June 02, 2009 1:35pm Moody, baroque, and inscrutable. It is hard to tell from that angle whether or not your are smiling, and that ambiguity coupled with the shadowy tone and glancing eyes creates an effect that wavers between menace and seduction, making this gothic in spirit as well as in style. The seventeenth century theme is well embodied in telling hints (hairstyle, mole, necklace, and the pancake make-up, though the latter is also a standalone gothic touch) without the need for a full-length shot or elaborate costume, and it adds an original dimension to the gothic theme, so often limited to Victorian, Romantic, and modern stylings. The decadence of the Restoration and the released repression of the classic vampire certainly makes for a potent mixture ...
