O Drakoulas ton Exarheion

Many tags can fit the filmmaker Nikos Zervos, he is one of the key figures in the development of Greek cinema, a brilliant satirist of the culture and society and a former vice president of the Greek Directors Association from 2001 to 2010. I have only seen Exiled in the Central Avenue (1979), Sapounopetra: To hrima sto Laimo sas (1995), Black + White (1973) and the crazy Greek counterculture horror musical satire Dracula of Exarcheia (1983), my personal favourite in his filmography. He has made chaotic, anarchic films in the underground and moved towards a later professionalism that can be seen in his filmmaking style, preserving all its usual satire and being crony.

Zervos emphasized the madness that nests of the early 80s, mocking the fascism, anti-consumerism, LGBTQ theme and hyperboles that put sex, feminism, absurdness at the very core of its rhetorical structure with the manifest aim of offending as many. A mad scientist who is like a hybrid between Count Dracula and Dr. Frankenstein brings together a band by assembling the body parts of the famous deceased musicians. Then we see a heteronormative chick who hangs around, i was glad to spot a Motorhead and British horror classic Cry of the Banshee movie poster in her bedroom. Don't miss the bonker rendition of "l'Internationale" by the Communist zombies earlier in the film. It is one of the funniest moments in the film, there's also a feminist body sequence with corny lines and effective cheesy humor manages to make you cringe and laugh throughout.

I want to recommend this absurd filth to those who get entertained by the works of the Ulrike Ottinger (Freak Orlando), Kuchar Brothers, David Lynch, José Rodriguez Soltero, Banmei Takahashi, Lisa Hammer, Kazuhiro Sano, Herbert Achternbusch, Jon Moritsugu, Yoshihiko Matsui, Eric Bummer, The Findlays, Teco Benson, John Waters, Roger A. Fratter, Nick Zedd and Norbert Moutier. THE REST CAN STAY AWAY!!

In nowadays that parallel universe is the easy way out and replaces any troublesome scenario plots this movie is worth watching. Does it have a complex scenario? Something memorable and unique? For me no BUT it has great quotes , it has the humor that i so much miss , a humor that isn't bound by technicalities and politically correct boundaries . Watching this movie gives you a notion of freedom . Tzimis Panousus and Dimitris Poulikakos are the stars and add value to the whole movie . So in overall i would recommend you to watch it. It is a window open to an era in Greece that is very educating about what was happening during those times.

Zervos is clearly the most underrated Greek director. EVER. His fetish for the ridicule and his sharp commenting of Greek society (and especially the extreme left core of people from Exarheia square) are what makes him a living legend (along with his beard of course). There are some scenes in this film that are unforgettable, but I would like to point at the one where Konstantinos Tzoumas, as the crazy scientist, creates his manufactured pop band (prophetic bearing in mind the 'Pop Stars', 'Pop Idol' phenomenon) by putting walkmans in all of the bandmembers heads playing 'new wave'. The result of course is a disaster, and the whole film then takes off. Class!

First time I have seen this movie as a low quality AVI-file on a computer. A short while later I ordered the original DVD at a Greek E-Shop. What more should I tell?

My first impression was that it might be the 'Greek Rocky Horror Picture Show'. Somewhere I've read that Nikos Zervos is often called the John Waters of Greece. I don't know if it's exactly 'new wave', what Tsimis Panousis and Dimitris Poulikakos are performing, but I like the lot of good music and the crazy story. For non-Greek people like me it is very hard to understand because there are no subtitles available - really a pity. In February I had planned to write down at least the Greek dialogs to make a German translation for some friends of mine... And well - with a greatly appreciated help of some Greek friends ... I did it! ... I did it! ... I did it!

This is the first question i made to myself after the end titles. Being a huge fan of Jimis and cult films i can't hide that this movie was something divine. A movie full of scenes that you can't understand if the actors really act. They just... do what they do(pay attention to the orgy scene or the sex inside the coffin). Also full of great songs, not only music, but the lyrics are fantastic. Really deep. If you have any idea of Greek reality you'll understand why i say that. Imagine that these songs were written at the year 1983. After 24 years they are more in time than ever. Prophetic... I couldn't vote less than 9 because all of the reasons above. So open your minds and see this movie.