THE BLOODY LADY
Widely considered one of Slovak animation's crown jewels, THE BLOODY
LADY (1981) is an improbable and bewitching fusion of gothic horror and
classic children’s animation, retelling of the infamous Lady Bathory
folk tale which is often cited as the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Lady Elisabeth Báthory lives a charmed life in a resplendent Romanesque castle, surrounded by Disney-esque wildlife and a colorful cast of obliging servants. Taking ill one day while traveling through the forest, she’s nursed back to health by a handsome woodsman, and in gratitude gifts him with her own heart. But upon returning home, Lady Báthory’s sunny disposition quickly turns murderous and vampiric once she discovers the secret to heart-less eternal youth lies in draining the blood of all the young women and men in her castle.
Lady Elisabeth Báthory lives a charmed life in a resplendent Romanesque castle, surrounded by Disney-esque wildlife and a colorful cast of obliging servants. Taking ill one day while traveling through the forest, she’s nursed back to health by a handsome woodsman, and in gratitude gifts him with her own heart. But upon returning home, Lady Báthory’s sunny disposition quickly turns murderous and vampiric once she discovers the secret to heart-less eternal youth lies in draining the blood of all the young women and men in her castle.