O Barão

"O Barão", by Edgar Pêra, based on the homonymous Branquinho da Fonseca masterwork novel, is a visually challenging picture, a film that defies genre boundaries, a characteristic usually found on the works of other Portuguese New Cinema directors (João Canijo, Miguel Gomes, Teresa Villaverde, etc.). Swaying between Gothic horror and surrealism, "O Barão" triggered in me opposite feelings towards what I was seeing.

"O Barão" is shot in beautiful, high-contrast black and white tones, reminiscent of classic Gothic horror pictures, a hypnotizing scheme of colors that succeeds in holding the viewer's attention. Miguel Melo as the titular character (The Baron), gives one of the most impressive performances in recent Portuguese cinema, perfectly embodying is persona, and rising all the way to the top to the best personifications of Dracula in cinema History.

Unfortunately, the stylistic tone of the movie constantly makes use of multiple-exposure shots, ever-changing lighting (to stress on the film's stagey feeling), abstract dialogue and the omnipresence of English subtitles on screen, carefully embedded to make them seem part of the movie itself (that's great for non-Portuguese speakers viewers who want to see "O Barão", but in my perspective I can't help but feel that they look only distracting). This way, the dimmest shade of narrative that "O Barão" could possess gets buried beneath tons of "make-up" and, although the movie runs over less than an hour and a half, sixty minutes into the movie, neither the film's amazing cinematography or Miguel Melo's perfect performance can't save you from dozing off a little bit in your couch. Still, I'd say that "O Barão" is an exercise worth of your attention, for the outstanding aspects afore mentioned.

I'll never know what was real and what existed only in the imagination of the visiting school inspector. He got stuck between two worlds: the real world where he represented the official government, and the castle where The Baron (with capitals) kept saying "I am the one in charge". To add to the confusion, we repeatedly heard that the mysterious Idaline was actually still higher in line.

You should not expect the usual elements of common horror movies: I saw no traces of blood, no fatal bites in necks, and no squeaking doors.

Only a very brief moment we see color in the film. Nearly all is black and white. It may remind you of ancient Dracula movies, but that is where all resemblance stops. Rather than that, it is.... different.

There is tension throughout, wondering what will happen next. That goes on all the time. Part of what we see happening, seem to happen only in someone's imagination, but we can never be sure about that. Well done, but I doubt the recipe will work when seeing the film for a second time.

The musical score was impressive, certainly adding to the tension. Apart from that, there was an "Orchestra" (mind the quotes, again) appearing in the castle, but that was limited to a single scene. Following the final credits that same Orchestra appears for the second time as an unexpected bonus. Make sure you stay until the end, do not put on your coat yet, and refrain from leaving early.

The Baron, by Edgar Pêra, an adaptation of Branquinho da Fonseca's short story, is a masterpiece.

It is a journey into the past, to Portugal in the 1940s, when Salazar imposed his dictatorship, here represented with vampiric overtones.

In a remarkable performance, Nuno Melo embodies the tyranny of a man who believes he has the right to impose his will on everybody.

The camera work creates a kind of spectral atmosphere. The lighting creates an ambiguous figure of the baron throughout the film, showing him at times as vulnerable, at times as implacable and maddened, turning Nuno Melo into an absolutely memorable Portuguese Dracula.

The Baron is a rare cinematic experience in the Portuguese panorama.

7.0.