Nadja (1994)

57% of critics liked it
(23 reviews)
62% of users liked it
(1,840 ratings)

This stylish combination of expressionistic horror and deadpan black comedy centers on the activities of a beautiful female vampire on the streets of New York City. Playing fast and loose with the Dracula legend, the film examines the legendary count's children, particularly the alluring and… More This stylish combination of expressionistic horror and deadpan black comedy centers on the activities of a beautiful female vampire on the streets of New York City. Playing fast and loose with the Dracula legend, the film examines the legendary count's children, particularly the alluring and mysterious Nadja (Elina Lowensohn). At the film's beginning, Nadja is celebrating her father's demise and hoping to begin a new life. She hopes that this life will include Lucy (Galaxy Craze), a spunky young woman that she seduces after an encounter in a New York bar. Unfortunately, Lucy is already married, to the nephew of eccentric vampire hunter Van Helsing (Peter Fonda), who disposed of Nadja's father and has now set his sights on capturing the daughter. Matters are further complicated when Nadja's brother Edgar (Jared Harris), a vampire who wishes to give up his blood-sucking nature, also becomes involved. Gorgeously shot by cinematographer Jim Denault in a mixture of 35mm black-and-white and low-budget Pixelvision video, the film resembles a combination of the surrealist visions of co-producer David Lynch and the quirky humor and stylized sensibility of Hal Hartley. The convoluted narrative sometimes fails to gel, and the self-conscious, arty approach will not appeal to audiences looking for conventional thrills, but those with a taste for the unusual may find the film an appealing contemporary spin on a familiar legend. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Michael Almereyda
Written By: Michael Almereyda
Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Aug 25, 1995 Wide
On DVD: Jul 25, 2000
Studio: October Films

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
This offbeat horror item works much better as a dreamy mood piece with striking poetic images and as a semicomic appreciation of a few quintessential low-budget actors than as straight-ahead storytelling.
Variety Staff, Variety
A lovely idea for a film that's been beautifully executed but slips too far off its narrative tracks to get where it wants to go.
Caryn James, New York Times
It is refreshing to see so much style and life in the old undead tale, and to watch this strong cast with its perfect deadpan attitudes.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
Michael Almereyda's insanely brilliant fantasia on the Dracula legend.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
What could have been a brilliant short becomes deadly, stretched to feature length.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It's the kind of movie that deals with unspeakable subjects while keeping a certain ironic distance, and using dialogue that seems funny, although the characters never seem in on the joke.
, Film4
This idiosyncratic take on the genre is as much concerned with ordinary family dynamics as the absurdity of its characters' demonic existence.
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
Not without interest, but less satisfying than even an average Hammer horror.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
It may not make much sense, but it never looks less than fabulous.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Unfolding as a languid dream puzzle in Downtown Manhattan nether world, Michael Almereyda's blend of serious and frivolous ideas and mysterious and haunting images recalls David Lynch, who served as film's exec producer and also makes cameo appearance
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Highly stylised b/w camerawork and Pixelvision, moody poeticism, and farcical genre parody merge to tantalising if not altogether coherent effect.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Too bizarre to be taken seriously and not funny enough to be entertaining.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A lyrical parody of the vampire genre.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Clever and innovative take on vampire mythology in a contemporary tale set in New York City.
Sean O'Neill, Boxoffice Magazine
[Almereyda's] imagination seems more focused on composing striking shot compositions than in communicating pure and simple human emotions.
Mark R. Leeper, rec.arts.movies.reviews
While it is nice to see an occasional horror film making the art house circuit, this story of the undead just needs more life in the long middle section of the film.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Bruce B

One of the worst vampire movies I have ever come across. Its in my Suzy Amis Collection and the only reason I continued to watch it. Dracula gets hunted down and killed by the current Van Helsing. But Dracula's Daughter Nadja takes his place in the undead world. Nadja,… More
One of the worst vampire movies I have ever come across. Its in my Suzy Amis Collection and the only reason I continued to watch it. Dracula gets hunted down and killed by the current Van Helsing. But Dracula's Daughter Nadja takes his place in the undead world. Nadja, coincidentally gets involved in a lesbian relationship with Lucy, wife to Jim Van Helsing. Its in B&W which takes away from the overall movie, after all it was filmed in 1994.I didn't get much out of this, maybe an Art house Movie, not sure, just didn't work for me at all. 1 Star
Nicki M

I love this movie. Absolutely never get tired of it. The best vampire movie ever made. I love everything about it from the way it is filmed in grainy black and white, to the soundtrack, the performances, particularly Elina Lownsohn - perfect. I must have watched this about ten… More
I love this movie. Absolutely never get tired of it. The best vampire movie ever made. I love everything about it from the way it is filmed in grainy black and white, to the soundtrack, the performances, particularly Elina Lownsohn - perfect. I must have watched this about ten times now. If you like Vampire movies, then you must see this.
_kelly .

the most poetic vampire film I have ever seen. Beautiful, emotional, raw, engaging, and vastly under-seen and under-rated.
Kylie B

I really thought I wouldn't like this, but I did. A very novel take on vampire movies - I especially liked the aged hippy Van Hellsing riding around on a scooter. However, the way it is shot probably puts people off. I'm okay with black and white films but to keep flicking… More
I really thought I wouldn't like this, but I did. A very novel take on vampire movies - I especially liked the aged hippy Van Hellsing riding around on a scooter. However, the way it is shot probably puts people off. I'm okay with black and white films but to keep flicking from colour/highlights to black and white can be rather distracting.
Antony S

An experimental triumph, Nadja revamps the Dracula fable by centring the action on Drac's alluring daughter Nadja. Propelled by some decidedly off-kilter storytelling techniques and visuals (David Lynch has an acting part and was producer), Nadja is a rare gem. Look out in… More
An experimental triumph, Nadja revamps the Dracula fable by centring the action on Drac's alluring daughter Nadja. Propelled by some decidedly off-kilter storytelling techniques and visuals (David Lynch has an acting part and was producer), Nadja is a rare gem. Look out in particular for the most unusual Van Helsing yet; Peter Fonda's bicycle-riding longhair, and the strangely blurred horror images, which serve to perplex the veiwer and entice them into imaging what could be going on that we cannot/must not see. As absudly erotic as if it was made by Lynch himself, Nadja is a much-underseen 90s classic.
Linda K

I dont know how some people like this film. It is absolutely hideous. The dialogues and the actors were horrible. Nonetheless, i would give one star for the film just because director, Michael Almereyda, did a quite marvelous job by shooting an entire feature film with a Fisher-Price… More
I dont know how some people like this film. It is absolutely hideous. The dialogues and the actors were horrible. Nonetheless, i would give one star for the film just because director, Michael Almereyda, did a quite marvelous job by shooting an entire feature film with a Fisher-Price camera. Hence, two thumbs up for the cinematography.
Anthony V

A unique film experience.