Get Touched By Eternity (FANTASTIC) Via Latvian Vampire Comedy
Title: Touched By Eternity
First Non-Festival Release: TBD
Director: Marcis Lacis
Writer: Marcis Lacis
Runtime: 95 Minutes
Starring: Andris Keišs, Ivars Krasts, Edgars Samītis
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the Fantastic Film Festival in 2024.
If you had nothing to live for, would you want to live forever? It’s a tough question to answer because many people will likely have something that makes them think longingly for all the time in the world. Reality might make that more of challenge.
That’s how it is for Fatso (Andris Keišs), a hermit who lives in a trailer outside the city. Spending his days consuming podcasts that tell him to eat yeast, Fatso is obsessed with immortality. One day, he is visited by Egons (Ivars Krasts) and Carlos (Edgars Samītis), two vampires that offer him the gift of immortality. As he waffles between what life could offer him and the realities of vampirism, Fatso learns about what he really wants out of life.
Deadpan vampire horror comedy Touched by Eternity waxes poetic about the purpose of a life without death.
The concept of immortality is obviously alluring to Fatso, but when he is confronted with the possibility, he finds himself turned off. Fatso’s journey isn’t one we’d expect from a character like him. When presented with everything he wanted, we’d expect a misanthrope to jump at the chance. Instead, Fatso approaches this new world with curiosity and apprehension. Perhaps it’s simply the messiness of a vampiric lifestyle or the realities of his specific purpose, but Fatso’s trepidation is a pivotal moment in his life. Without much to live for, the idea morphs into a form of eternal misery.
Throughout the film, many excuses are made for why living forever would be terrible and why many people just aren’t made for it. Fatso realizes that those dreams don’t mean anything to him with nothing to fuel him beyond reaching the goal. After witnessing the murder of a woman he sleeps with, and realizing what this life entails, he knows he doesn’t have the stomach for it. The craven vampire sycophants don’t offer much in terms of idealizing immortality either. At the behest of an elder trapped in the body of a child and forced to perform ridiculous rituals, the vampire’s station in life is never steady. Furthermore, the clan’s specific plans for Fatso reveal an even more humiliating fate in his future, should he commit to the bite.
While these philosophical questions are compelling, what kills Touched by Eternity, however, is its languid pacing and meandering story. Slow-moving and directionless at times, there is a tendency for Touched by Eternity to linger in its moments. There’s nothing wrong with embracing the moment or allowing characters a chance to breathe, but Touched by Eternity overstays its welcome often. These moments are especially pronounced in the many instances of dry humor peppered throughout the film. Sometimes the buildup works and other times it falls flat, making Touched by Eternity a rather uneven experience.
Focusing more on bold, stylistic choices, the film knows how to serve up some memorable visual fair. Amidst vampire dance parties and mystical trees, Touched by Eternity isn’t afraid to get weird with its concept. Visually, the film is simple until it delivers some wildly fantastic imagery that takes your breath away. Striking the match on the supernatural flames that exist in the otherwise mundane world, Touched by Eternity shows what flashes of brilliance can look like amongst the ordinary things we take for granted. Still, there’s an element of beauty in the setting that settles in even if it isn’t obvious at first. Perhaps, this is a glimmer of the life Fatso dreams of sneaking into frame while he fights off an eternity subject to vampiric rule.
Technically proficient, if a bit dull, Touched by Eternity is a capable satire that offers a few well-placed laughs amongst classic vampire lore. While its approach to horror is light, the film instead leaves the viewer contemplating the realities of immortality and how the pursuit of self-preservation ultimately leads to an unfulfilling and boring life. It’ll likely be remembered more for its quirky sense of humor and beautiful visuals, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Horror comedies are notorious for not pleasing everyone, so if Touched by Eternity sounds up your alley, feel free to trade in your baker’s yeast for a pair of fangs when it comes stateside.
Overall Score? 5/10
