El Conde (2023)
Film · Fantasy, Comedy, Horror
Stream it, ifif you enjoy high-concept political satire presented through a cold, monochromatic, gothic lens.
A visually striking, monochromatic satire that reimagines a notorious dictator as a literal bloodsucker weary of eternal life. Its blend of historical commentary and gothic horror is cold and biting, offering a grimly unique experience that is more intellectually provocative than traditionally frightening.
What it is about
After living for over two centuries, Augusto Pinochet is a vampire ready to die… but the vultures around him won't let him go without one last bite.
Trailer
What El Conde is like, and who it is for
What it is like to watch
Watching this film is a surreal and haunting experience, defined by its stark black-and-white cinematography and a pace that feels both grand and glacial. It operates with a detached, clinical intensity, prioritising atmosphere and visual metaphor over jump scares or traditional horror tropes. The tone is persistently grim yet punctuated by moments of absurdity, using the supernatural to underscore the mundane reality of greed and legacy.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
This is a film for viewers who appreciate historical allegories and dark, intellectual humour. Those seeking a conventional vampire thriller or a fast-moving comedy will likely find it too slow and overly conceptual. The gore is present but stylised, serving the satire rather than providing shocks. A significant caveat is that the film assumes a level of familiarity with Chilean history, which may leave some viewers feeling distanced from its sharpest barbs.
The right evening for it
It suits a quiet evening for focused viewing, ideal for those who want a visually arresting piece of cinema that prompts discussion about power and corruption rather than mindless entertainment.
Written by our AI from the facts on this page. It has opinions; it has not watched it.
How El Conde leaves you
One line on the mood it ends on, with no plot. Some people count that as a spoiler, so it stays hidden until you ask.
Expect to feel unsettled and intellectually provoked, left with a lingering, cynical chill regarding the cyclical nature of human greed and the persistence of historical shadows.
How El Conde ends
Spoilers. The whole ending, in a few lines. Nothing shows until you ask and then confirm.
The film ends with a violent confrontation at the farm. After Carmen reveals her mission for the Church, she is guillotined by Fyodor, who destroys her evidence. Fyodor and Lucía join the children in an attempt to kill Augusto and Margaret to seize their inheritance. However, Augusto kills Lucía with a stake and beheads Fyodor with a saw. While the children abandon the estate as a group of nuns arrives, Augusto and Margaret rejuvenate themselves using vampire hearts.
The pair leaves to begin a new life together. Augusto, restored to the form of a young boy, decides to remain in Chile. This conclusion settles the fate of his immediate family while leaving his influence ongoing, as he believes more leftists will eventually emerge for him to oppose.
Summarised by our AI from the plot section of the Wikipedia article, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. This summary is shared under the same licence.
Stills
Images from TMDB.
If you like this, try
The Death of Stalin (2017)
the same acerbic, pitch-black take on the absurdity of totalitarian power
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
the atmospheric use of black-and-white cinematography in a reimagined vampire mythos
Suggested by our AI for what they share with this one. Linked titles have a page here; the rest are worth a search on the browse page.
Awards
El Conde won Best Screenplay Award (Venice Film Festival) at Venice. It was nominated at the Oscars.
Oscars
- Nominated: Best Cinematography · 2024
Venice Film Festival
- Won: Best Screenplay Award (Venice Film Festival) · Guillermo Calderón · 2023
1 other awardShow
- Won: Silver Frog · 2023
From Wikidata, which can miss some.
Questions people ask
- Is El Conde a tense film?
- Yes. On Watchlist Boosted it is tagged Tense, with a funny streak. A visually striking, monochromatic satire that reimagines a notorious dictator as a literal bloodsucker weary of eternal life. Its blend of historical commentary and gothic horror is cold and biting, offering a grimly unique experience that is more intellectually provocative than traditionally frightening.
- How long is El Conde?
- El Conde runs 111 min and was released in 2023.
- Where can I watch El Conde in the UK?
- In the UK, El Conde is included with Netflix (all plans).
- What awards did El Conde win?
- El Conde won Best Screenplay Award (Venice Film Festival) at Venice. It was nominated at the Oscars.
- Is El Conde worth watching?
- It depends: if you enjoy high-concept political satire presented through a cold, monochromatic, gothic lens. IMDb users rate it 6.4 out of 10 from 14,640 votes, Rotten Tomatoes gives it 83% and TMDB users 6.1.
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