Jonathan (1970) aka Vampires That Live By Day 1080P
Jonathan (1970) aka Vampires That Live By Day 1080P
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Hans W. Geißendörfer's Jonathan (1970)—also released as Vampires That Live by Day—is a cornerstone of the "New German Cinema" movement. It is far more of a surrealist political allegory than a traditional Hammer-style horror film. This is not a typical sexploitation film and contains two very tame interactions. The original movie is also tediously long and somewhat chaotic in its plot line.
The film is set in a stylized 18th or 19th-century Germany where vampires are not hiding in the shadows; they are the ruling aristocracy. These vampires are immune to sunlight and have effectively enslaved the local human population. They treat humans like cattle, keeping them in dungeons for blood, while a cadre of human "enforcers" maintain order through torture and fear. A rebel group, mentored by a doddery Professor ( Van Helsing like), selects a young man named Jonathan to infiltrate the Count's castle. His goal is to wake the locals held captive to join the rebels. The mob infiltrates the castle and herds the vampires toward the sea. Since these vampires are vulnerable to running water, they are driven into the waves where they drown, signaling the end of their rule.
Hans W. Geißendörfer later became famous for creating the long-running German soap Lindenstraße. Filmed by Robby Müller, who would go on to be the legendary cinematographer for Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas) and Jim Jarmusch. The film is known for its incredible long takes, "painterly" compositions, and its use of primary colors (reds, greens, and lilacs) against a grim, muddy landscape.
The film is an explicit allegory for Nazi Germany. The vampire Count is styled to look like a mustache-less Adolf Hitler, and his "human thugs" operate exactly like the Gestapo. Critics at the time, including Roger Greenspun of The New York Times, hailed it as the first truly "anti-fascist" vampire film. While standard Dracula lore emphasizes sunlight, Jonathan draws from older folklore where running water is the primary killer. This allows for the haunting finale where the "master race" of vampires is simply washed away.