The thirst for blood and torture lives on to the present day.
THE BLOODLINE OF BATHORY, the latest horror feature adapted from the legend of the “Blood Countess,” is set to premiere later this year in London. Directed by Bryan Norris from a screenplay by Mitchell Banks and Simba Masaku, from a story by producer Natasha Tosini, it stars Kelly Rian Sanson, Tosini, Jasmine Sumner, Claudia Gregory, Gemma Gordon and Michael Geary. The synopsis: “THE BLOODLINE OF BATHORY follows four young women who visit what they believe to be a historic Elizabeth Bathory attraction in Yorkshire, only to discover it is little more than a staged Airbnb experience built upon ancient ground. But when a double booking forces them to stay overnight, their harmless getaway quickly descends into something sinister after they uncover a disturbing diary connected to Bathory’s legacy. As darkness falls, the house itself begins to change. Doors lead to impossible places, exits loop endlessly back inside, and reality slowly fractures around them. When an ancient evil awakens within the walls, the survivors are thrust into a brutal fight for survival against a blood-obsessed descendant tied directly to the spirit of Elizabeth Bathory herself.”
“From the very beginning,” Tosini says, “I didn’t want THE BLOODLINE OF BATHORY to feel like a typical horror film simply using Elizabeth Bathory’s name. What fascinated me most was how disturbing the real mythology already is! The brutality, the obsession with youth and blood, and the fact that so much of the legend still lingers between history and folklore. What disturbed me most while researching the alleged torture methods associated with Bathory was how much of the fear comes from the possibility that parts of the legend may have been true. That feeling stayed with me throughout the entire production. We wanted the violence and atmosphere to feel uncomfortable, intimate, and rooted in something ancient rather than exaggerated fantasy.
“At the same time, we wanted the film to feel modern, emotional and entertaining. Balancing atmosphere, tension, brutal practical effects, and dark humor within a contained supernatural nightmare. Horror has always been one of the most powerful ways to explore fear, obsession and human darkness, and with THE BLOODLINE OF BATHORY we wanted to create a film that feels both timeless and deeply uncomfortable… I love exploring the disturbing reality of humans, things that happened, I need to know the ‘why.’ Why did she torture? Why did she kill? What happened in her life?”
