After achieving what is arguably silent cinema’s apotheosis with The Passion of Joan of Arc, Carl Dreyer followed up with the influential horror film Vampyr, an early sound/silent hybrid, in 1932. The film follows a young researcher of the occult who arrives in a small town that is plagued by a vampire.

Like a fever dream, the film unfolds in disjointed, haunting episodes. Dreyer captures genuinely unsettling images with his typically sophisticated cinematography and some camera tricks that still amaze.

Although the original negative was destroyed, Criterion has done an admirable job reconstructing the film from various versions. There are still some places where the print quality is lacking, but this is undoubtedly the best available version of this classic of cinema.

Grade: A-

Vampyr is currently available.