Um. How do we unscramble this? Is the vampire element just there to attract bigger crowds, or is it a metaphor for the White Menace? Both, I guess. The ending, where Michael B. Jordan mows down the KKK is definitely the ending we wanted. (There's then a sub-ending, which is cool. And then a sub-sub ending, which is even cooler.)
It's also a story of the Blues. The moment when Miles Caton starts playing and the past and future spirits appear is bravura cinema, brilliantly staged and scored.
The Oscar-nominated DP is a woman. Hooray! Here she is:
She's Autumn Durald Arkapaw (previously Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Last Showgirl). I found the photography a little on the dark side, though her low light dusk stuff is great.
The changes of aspect ratio are sometimes effective but you do wonder 'What's the point?' (The changes of aspect ratio in First Man or Dunkirk are there for a reason.) Also I love the way she tracks Helena Hu crossing the street and back.
A really good cast: Michael B Jordan playing both 'Smoke' and 'Stack', Miles Caton, didn't even recognise Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku (who doesn't get to show off her great voice, unfortunately, but has a fabulous accent), Delroy Lindo, Jack O'Connell, Yao, Li Jun Li, Dave Maldonado and Buddy Guy as 'Old Sammie'.
It's had the record number of Oscar nominations (16). Great music Ludwig Goransson and sound design, production design Hannah Bleachler, editing Michael P Shawver.
I kinda 'did' vampires when I was a teenager and don't have much enthusiasm left for the genre.
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