Two of my favorite vampire movies are George A. Romero's MARTIN and Tomas Alfredson's LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, and both of those films had a clear influence on writer/director Michael O'Shea as he was putting together his feature directorial debut, THE TRANSFIGURATION. Here we have a young kid living in a grounded reality who appears to begin consuming blood, much like the "Is he really a vampire or not?" Martin. While he's going down this twisted path, he strikes up a relationship with a young girl, bringing to mind the vampire/kid relationship at the center of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN.
Not only do these films serve as inspiration for THE TRANSFIGURATION, but I've heard that they are also directly referenced with the film as a couple of the aspiring vampire's favorite movies.
Having played at the Cannes Film Festival last year, THE TRANSFIGURATION is now set to make its North American premiere at SXSW this weekend. Here is how the film is described on the SXSW website:
“The Transfiguration” follows troubled teen Milo who hides behind his fascination with vampire lore. When he meets the equally alienated Sophie, the two form a bond that begins to challenge Milo’s dark obsession, blurring his fantasy into reality. A chilling portrait of violence, “The Transfiguration” is an atmospheric thriller set against the grit of New York City.
I'm not a big fan of the title THE TRANSFIGURATION, but beyond that this project is very appealing to me, being a new take on ideas presented in two of my favorites. I'm looking forward to seeing this one after it has made the festival rounds.
THE TRANSFIGURATION stars Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine, Aaron Moten, Carter Redwood, Danny Flaherty, Larry Fessenden, and Lloyd Kaufman. The trailer can be seen below.