he tells Buffy. “Human, however not fairly. Of the world, however nonetheless an outsider. You see? We perceive one another. Each of us are born of darkness, masters within the artwork of dying.” Depend Orlok (Invoice Skarsgård) echoes a comparable line in Nosferatu when he tells Ellen, “Love is inferior to you. I advised you, you aren’t of humankind.” Buffy and Ellen each purchase into their darkish tempter’s phrases, however it’s an empowering message to Buffy and an imprisoning one to Ellen. Buffy spends a whole season grappling with how she’s a “grasp within the artwork of dying,” which pushes her down a darkish path – one which’s not at all times wholesome for her – however one which’s traveled on her personal volition. Dracula’s phrases could actually echo in Buffy’s head in “Buffy vs. Dracula” as he hypnotizes her by means of their blood bond. Nonetheless, it’s merely the seed of suggestion that eats away at her doubts by means of the remainder of the season.

Buffy and Dracula’s last confrontation turns right into a battle of will as Buffy asserts herself towards Dracula’s maintain over her and the darkish life that he guarantees. Buffy does drink Dracula’s blood, however it’s a legacy of Slayer energy that brings her again to her senses and provides her the facility to persevere. It’s not simply Buffy’s energy that overpowers the Darkish Prince, however generations of female-driven Slayer confidence that defeats this predatory menace. Ellen could also be doomed to perish in Nosferatu and turn into a cautionary story. Alternatively, Buffy is ready to channel previous cautionary tales and failed guarantees to turn into an inspirational anomaly. 

“Buffy vs. Dracula” explores the concept the Slayer’s status is simply as distinguished to vampires as Dracula’s is to people. Dracula explicitly involves Sunnydale as a result of he’s heard repeated tales of Buffy’s unbelievable accomplishments. When the mud — or slightly the mist — settles right here, Buffy is the one who’s left standing and within the place of energy. 5 years of Slayer duties trumps centuries of darkish acts. Buffy doesn’t simply survive this expertise, however she’s left invigorated and desperate to study extra in regards to the historical past of the Slayers and the complete extent of what her privileged function represents. She needs to create a vivid future for herself, and others, by constructing a legacy that’s much more prolific than that of Dracula. 

Vampire tales like Nosferatu and “Buffy vs. Dracula” are dense in darkness, not simply visually, however as a drive that’s emblematic of what Ellen and Buffy are preventing towards. These vampire narratives are tonally excessive, but they discover very comparable dialogue on this matter. At one level in Nosferatu, Anna Harding asks Ellen, “What is that this unbearable darkness?” Throughout one other, Ellen questions, “My desires develop darker…Inform me, does evil come from inside us? Or past?” The latter of those statements is kind of the continued mantra for Buffy’s fifth season as Buffy makes an attempt to get to the middle of the Slayers, but in addition herself. Buffy additionally repeatedly subverts the concept of darkness and the facility that it holds. At one level, Buffy boasts to Dracula, “How do you want my darkness now?” It’s a strong, purifying asset to her, slightly than a completely corrupting drive. Even earlier, Dracula tells Buffy, “Your energy is rooted in darkness. You should really feel it,” whereas an unphased Buffy retorts, “No. You recognize what I really feel? Bored.” Darkness could management Dracula, Depend Orlok, and Ellen, however not Buffy.

Robert Eggers has spoken candidly about how Depp’s Ellen possesses a novel understanding of the “shadow aspect of the world” and that this darkish present isn’t just misunderstood – however persecuted – in her world. It’s onerous to not draw parallels right here between Ellen and Buffy, each of whom are compelled to work by means of a world that wants them, but doesn’t have the correct instruments to rejoice them. They’re compelled to endure and sacrifice. Buffy is blessed sufficient to have a greater assist system, however she nonetheless faces astronomical hurdles which can be an excessive amount of to beat. 

Buffy could not perish at Dracula’s arms, however she nonetheless meets her finish similarly to Ellen. A part of the rationale that Ellen finally “submits” to Orlok and sacrifices herself to take him out is that she feels that she doesn’t belong in a world that’s progressively moved away from magic. Ellen feels that she doesn’t slot in and is an aberration, which on many ranges aligns with Buffy’s resolution to sacrifice herself to avoid wasting the world when this soul-searching season reaches its finish. The message that Buffy carries together with her for over a season – “your present is dying” – is finally empowering. Nonetheless, it nonetheless concludes with Buffy chilly and underground. 

Each Buffy and Ellen’s fates are considered morose losses for the larger good, but it’s solely Buffy that options what one may contemplate to be a contented ending. It’s onerous to think about Ellen with a headstone epitaph that’s a fraction as congratulatory as Buffy Summers’ gravestone. Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu and Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s “Buffy vs. Dracula” each remodel the traditional vampiric determine right into a catalyst for feminist progress and self-discovery. Nonetheless, Buffy is the one which does extra with this revelation and channels it into a whole season of difficult character growth that proves {that a} woman is powerful sufficient to not simply defeat Dracula, however a God.