Madame Bluebeard: A strange dance of mirrors

Is this thing for you?

If you enjoy old films that feel like they were dug up from a dusty attic, Madame Bluebeard might scratch that itch. It’s definitely not for anyone who needs constant action or a clear, happy ending. You’re going to hate this if you want characters that behave like real people instead of ghosts in a stage play.

Honestly, the whole thing feels like a fever dream. Erika Dankwarth isn't just a character; she’s like a mirror. Every guy who walks into her orbit starts acting weird or obsessive. It’s almost exhausting to watch.

The vibe is… intense

There’s a specific scene where she looks at a man and he just sort of falls apart. It reminded me a bit of the suffocating feeling in Perdida, where the people involved are more interested in their own shadows than each other. You can tell the director was trying to make something heavy and brooding.

Sometimes the camera just lingers on her face. Like, really lingers. I checked my phone twice thinking it had frozen, but nope, she’s just staring into the void. It’s awkward, but in a way that feels intentional.

Small things I noticed:

• The lighting in the parlor scenes is so dramatic it’s almost funny.
• Vera Schmiterlöw has this way of blinking that makes her seem like she’s plotting a heist, even when she’s just sitting down for tea.
• The background extras in the party scene look like they’d rather be anywhere else.
• There’s a coat rack that shows up in three different rooms. Why? Who knows.

It’s not as snappy as One Week, that’s for sure. It doesn't have that frantic energy. Instead, it moves like a slow-motion car crash you can't stop watching. There's a certain charm to how melodramatic it gets. 🎭

You can feel the movie trying to convince you that Erika is this dangerous, magnetic force. Sometimes it works. Other times, it just feels like everyone is overacting because they forgot how to speak in a normal volume. Still, if you’re a fan of silent-era weirdness, it’s worth a look. Just don't expect it to make perfect sense by the time the credits roll. I’m not even sure the writers knew where they were going with it.