Tag Archives: vampires

Movie review: Day Shift (2022)

19 Friday Aug 2022

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On face value, Day Shift should be one of those movies that could hook you in with its premise that is essentially a spin on the buddy cop movie, but with vampire hunters instead of cops. It also boasts an intriguing cast with Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco as its leads and with a notable supporting role from Snoop Dogg. The style would try to tap in worthy horror comedies from the 80s but the result is a strange mix of genres that never quite mesh together and seem right,

Down-on-his-luck Bud Jablonski (Foxx), has been serving as a vampire hunter for the last few years in San Fernando Valley. All this time his wife and 10 year old daughter have been led to believe that he is a pool cleaner, and that his odd behaviour has started to take its toll on their relationship. Having already been thrown out of the Guild of vampire hunters because of his unorthodox approach, Bud is forced to go back with his tail between his legs and beg for another chance. Thankfully he is aided by his friend and renowned hunter, Big John Elliot (Dogg) who holds some sway with the company, but there’s a catch. Jablonski must team up with wet-behind-the ears Seth (Franco), a desk clerk who plays everything by the book and is employed to catch Jablonski breaking the rules, so that he can get kicked out of the Guild for good.

The extra barrier and darker threat to Jablonski finding his feet is that he has upset one of the head vampires of the valley, Audrey, now intent on bringing him down and ruining him.

The action sequences throughout the movie are nicely played, so hats off to director J.J. Perry who has crafted his work as a stunt coordinator for a number of high profile flicks including John Wick 2. His knowledge in perfecting stunts on screen really paid off with his delivery for his debut feature in the directors chair. 

The issues arise in the lack of chemistry trying to be perfected by Foxx and Franco, but in their defence, the dialogue and screenplay lets them down a little and often misses the mark in the final product. Often it feels like it is all too content in resting on the sizzle of other movies, that it neglects to have a personality of its own.

The Prognosis:

This is a middle of the road action comedy horror, that offers plenty of bang, but not enough substance to really have any lasting impact on its audience.

  • Saul Muerte

Day Shift is currently streaming on Netflix

Retrospective: Vampire in Brooklyn

12 Wednesday Jan 2022

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Wes Craven: The Scream years part 1 – Vampire in Brooklyn

In my #gutreaction Letterbox’d review I remarked that Vampire in Brooklyn was the result of a Murphyfest disaster. While in part this is true, there is an element here of two artists striving to reinvent or find new aspects of themselves but are trapped by the fields that had elevated their careers in the first place. On one side we have the larger-than-life character that Eddie Murphy portrays on screen with his observational, raw and at times vulgar or cruel look at America, paved his career with his stand-up performances and Saturday Night Live sketches, along with some big hit movies throughout the 80s such as Beverly Hills Cop and Trading Places. Murphy had grown tired of the kind of roles that he was being offered and desired to get his teeth into a more serious role. Vampire in Brooklyn provided the chance for Murphy to showcase his more serious, dramatic chops with his vampire Maximillian with the promise of more of his usual stuff through a few supporting characters that he would deliver via the means of make up and in-your-face stereotypes.
On the other side is Director Wes Craven, who having recently played his last active contribution to the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, was still looking to shirk his horror genre persona and looking to tap into the more comical mainstream that Murphy’s presence offered. The trouble is that in their search for their alternate selves, both Murphy and Craven would be subject to producer and fan expectations that would muddy the waters of their pursuits and clash in an almost forgettable movie. Murphy would go on record blaming his hair extensions for the film’s failure but it’s clear that there is a barrier placed in the way that no matter how hard Craven would try to navigate around would be a constant obstacle to success.
Vampire in Brooklyn would begin life through the writing collaboration of Murphy, his brother Charlie, and Vernon Lynch and would initially walk a similar path to Bram Stoker’s Dracula with a unmanned boat docking (albeit comicially here) and revealing a huge wolf-like beast as its only surviving passenger. This creature would transform into Murphy’s Maximillian, a Caribbean vampire in search of a bride to continue his bloodline. 
One of the witnesses to Maximillian’s early misdeeds in the film which included ripping the heart out of previous Craven collaborator Mitch Pileggi’s hoodlum characters’ chest, is Julius Jones (Kadeem Hardison); a down-on-his-luck character that could be fashioned from Stoker’s Renfield character. 
Another actor who has worked with Craven before is Zakes Mokae (The Serpent and the Rainbow) who appears as a wisened soul who could very well be likened to the Van Helsing in this world, although with not as large a part. 
The rest is the piece is fairly loose in substance as Maximillian finds the bride he is searching for is none other than half-human, half-vampire Detective Rita Veder (Angela Bassett). Bassett, who had recently come to the fore with her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It, thankfully provides some much needed weight to the screenplay. Without her involvement, there really isn’t a lot on show. There are some cheap laughs to be had but the film lacks any originality and for Craven (who would be on the tipping point of creating a whole new wake in the horror genre, and the birth of yet another franchise in Scream),  would prove to be an example of how a greater budget and lack of creative control can lead to poor results.

– Saul Muerte

Movie review: Blood Red Sky

19 Sunday Dec 2021

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One of the most refreshing and rewarding movies to have been released this year has come from streaming platform Netflix; a British/German, vampire, action, horror movie from director Peter Thorwarth. It comes across like a Passenger 57 style movie, but instead of a kick ass retired secret service agent taking down terrorists aboard a plane, we’ve got a vampire in the mix. Thorwarth and his co-writer, Stefan Holtz do incredibly well to pack in the folklore and depth in character background into the screenplay. The writing duo aren’t too shy to steer away from flashbacks to ground the story further into the mythology that they are creating, particularly when it comes to their lead protagonist. This care to detail provides strength to their cause with significant payoff by the film’s conclusion.

To add to the drama we’re presented with a mother, Nadja (Peri Baumeister), who appears to be suffering from leukaemia; a naturally anxious person fuelled even more so by the need to care for and look after her son, Elias (Carl Anton Koch). The reason for their travel plans is so that Nadja can visit a specialised doctor to help her with her ailment.
There are a few elements at play here too which elevates the story above the usual action flick, with a look against stereotypes, especially when it comes to Farid (Kais Setti), a physicist who befriends Elias, and Middle Eastern appearance plays with our misguided expectations of him being a possible terrorist when the plane gets hijacked. Among the hijackers and leading the group is Berg played with the usual brutish klout by Dominic Purcell. His orchestrated team and all their best laid plans soon fall out, when they encounter the parasite on board. The moment this is unleashed, the turbulence soon picks up fast.

The prognosis:

Blood Red Sky relies heavily on its high energy, adrenaline-fuelled sequences, but thankfully it has plenty of bite too with well-rounded characters with heart, coupled with downbeats that have meaning. 

It pulsates with purpose and for that, makes you care about the outcome of the lead characters.

– Saul Muerte

Review: Firebite S1 Ep1

16 Thursday Dec 2021

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Straight off the bat, when I heard about this new series that was launching on AMC+, I was pulled in by its premise, such is the hook dangled before me.

Warwick Thornton, who has done some amazing work on feature films such as Samson and Delilah, and Sweet Country providing one of the most prominent and prestigious writer / director to amplify an Indigenous voice with great effect. In his latest screen outing, Thornton ventures into a short series centred on a more horror element to his material to direct an anti-invasion message through vampire fantasy infused with a twist on Aborignal folklore. 

Not only is this a fresh take on the tried and tested formula of those creatures of the night, but one that is heralded in strength through its Indigenous perspectives. 

Purely judging by the first episode alone (Pest Control), there’s a lot of ground to cover in order to present the audience with the legend or backstory, plus introduce us to the key players that will form the narrative. There is time and dedication thrown into these key areas too, proving that Thronton not only knows his craft, has a passionate voice, but also will allow time to deepen the characters and add weight to their integrity.

Our central figures so far look to two Indigenous hunters through a  father and daughter team charged with protecting the local community from a colony of vampires in the heart of the South Australian desert. It is when an Aborginal man is kidnapped by suspected vampires that the team are forced into action. The father, Tyson (Rob Collins – Cleverman, Extraction) comes in with a carefree approach to life, set in fulfilling his duty, potentially at the cost of his family. Whereas the daughter, Shanika (Shantae Barnes-Cowan) is a hard-working, focused teenager, who just wants to focus on her studies and not be dragged into her fathers crazed schemes. The relationship between these two is integral to our interest as a viewer, and I’m glad to say that it pays off as they slightly off balanced connection, in which they are continuously torn apart and pulled back again to one another through loyalty and their own beliefs and passions highlights the generational divide between them and the need to keep up with the traditions as laid down before them, whist also been constantly pulled through Australia’s dark past to deal with the pain and hurt that has been set in its place.

Whilst this could easily be a dark and foreboding tale, Thornton along with his writing partner, Brendan Fletcher are able to sizzle the dialogue with a nice blend of humour and drama. An idea that plays well with the family dynamic on screen.

Whilst it has a slow burn start, there is enough to Firebite’s first episode to draw you in and want to know where it may take you next.

Firebite is currently streaming on AMC+

Movie review: Dead & Beautiful

01 Monday Nov 2021

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Director David Verbeek leans heavily into the latter part of the film’s title. Strewn with stunning images throughout the Rotterdam cityscape as its backdrop in most places, whilst tantalising with the ‘Dead’ component.

Five rich socialites have gravitated to one another out of their boredom and unfulfilment of life’s medicrity and strive to spice up the dull elements with a shared mixture of experiences that challenge their vices and pushing them to the edge in order to feel something and awaken their dormant souls.

One night out quintet of rich kids descend upon a group of people who practice an ancient ritual that centres on the dark arts and a sacrifice. The group black out and wake to find a corpse and each bear a set of fangs. Instantly they are subjected to the notion that they have been turned into creatures of the night, forced to carry out vampiric means to satiate the growing thirst for blood.

The film flicks and flutters through their stifled emotions as the group becomes restless and unable to comprehend or handle this new way of life. With no guide rope to aid them in these new experiences, they are left flailing into the wind, reaching out for anything that may ground them.

Verbeek successfully captures the strengths and weaknesses of the characters  as they both fall into each other’s embrace or thrust them apart with their responses or actions, amplifying their paranoia or loss of control. All of which slowly builds to a conclusion that leaves you questioning the blurred lines of reality.

The Diagnosis:

Beautifully shot and complex characters intertwine through a deliberately slow narrative giving room to build up the central characters.

It’s a film that plays with manipulation and human conditioning at its core, where nothing is as it seems.

Like the key players, the audience is subjected to a fixed point of view that unravels and is picked apart to the point where you not only feel the trauma of the group, but just when you think you have it figured out, takes you in a completely different direction.

– Saul Muerte

Dead & Beautiful is streaming on Shudder from Thursday 4th November

Retrospective: Daughters of Darkness (1971)

22 Friday Oct 2021

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Admittedly it’s been a while since I watched this film ahead of writing up this retrospective and as such the cobwebs of familiarity had gathered clouding to the point that i had forgotten which 70s erotic horror film I was about to discuss,

This led me to initially think that Daughters of Darkness had little impact on me but when I came to research the film once more, I was instantly flooded with its striking and stylised images captured by Director Harry Kümel and his cinematographer Eduard van der Enden. I suddenly remembered that feeling of watching an effective European feature that projected a juxtaposition of harsh and fluid scenery and characters that ooze a psychologically unhinged gothic vampire tale loosely based on the infamous historical figure Countess Elizabeth Bathory.

The film is heavily entrenched in surrealism and expressionism with a curiously noir aspect in places. Set primarily in the Belgian coastal city Ostend, a character in itself and a place I’ve been fortunate to visit so there was a spark of physical and visual nostalgia created when I watched the film.

The film follows the misogynistic Stefan (John Karlen), born of aristocracy as he travels through Europe with his newly-wed wife Valerie (Danielle Ouimet) to introduce her to his mother. 

He appears apprehensive about doing this as though his attitude towards women stems from this fear or apprehensive relationship he has with his mother.
What struck me is that the film, despite its aggressive approach to women, who are often the subject of sadomasochistic views, actually is a feminist film, with a strong message about women establishing their own identity in the wake of degradation. This is none more evident than through the character Valerie.

It is with the arrival of Elizabeth Bathory (Delphine Seyrig – The Day of the Jackal) along with her secretary Ilona (Andrea Rau) that this is truly awakened in Valerie. At first cautious about this charismatic Countess, but similarly finding her charms irresistible, Valerie begins to see her husband Stefan in a new light with a brutally sadomasochistic encounter. Furthermore Stefan becomes sexually drawn to Ilona too and in doing so, pours forth his animalistic, aggressive side with fatalistic consequences leading the trio of Stefan, Valerie, and the Countess to clean up the mess, but it doesn’t stop there. In order to really cleanse their souls further drastic actions must occur and bring Valerie into a further awakening.

What becomes apparent by the film’s conclusion is that Daughters of Darkness is not to be judged on face value. It may not be to everyone’s taste but its a visual treat that resonates with the time but there is definitely more going on beneath the surface.  

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: Let’s Scare Jessica To Death (1971)

27 Friday Aug 2021

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Perhaps this was indicative of my mind not entirely being in tune with this movie at the time I viewed it, but I completely failed to see the vampiric element throughout until I read up about it afterwards. At which point, it thrust the point of the stake firmly into my cognitive mind, along with the inspirations of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla. What was more obvious to my mind was stimulus drawn from Robert Wise’s film The Haunting, along with the death of free love and the sixties hippy movement.

The theme of Let’s Scare Jessica To Death is one that seemed to have been prevalent in many movies of its time, tapping into the psychological paranoia embodied by its lead. In this instance, Jessica (Zohra Lampert) is the victim. We learn through discussions among the central characters that Jessica has been through some kind of psychotic episode, and that she has only just returned back into society, albeit in the smallest sense, with her husband Duncan (Barton Heyman); a man who has given up his career as a string bassist for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra to be with her during this time; and their close friend Woody (Kevin O’Connor). The aim is to have a quiet life building up a rundown farmhouse near a lake in Connecticut. They are surprised however to find a drifter, Emily (Mariclare Costello) squatting in their new abode. As this is the era of free spirits and tranquility though, rather than turf her out, the group decide to allow her to stay with them some time. A decision they would come to regret as there is more to Emily than meets the eye.

Throughout the narrative Jessica’s state of mind is always in doubt as she witnesses a strange blond haired lady in the nearby woods, which no one can support her claims, and bears a sparkling resemblance to Abigail, a lady supposedly murdered back in the late 1800’s. 

Slowly, all those around Jessica, from the townsfolk, to Emily, and to Woody and Duncan, start to pull away from her, growing distant, or in Emily’s case, trying to attack her by biting her neck.
Is this some kind of hallucination or is there something sinister at play?

The atmosphere and dark tension created by Director John Hancock and the Cinematography by Robert M. Baldwin is slowly built up and excellently executed, it’s little wonder that it would generate cult status. This film may not be for everyone, as its style is subjective, but it definitely warrants its place in the horror vault through the eerie narrative and haunting nature that it projects into the celluloid universe.

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: Vampyros Lesbos (1971)

15 Thursday Jul 2021

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I remember sometime ago reading an article from the team at Diabolique Magazine about this fascinating, prolific film director Jesús Franco, who was synonymous for his exploitative work in the horror genre, and was immediately intrigued.

Celebrating 50 years since its initial release back in 1971, Vampyros Lesbos is an erotic horror story which follows Linda Westinghouse (Ewa Strömberg) who has a series of erotic dreams about a vampire Countess Nadine Carody (Soledad Miranda) who seduces her and feeds off her blood. Despite being warned not to, Linda travels to an island to seek a new home, but in doing so, soon encounters the afore-mentioned Countess in a house where the infamous Count Dracula once resided. It is not long before Linda succumbs to Nadine’s advances and they are embroiled in a sexual encounter and ultimately drawing blood from her neck.

The story itself takes some convoluted turns through its telling, including a nod to another Stoker creation, Dr. Seward (Dennis Price) who treats Linda from her wounds. But he has an ulterior motive in trapping Nadine and convincing her to turn him into a vampire.
There is also a warped and malicious torturer, Memmet, (played by Franco) who seems hellbent on kidnapping Linda and carrying out his salacious desires upon her. All of which leads to Linda needing to expel her curse by killing Nadine.

Where the film suffers from a fairly leaden acting across the board, Vampyros Lesbos makes up for this through its visual exposition combined with the psychedelic funk soundtrack (which had a reawakening of its own in the 90s when remixed and released as an album called Vampyros Lesbos: Sexadelic Dance Party). It hardly stretches the imagination, but has a certain appeal to it that marks an identity of its own and along with Franco’s other ‘71 release She Killed in Ecstacy make a cracking double feature.

  • Saul Muerte

Retrospective: La Noche de Walpurgis (1971)

16 Sunday May 2021

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I’m only just learning now that La Noche de Walpurgis, which celebrates 50 years since its release this year, is actually the fifth instalment of a 12-part series called The Hombre Lobo series about a werewolf called Waldemar Daninsky.

Supposedly, these movies have little to connect one another apart from the afore-mentioned lycanthrope and its star, Paul Naschy. So it’s probably a goog thing that I was unaware of this when I sat down to watch this instalment.

Naschy coincidentally picked up something of a cult following due to his numerous portrayals of classic horror movie characters, which earned him the title, The Spanish Lon Chaney.

Here though, Naschy sticks to the debonair Daninsky, a charismatic gent by day, hairy wolf by night.

Made for the paltry sum of $120,000 and it shows, especially the first scene which is incredibly camp and should not be judged for the tone of the rest of the film… kind of.

We witness two doctors examining Daninsky’s corpse and mockingly jest that the removal of the silver bullets that killed him would resurrect him once more. When this actually does happen, said doctors are shocked at the figure transforming before them, before being mauled to death.

This made sense now knowing that it followed on from the previous film in the series, The Fury of the Wolf Man.

Director León Klimovsky does his best to hide the obvious blemishes through stylised shots and creating an eerie atmosphere, which is typically European and predominantly shot in slow motion, which sort of works in places.

The crux of the film itself follows two students, Elvira and Genevieve who go in search of a tomb belonging to a medieval murderess, who happens to be a vampiress called Wandessa (Patty Shepard). Inadvertently Elvira resurrects Wandessa by bleeding onto the corpse. Wandessa then goes on a killing rampage in her wake to build her disciples of creatures of the night. The only thing that can stop them is the noble-hearted lycanthrope, Daninsky. But at what cost?

La Noche de Walpurgis is exactly what you expect from a low-budget European 70s film, but it was a hauntingly visual treat that actually boasted some decent effects considering.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie Review: Vampires vs The Bronx

01 Tuesday Dec 2020

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It’s been a while since a movie has tapped into the feels of 80s flicks such as Monster Squad or to a lesser degree The Lost Boys but with Osmany Rodriguez’s sophomore outing in the director’s chair of a feature length movie, Vampires vs The Bronx, we come damn close.

Much like how The Stranger Things was able to breathe fresh life into the SciFi horror genre with an adventure aimed at kids whilst appealing to adults alike, this film delivers a fun-filled ride with a thrilling edge to it.

It may not go too dark, but does enough to satiate the senses that you would hope for from a teen horror flick.

Set in a small part of the Bronx, young Miguel (Jaden Michael) has been trying to raise awareness that they are subject to gentrification, especially from the mysterious  Murnau properties (a great nod to FW Murnau who directed 1922’s Nosferatu).

Miguel and his two friends Bobby and Luis to save their local corner store by hosting a block party. It is here that Miguel witnesses the killing of a guy called Slim by the hands of a group of vampires and is hotly pursued.

From here on in Miguel must do all they can save the Bronx from these fanged invaders.

The Prognosis:

There are some great support roles from the adults in the movie, namely the always brilliant Sarah Gadon as Vivian, the equally sublime Shea Whigham as human servant Frank Polidori (again another great nod to the author of The Vampire),  Method Man as the Lord’s servant, Father Jackson, and Zoe Saldana as Becky.

But it’s the kids that own this movie and riff off each other with great energy and enthusiasm that peppers the story along.

It doesn’t offer anything new, but it does entertain. Well worth your time.

– Saul Muerte