Vampire movies have had a resurgence in recent years, spanning across all kinds of genres. What We Do in the Shadows proved vampire comedies were a viable option 10 years ago, and films like Renfield and Vampires vs The Bronx have followed suit. Vampires returned to comic book movies with last year’s Deadpool & Wolverine, and we’ve even seen entire films set around one section of Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel, like The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Perhaps Nosferatu is the most memorable modern vampire movie, once again retelling Stoker’s original story, with a Germanic-gothic spin from Robert Eggers. Wherever vampire films can be found, Dracula isn’t far behind. But a forgotten 2018 movie put an original new spin on Dracula never before seen in any film, and if its 80% Rotten Tomatoes score is anything to go by, it’s worth checking out.
‘The Boys From County Hell’ Is a Hilarious Vampire-Flick You Won’t Want To Miss
The Boys From County Hell is a vampire comedy set in rural County Derry, Ireland. Bored with small-town life, a pair of country bumpkins drunkenly stumble across a local tourist site, an ancient Celtic gravestone, and unleash the wrath of a deadly creature that dwells beneath. Local construction workers attempt to remove the stone for a new renovation, which leads to a dangerous vampire wreaking havoc on the town. The vampire is known as Abhartach. Abhartach was an ancient Celtic Chieftan and a tyrant who continually rose from the grave and demanded blood offerings to return to his true strength.
The film dispels the common misconception that Dracula was solely based on the Wallachian King Vlad Tepesh III, citing Bram Stoker’s Irish identity and love of Celtic mythology as the real reason. To be clear, Stoker likely took some inspiration from Tepesh when crafting his character, but Abhartach would’ve undoubtedly been the most prominent vampiric figure he would be aware of during his lifetime. Instead of following the typical tropes of vampire fiction, Abhartach’s powers are directly linked to his gravestone, and he can only be defeated by returning him to his tomb with the proper burial techniques.
The recent Nosferatu remake stands out from its predecessors by integrating old Hungarian and Germanic lore into the source material, resulting in a distinct gothic horror that deviates from the genre tropes and settings. The Boys From County Hell is no different. Though its tone and light-hearted humor make it a completely different viewing experience from a traditional vampire horror. The film embraces its cultural roots and remains faithful to Celtic mythology and modern-day rural Ireland.
A Story That Strikes at the Heart of Ireland
Despite its horror trappings, The Boys From County Hell’s core story is about relationships between generations. The film is scary in sections, but the real fear lies in the grief of losing loved ones, and how it strains relationships. The protagonist, Eugene (Jack Moffat), struggles to repair his relationship with his stereotypically stoic Irish father, Francie (Nigel O’Neil), after the recent loss of his mother. Francie pushes Eugene to work for him in construction to try and stay close to his son, but Eugene wants to leave his sheltered life and discover what the world has to offer. Like many gothic horrors, relationships are often more important than the monster. Eugene is aided by his friend, SP (Michael Hough) who stands out as the funniest character, and Claire, played by Derry Girls‘ Louise Harland.
The core relationship reflects a common tension in rural Ireland, where the older generation can’t understand why young people seek a career beyond honest, hard, manual labor. But the film also uses this tension as a source of comedy, keeping up a running joke about how an ancient vampire is no match for the hardy, no-nonsense country folk of Ireland. Despite its high review scores, The Boys From County Hell has mostly gone under the radar. The film’s director, Chris Baugh, has a short but impressive filmography. His previous film, Bad Day for the Cut, is a typical revenge thriller, though it stands out due to its setting in a grounded, rural Irish community. Baugh has a knack for retelling classic tales set against the backdrop of his childhood, offering a fresh take on stories that have been retold countless times.
The Boys From County Hell offers up a hilarious slice of life in rural Ireland, showing the relatable tensions that arise between generations, as hard-working parents scold their unambitious kids as they struggle to grow into adulthood. The film’s tonal clash between grounded comedy and larger-than-life horror hits the same sweet spot as What We Do in the Shadows but also crafts an original take on the constantly retold tale of Dracula, similar to Nosferatu.
Boys from County Hell
- Release Date
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August 6, 2021
- Runtime
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89 minutes
- Director
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Chris Baugh
- Producers
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Katie Holly, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, David Gilbery, Rian Cahill, Brendan Mullin, Lesley McKimm, Charlie Dorfman
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Nigel O’Neill
Francie Moffat
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Louisa Harland
Claire McCann
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Michael Hough
SP McCauley
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