I Vampiri

I Vampiri, literally translated as "The Vampires," is an Italian horror film released in 1957. Often credited as Italy's first horror sound film, I Vampiri deviates from traditional cinematic portrayals of vampires, instead focusing on a scientific and criminal element. The film centers around a series of murders in 1950s Paris. A journalist, investigating the crimes, discovers that an aging duchess, Giselle du Grand (played by Gianna Maria Canale), is using the blood of young women to rejuvenate her youth.

Directed by Riccardo Freda (initially credited to Riccardo Grassetti due to studio interference), I Vampiri blends gothic horror elements with a proto-giallo aesthetic. It features practical special effects, particularly in the transformation scenes depicting Giselle's revitalized and decaying states. Its themes of beauty, aging, and scientific manipulation of life make it a notable early entry in Italian horror cinema and a significant predecessor to the more explicit and stylized Italian horror films that would follow in the 1960s and 1970s. The film's focus on blood transfusions as the source of rejuvenation offers a unique take on the vampire mythos, departing from the more supernatural elements often associated with the genre.