Vampire Hunter D
Now that I’d read all of the issues of Hellsing that are out, I find myself shifted to a new obsession — Vampire Hunter D, of course. Those take longer to read because they are novels, at least.
Charlotte and Mayerling
Amano’s illustration almost has a Gustav Klimt feel to it.
The other day I read 3 of the series, Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase, and then yesterday I watched Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. Bloodlust is based on vol. 3. It was really interesting to see how different the film and book versions were. Pretty radically different, actually.
The story of Demon Death Chase is a Romeo and Juliet tale. Mayerling is our vampire and Charlotte is his human lover. D is hired by her father to either bring her back or kill her if she’s been changed. But to D’s surprise, this isn’t an abduction, it’s an escape. Charlotte willing went with Mayerling and Mayerling has no plans to change her. They had heard rumor of a city deep in space, the City of Night, where they would be free to be together and so that is where they travel. So D has to decide whether to let them go because Charlotte chose to go with Mayerling, or if he will fulfill his contract, kill Mayerling and return Charlotte to her father.
Charlotte and Mayerling
We don’t get a whole lot from D’s perspective in the novel but in the film, having been satisfied that Charlotte does love Mayerling and has chosen to be with him, D continues to take Charlotte away from Mayerling because, as Left Hand tells him, he can’t stand it that she loves a vampire. We know, of course, that D is the product of a similar union.
The biggest difference between the book and the movie? The ending. I won’t give it away but they are almost opposites of one another. The novel is far less sentimental so I wonder where the decision to veer off from the it came from.