Crimson Dynasty: Old-school melodrama with a side of suspicion

Is it worth your Tuesday night?

If you have a thing for dusty, black-and-white court dramas where everyone looks like they’re hiding a secret behind a monocle, you’ll dig Crimson Dynasty. It’s got that specific, heavy European atmosphere that feels like a thick wool blanket. If you need explosions or someone sprinting, look elsewhere. This movie moves at the speed of a formal dinner party.

The whole vibe is heavy on the "doomed romance" angle. Vignerte is essentially playing with fire, and you can see it in every frame where he stares at the Princess. It’s not subtle. Sometimes I wish the camera would just cut away from the intense eye contact for a second, but that’s the style, I guess.

Odd bits and pieces

• That one scene in the library is way too dark. I think the lightbulb was dying?
• The way the brother walks into a room—he never just enters, he makes an entrance. It’s almost funny.
• The costumes have these weird, stiff collars that look like they’d give you a neck cramp after ten minutes.

The murder mystery part of the plot? It’s kind of an afterthought. It’s really just an excuse to have people whispering in hallways. It reminded me a bit of the pacing in The Lone Eagle, though that one had a bit more snap to it. Here, the director just lets the scenes stretch out until the wallpaper starts looking interesting.

Antonin Artaud pops up, and honestly, he’s the best part of the whole thing. He brings this frantic, nervous energy that the rest of the cast seems to be missing. Everyone else is so busy being noble and sad. Artaud is just there, looking like he’s about to jump out of his skin.

I caught myself looking at my watch around the hour mark. The movie doesn't really have a 'hook' that pulls you in. It’s more of a slow drift. You’re either on board with the fancy dresses and the lingering shots of staircases, or you’re not. 🥀

It feels like a relic. Which it is, obviously. But sometimes you want a film that doesn't try to explain everything, even if that means the ending lands with a bit of a thud. It’s not the most exciting thing I’ve watched, but there's a weird charm to how seriously it takes its own gloom.