If you were to hear a film’s description as a black and white, Iranian-Western Vampire noir, spoken in Farsi with English subtitles, your natural reaction would probably have been similar to mine: puzzled, humored, and super intrigued. Thanks to the creative and artistic vision from Ana Lily Amirpour– the film’s writer, director, and producer- A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night brings a unique voice to the current state of cinema and a wildly entertaining film to the big screen.
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, executive produced by Elijah Wood, has that “art school” vibe that can be interpreted as “superficial,” but that’s far, far from the truth. In fact, it’s the first ever Iranian-Western Vampire film ever made (which, actually, may not be all that surprising). Playing out like a spaghetti Western, the desolate ghost town of Bad City lives unaware of a danger lurking on their streets at night. Seemingly innocent by her quiet demeanor and stylish look, the girl, played by the beautiful Sheila Vand, is a lonely and blood-thirsty vampire who preys on the men in her town. It is when she meets a local boy, Arash (Arash Marandi), that she first begins to discover emotions that she has never experienced before, like trust and self-control.
I’m going out on a limb and saying that never before has the use of black and white photography, a film’s music, or the use of a cat- yes, cat- been put to better use than in A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night.
The film, much like how I’d imagine Amirpour to be, is organically cool and not in the least bit pretentious. Yes, the vampire girl listens to cool records in her studio apartment/layer, she skateboards down the empty streets and dresses like an American Apparel advertisement, but Amirpour makes her desirable, not distasteful. The hauntingly beautiful imagery plays perfectly against the moody backdrop that is Bad City; the dialogue is sparse but purposeful. This is simplicity in its rawest form- everything from the actors to the cinematography is visually arresting and drool-worthy.
I’m going out on a limb and saying that never before has the use of black and white photography, a film’s music, or the use of a cat- yes, cat- been put to better use than in A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night. The black and white is completely for artistic value, the film would not have had the same effect had it been shot in color. In fact, the film’s soundtrack has been the topic of conversation in many interviews with Amirpour, praising the unexpected trancelike sounds of the Middle East and the western-inspired Portland based Federale. The music here is really like an additional character, full of life and energy that is the perfect juxtaposition to the black and white landscape. And the cat- the last shot of the film explains everything. How there is not a tiny little person inside of a cat suit blows my mind.
The less you know about this film, the better. I went into it knowing nothing- just the description which, as I mention earlier, intrigued me. If you take away one thing from this review, let is be that this is a film that should be seen by anyone interested in making a film, directors especially. As her feature film debut, Amirpour proves that it’s not about how big the budget is or getting big name “celebrities” to star, it truly is about a good script and a clear vision. Although commercial success seems unlikely, that doesn’t make A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night any less of a masterful, high-style horror film.
