Short Film: Dracula’s Guest

This 2021 short film comes in at 20 minutes and is a puppet retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula’s Guest, a posthumously published short story that is thought to have been an expunged opening to Dracula. This short was created by Mark Dickinson – whose work we have looked at previously, along with his band the Others, in Under the Sunset (in truth I have several silent pieces Mark did that I must post about at some point). This piece is narrated by William Westwater, who is the vocal talent for the excellent band Fear Incorporated.

in the crypt

The film follows Dracula’s Guest very closely – there are some aesthetic changes, for instance the use of a constable coming to the rescue rather than an officer with his soldiers, and some that were likely to help production – rain and a hail storm rather than snow, for instance. One choice was to decide on a date of 1898 – a year after the Dracula novel was published. Be that as it may we do get an accurate retelling, which I won’t spoil. One aesthetic choice I enjoyed was showing the Count when his note is read and rendering him in the Orlock style.

Dracula

The filmmakers use some interesting footage within the film, for instance a film of a steam train or a clip out of the classic Swedish film Häxan (1922) to illustrate Walpurgis Night. There are also stock stills both establishing and as backdrops. Not all worked – the typically British looking train station platform struggled to establish us being in Bavaria – especially with the visible signs being in English. This is a minor niggle however, and the constructed graveyard looked fabulous. You can judge for yourself, however, as you can see the short, embedded below. At the time of writing there was no IMDb page.

The Witcher: A Grain of Truth (s2e1) – review

Director: Stephen Surjik

First aired: 2021

Contains spoilers

If you look at my review of the vampire episode of Season 1 of the Witcher, you’ll see that I really enjoyed that season – indeed I, unusually, scored for the whole season despite only the one vampire episode. One of the reasons for that was the convoluted structure of the series, with various timelines, let alone storylines, making the episode difficult to stand alone. The makers clearly knew that the structure was confusing to some – referencing it openly later in this season.

That said, whilst their reference was a rebuff to anyone who might be negative of the structure, this season was linear in timeline and whilst there are several storylines, they were more obviously related and this episode could (the parts influenced by the aftermath of season 1 and the budding plotlines notwithstanding) work as a standalone (and so will be scored in that way).

ill-fated arrival

The story is also (bar the presence of Ciri (Freya Allan), travelling with Geralt (Henry Cavill, Blood Creek & Justice League)) very accurate to the story, of the same name, that appears in the Last Wish. As this review was written, that story is due for publication as a graphic novel later in 2022. The episode starts with a family arriving at a village, the hour late and the snow falling, but the gate to the community is open. The family are attacked and killed by something that is clearly airborne and fast, but otherwise unseen.

Nivellen

Later Geralt and Ciri reach the village at night but Geralt does not enter – he notices the lack of guards and dogs barking, for a settlement that never sleeps it is suspicious, and so continues on to an old friend’s home that is nearby. That old friend is Nivellen (Kristofer Hivju) – but something is wrong at the house, it seems possessed of a will of its own until a monster leaps out at Geralt. During the fight the monster, an anthropomorphised boar, realises it is Geralt he attacks, and Geralt in turn realises the attacker is Nivellen who has been cursed.

Ciri and the bruxa

They accept Nivellen’s hospitality – though they do notice some scurrying sounds upstairs – his cat, the cursed friend says. However we see later a woman, Vereena (Agnes Born), emerge from a hole in the ceiling, crawling along the walls. Despite this, she seems friendly enough, having left Ciri a dress earlier and speaking to her (both physically and telepathically) but not harming her (she does, however, fear Geralt). Geralt, for his part, is suspicious (both due to seeing footprints in the snow and due to the actively evasive behaviour of Nivellen. Having checked the village, found the bodies and realising the attacker can fly, he wakes Ciri and tells her to get out of the house – there is a bruxa (one of the Witcher vampire types). What happens? I’m sure you can guess the outcome but there is an immediate consequence too.

scream

The bruxa herself is an attractive woman but she can scream and that shriek will propel her target through the air (Geralt can counter the scream by using the Aard Witcher sign), during the scream her double row of sharp teeth are revealed. She can also take on a bat creature form. She has a voracious appetite – Nivellen allows her to feed from him and it does not kill him (due to his supernatural/cursed form). However she has also attacked the village and killed the inhabitants to feed her hunger. Her playing nice with Ciri seems to be much to do with Ciri’s hidden nature. A spear through the chest will not despatch her – beheading is needed and the body self-consumes in flames.

bat creature form

This was a solid season opener, the use of one of Sapkowski's stories serves well as meat for the episode, where other scenes deal with the aftermath of season 1 (specifically the battle of Sodden) and setting the initial plotlines for the forthcoming season. If watching as a standalone, it is that meat that is important and this had some nice effects, a decent sense of creepy and uncanny built through it. There is some fighting, of course. 7 out of 10 as a standalone (the season itself is up to par with season 1). I also must say thanks to those (and there were a few of you) who alerted me to the vampire in the episode. Though I had seen it in this case, it is always worth pointing these things out to me and I always appreciate it.

The imdb page is here.

Killadelphia, Volume 2: Burn Baby Burn – review

Story: Rodney Barnes

Art: Jason Shawn Alexander

First Published: 2021 (TPB)

Contains spoilers

The blurb: Continuing the critically-acclaimed, sold-out series from breakout star RODNEY BARNES, the writer behind such hit shows as Wu-Tang: An American Saga and STARZ’s American Gods, and the artist who redefined SPAWN, JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER!

Adams’ battle to reshape the United States in his own twisted vision might have been thwarted for now, giving Jimmy Sangster a moment of respite, but the war for a new America rages on! Now, as Abigail steps out of the shadows, she unleashes a new violent terror upon the city some have renamed Killadelphia. But this time, it’s about creating as widespread a web of fear imaginable as she rips the beating heart from the city itself.

Can Jimmy stop her or will history repeat and force him to meet the same fate as his father?

Collects KILLADELPHIA #7-12

The review: At the end of Killedelphia’s first volume the vampire (former president) John Adams has been stopped, after releasing his vampire army on the city, and both he and detective turned vampire James Sangster are in their graves. However, you can’t keep a good vampire down, as we know.

Abigail Adams is still at large, controlling the vampires and she doesn’t have the idealism of her husband. She craves power and releases her secret weapon – a slave turned vampire named Jupiter who she sends out on some high-profile kills – the Governor and then a music star during a live performance… before bringing down the city's communication infrastructure and setting the vampire hordes out again.

Unable to cope with the pressure, former small-town beat cop turned detective James (Jimmy) Sangster Jr. disinters his father and brings him back, ripping the vampire from an afterlife where he has found forgiveness and his ex-wife. Abigale, however, may not have the control she thought…

It is a welcome second volume, with the same great artwork as volume one and a continuation of the story, This one, perhaps, ends more on a knife edge than the first volume but the flashes back to various pasts are welcome – with (vampire from both volumes) Topper’s backstory particularly welcome. There is perhaps more bridging for the ongoing series, however, and so is perhaps not as open to standalone reading. 7.5 out of 10.

In Paperback @ Amazon US

In Paperback @ Amazon UK

Happy Xmas from Taliesin Meets the Vampires

Illustration by Brian Borough taken from Norman Bridwell’s Monster Holidays (1974), I believe.

Short Film: BloodBound

This 2017 short film by Michael Nicle totals some 18 minutes and strikes as a young filmmaker flexing his creative muscles and experimenting with his craft – and that is no criticism. What we get is a smorgasbord of effect techniques – drawn backdrops integrated through digital wizardry, filtering, a tad of stop motion, makeup effects and a finished product that is story light but heavy with artistry and atmosphere.

The film follows Domenick (Michael Nicle), a young man who (in 1910) has just lost his father, killed by witchcraft. He contemplates suicide but, instead, decides to visit Aura (Shannon M. Raffery) – an ex-lover who is also versed in the arcane arts, who might show him what lies beyond the veil of death.

Shannon M. Raffery as Aura

Aura refuses him at first but eventually offers him an apple, poisoned – though he should be able to embrace the pain – he bites but as he does bite marks appear on his neck. Aura is not only a witch but a vampire and she knew more about the death of his father than he could have known. Domenick is turned and the film shows us snippets of his undeath and you can see how that pans out below. If you watch through the credits, you’ll get a sense of how the various effects were put together

The imdb page is here.

Chinese Speaking Vampires – review

Director: Randy Kent

Release date: 2021

Contains spoilers

Chinese Speaking Vampires is a comedy/action film that predicates around one conceit that – from a genre fan point of view – was terribly amusing. However, the conceit was strange, so the film added an absurdist streak that might not work for everyone, and there is an undercurrent to the film that may have been meant to be social satire/commentary but was perhaps not used as well as it might have been and thus let itself down.

We start with some intertitles that suggest there was once a sect of kung fu vampires whose greatest power was to be fluent in Mandarin and that, if bitten and turned, their victims would become fluent in Mandarin. The sect was wiped out by the Japanese bar one adherent – who is Gengji Ma (Sean Eden Yi).

Tony and Susie

This is the central conceit and rather wonderful, asking the question for every genre fan who has wondered how, certainly post-Buffy, all the recently turned seemed to become martial artists – this film takes that idea in an absurdist direction and makes the turnee fluent in Mandarin Chinese… more, we discover later, the new vampire forgets their original tongue and will have to relearn it. Indeed the ability to use martial arts is directly touched on when main character Tony (Davy Williams) reveals that he has had martial arts training previously.

Susie and Reika

So Tony is our primary character. A delivery man who is an aspiring actor and we see him learning lines in Mandarin for an audition he is sneaking from work to attend. The audition goes well until he is asked to improvise and admits he doesn’t speak Mandarin and has learnt the lines by rote (actor Davy Williams actually does speak Mandarin). This is not acceptable as the director had asked for Mandarin speakers only. However, later, Tony’s agent says the casting has been moved a month to the right and so if he can learn Mandarin in a month he will get another audition.

flyer for the school

Tony’s ex-girlfriend is a mandarin speaker but she refuses to help him. He had seen a flyer for the Gengji Ma language school, goes to get it but it’s gone and then mysteriously reappears. He goes to the school, manages to disturb the study of Susie (Daniela Brown) and Reika (June Lee), and then meets Gengji Ma who agrees to take him on at night school. The school aspect is normal night classes, at first, Tony falls for Susie and his friend Jim (Richard Gavigan) falls for Reika but soon Gengji Ma is turning students to build an undead army to take over the world…

Jeff McDonald as the pastor

I mentioned an undercurrent and this comes to light through a group of vampire hunters led by pastor Roberts (Jeff McDonald) mostly made up of what seem like red-necks this is a commentary around the Trump-movement. Their poster actually uses the phrase “Make America Great Again” as well as “America First”. There is dialogue around taking the country back and about the vampires “spreading their virus”. This went close to the deliberately divisive rhetoric by the former president blaming China for Covid-19, calling it “Wuhan Flu” and in doing so stoking racist attacks on Asian-Americans.

Sean Eden Yi as Gengji Ma

Now this, of course, might have been satirising such nationalism and rhetoric – indeed I think it was meant to be. The hunters are not drawn sympathetically (bar one character, Zara (Rezzan Denizmen), who joins them and is then redeemed by subsequently defending her erstwhile friends Susie and Reika), however the rhetoric in this is positioned as true as Gengji Ma has brought his vampirism into the country and wants to take over the country (and the world). This then obfuscates the satirising of MAGA to a degree by putting some credence in their narrative. For me it needed a bit more subtle drawing but, ultimately, I think the filmmakers were railing against the racist MAGA brand of nationalism.

punching through a hunter

The film itself was fun, after the slow build around Tony, the school and Susie, it starts into a bit more action. Davy Williams is particularly good as Tony, making the character sympathetic and fun. Sean Eden Yi seems to be having a grand old time as Gengji Ma. The fight choreography was decent enough, though some of the effects slightly missed – the dusting of a staked vampire was perfunctory, the cgi of a punch through a slayer's chest was slightly off when paused but looked good enough in the flow of the film. Sometimes a film just tickles you, and this did. Satire aside, there was generally nothing too sophisticated, just a view to have some fun. It is a shame that the film wasn’t more nuanced around the satire but the absurdist humour carries this forward. 6 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

On Demand @ Amazon US

Short Film: OK Monster

A 9-minute offering this time, OK Monster is a short film directed by Jamie DeWolf and as it starts it is clearly a pair of interviews with two separate people – Harold (Hugo Nono) and Bianca (Yael Wallace) – who are recounting their experiences with dating sites. Neither have had much luck, and they’ve both tried plenty.

Yael Wallace as Bianca

The issue, they both eventually confess in their individual conversations, is that they both ended up killing their dates – or sometimes other people – whilst on a date. Then, as they talk further Harold admits he is a werewolf (though awkwardly he doesn’t turn as much as you’d think – with just a bit of a tail and some nail growth, he looks for the world like a homicidal drunk), and Bianca reveals that she is a vampire.

Hugo Nono as Harold

Then, luckily, they both discovered the dating site OK Monster, Harold recounts dating a blob, a date where he appreciated the non-binary nature of his date -unfortunately they had to move away. Bianca was perhaps not as lucky with her date from one of those Black Lagoon types. Eventually they went on a date together and… well watch the short and let them explain.

The imdb page is here.

Stranger Bakemono ga Jiken Wo Abaku – review

Director: Katsuyuki Motohiro

Release date: 2016

Contains spoilers

This made for TV film is based on shōjo manga the Poe Clan, though this is set in modern day Japan, as opposed to 19th and early 20th century Europe, and features different characters in the form of vampires Akira (Shingo Katori) and Maria (Ayami Nakajô). The term vampanella has gone and whilst the V word is mentioned the actual vampires just refer to the clan.

Like the manga there is a deep layer of melodrama to this, though I felt they lost the gothic edge that the original source leant to the storytelling.

the victim

It begins with a woman (and music lifted from the soundtrack of Dracula (1992)) who has entered a restricted area to take photos of the city skyline. She feels someone nearby, though she shrugs that off, but is grabbed and pulled to the ground and then strangled. The next day, as police survey the crime scene, we see that there are ligature marks on her neck but also two wounds in her throat and discover she is victim number 2.

umberella

Akira and Maria have returned to the city and head to the second-hand bookstore owned by clan member Maejima. Some ten years before Akira had been involved with a young girl, Kaori, who reminded him of his mortal daughter and whose parents had been killed. He couldn’t turn her at the age of ten but promised her that he would return, ten years to the day, and if she still wanted to she could go with him (and be turned, of course). Whilst there a house has been rented for them and a job found for him as a substitute English teacher.

eyes

We get some of vampire rules early on as they are reminded to ensure they breath, have a pulse, and cast reflections and shadows - all of which they have to consciously will. Akira goes to meet Kaori at the assigned spot but is delayed when he notices a lovers’ quarrel where a man is dumping his girlfriend as he intends to marry another. She cuts her own throat. By the time he gets to the car the man has vanished off and he performs emergency first aid, saving the attempted suicide’s life (he was a doctor when mortal). In the meantime, Kaori has been attacked and killed by the serial killer (choked, but not drained due to a drunk stumbling by) and the hair pin Akira previously gave her taken. Akira gets there and (posing as a passer-by) waits for the police.

sucking from a rose

So a maverick detective on the investigation squad instinctively knows that Akira is connected somehow (just not how) and his side investigation reveals that the man may be over 100. Akira and Maria start to look for the actual killer. We see Maria bite and both of them suck energy through hand contact and we also see them suck the life from roses. Maria is made to come across as weak, mirroring Marybelle in the manga, but in this she comes across as languid and disinterested. This is the issue, there is melodrama aplenty but the apathy of the vampires is not scintillating – even with Akira, who still cares about mortals.

sucking energy

Further, this is meant to be a police procedural (the Japanese title can be translated to Stranger: Monsters who Unmask a Criminal Case) but whilst we get some investigation of them by the detective the actual hunt for the killer is detail sparse and Maria simply tastes blood of the (at that point) latest victim and knows who the killer is. The killer is introduced to the audience in the last act with another suspect and the film throws clues at the other suspect in a way to lazily obfuscate the real identity (who is delusional, not actually a vampire). Meanwhile the detective’s side investigation just ends and moments of Akira’s lack of reflection being seen by a schoolgirl, whose mother he taught years before, come to nought.

Somehow the melodrama keeps this afloat, just, and the vampire lore, which is taken from the manga, is interesting. 4 out of 10 is disappointing, however, given the excellent source material.

The imdb page is here.

Honourable Mention: Frankenstein and Me

This was a 1996 feelgood movie directed by Robert Tinnell and had moments of Hallmark schmaltz but also some very well constructed monster segments and Burt Reynolds (the Cannonball Run),

That monster movie aspect appears right from the start of the film as we see a castle in a storm and inside Frankenstein and Igor, played by Earl (Jamieson Boulanger) and his little brother Larry (Ricky Mabe, Mona the Vampire & Preacher). We get a full resurrection scene, after an interruption by Elizabeth (Polly Shannon, Forever Knight). Of course, we are not really in Frankenstein’s schloss, rather a small town in the Mojave Desert in 1970 and Earl is a dreamer. The daydream, which he is sketching, is interrupted by his nasty teacher, Mrs Perdue (Louise Fletcher, Mama Dracula) who punishes him and then phones his home, informing Earl’s mom (Myriam Cyr, Gothic) that he is a delinquent.

the monster on display

Luckily for Earl, his dad (Burt Reynolds) might be a trucker now but was a dreamer himself and won’t punish his son for that – indeed he actively encourages his sons to both have dreams and pursue them. Larry really enjoys his brother’s stories. Unfortunately, their dad dies of a heart attack early into the film (Burt reappearing in memories within the film) and mom, stressed by having to take a minimum wage job to provide for the family, doesn’t understand her son. At a carnival Earl goes into Zandor’s Hall of Mystery, which purports to own the genuine Frankenstein’s monster. The next day the carnival leaves but don’t notice the crate with the monster fall from a truck… right next to Earl who manages to take the Monster and work out a scheme to revive it…

Van Helsing and Arminius

Which is the main thrust of the film – with a genuinely saccharine ending. However through the running length we get monster movie moments that are either daydreams, actual dreams or a story Earl is telling Larry – this then is the vampire moment, a story told by Earl when Larry is in hospital (after having his tonsils out). It follows Professor Van Helsing – Earl – and his assistant Arminius – Larry as they hunt vampire brides in an old windmill. Van Helsing sends Arminius to hide and wait for his signal with instructions to burn the mill down if necessary. Van Helsing opens a coffin in the room he searches but it is empty – the brides are behind him (there are three brides but only 2 listed in the credits - Martine Marois & Véronique Cloutier – I can’t be sure but suspect the third is Polly Shannon).

the brides

He turns, brandishing a cross that repels them. One, however, picks up a sack of flour and throws it – knocking the cross from his hand. He crawls away and reaches Dracula (Conner Vandeer) who lifts him up and throws him out of a window. However he catches a sail, grabs a lower ledge and is pulled to safety by Arminius. They go back to the vampire lair as the sun is beginning to rise, open the first coffin and Van Helsing readies a stake over Dracula’s chest… The story is interrupted by Mrs Perdue who deems it unsuitable for a hospital (she happens to be there as a patient), although Larry’s roommate, Stan (David Deveau, Are You Afraid of the Dark). was enjoying it and recognised the inspiration as the Brides of Dracula, which Earl confirms.

Conner Vandeer as Dracula

And that is it, a fleeting visitation (with Vandeer channelling Christopher Lee for his miniscule screen time) – a rendition of a young monster fan’s story told to his brother. Of course there are several such scenes with other monsters. The cast do well – including Jamieson Boulanger as Earl, who managed well with a vehicle that he (for the most part) had to carry. The Hallmark-like schmaltz got a bit much and the first act dragged a little but overall this isn’t a bad, kid friendly property.

The imdb page is here.

On Demand @ Amazon US

What We Do in the Shadows – Season 3 – review

Director: Various

First aired: 2021

Contains spoilers

A most welcome return, and whilst most will know this, for the uninitiated What We Do in the Shadows began life as a New Zealand based feature film (itself based on an earlier short film) and was transplanted to Staten Island for its series run (see reviews for seasons One and Two).

Despite the geographic (and main character) changes it was still in the same universe and characters from the film have appeared in the series. The premise of a film crew covering the lives of a group of vampire housemates remained the same though the characters were original to the series.

Laszlo and Nadja

Three seasons in and the vampires are now beloved characters. There is Nandor (Kayvan Novak), along with his human familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and her husband Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry, Snow White and the Huntsman) – who is by far my favourite character, and energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). As the season begins the vampires are holding Guillermo in a jail cell (in the basement) whilst they contemplate what to do with him.

Guillermo 'imprisoned'

In the finale of season 2 (having escaped death in season 1, after accidentally killing Baron Afanas (Doug Jones, Universal Dead, Hocus Pocus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron & Night Angel)) the vampires are drawn to an event, which turns out to be a pretext for their execution by order of the vampiric council. In the meantime, Guillermo had discovered that he was of the Van Helsing line and a born vampire hunter, so he rescued his master and friends – by killing every other vampire there.

In council robes

What the vampires fail to realise, as they slowly (over months) deliberate the familiar’s fate is that the cell can’t hold him and he is leaving by day and doing household chores that the vampires think just happen (as well as buying edible food in place of the raw chicken they've been giving him) . The (main) Vampiric Council get in touch to say that they have decided, due to their apparent ruthlessness, to make the housemates leaders of the Vampiric Council of the Eastern Seaboard of the New World. Laszlo isn’t interested (his reasons for being a vampire are NSFW, though they don't include being a bureaucrat) but Nadja and Nando have to come to terms with power sharing. The new dynamic worked well for the comedy – though for me Laszlo was side-lined to a degree and the show worked its way naturally to a finale that has changed the dynamics (and focus) completely.

the Sire

I need to mention episode 6, the Escape. The Eastern Seaboard Vampiric Council have responsibility for the Sire (Vaios Skretas). An ancient vampiric creature who is believed to be the source of vampirism in all vampires. After forgetting to feed him, he escapes. There is a general panic as it is believed that if you kill a vampire any progeny die – something Laszlo dismisses as he and Nadja didn’t die when Baron Afanas died – then a penny drops and they dig up his charred and half missing remains, which are very much still alive.

Kristen Schaal as the Guide

I don’t want to spoil any more but will mention we find out what happens when housekeeping hoovers up a vampire’s native earth. This was a good solid season that perhaps concentrated mostly on Nadja and Nandor. However, Colin Robinson and Laszlo did get some spotlight, at least. I need to mention Kristen Schaal (Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant) as “the Guide”, the vampire council liaison who was marvellous. The fourth season promises to be interesting given the way season 3 has left off but, obviously, this review is for the season just aired and it was, again, a joy. 7.5 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

Morbid Colors – review

Director: Matthew Packman

Release date: 2021

Contains spoilers

Released onto Amazon (UK) VoD just after Red Snow, enabling a good vampire release week, this couldn’t be more different than the other film – more road movie (eventually) than anything, this perhaps had more in common with Martin. A film drawn seriously with what appears to be living vampirism (or delusion), the film also felt like Romero’s through the cinematography – although the social commentary was perhaps under expressed compared to Romero (though this does look at America’s rotten societal underbelly and can also be read as a comment on addiction).

Lanae Hyneman as Devin

The film starts with Devin (Lanae Hyneman) sat in a bus depot, her guitar case by her and writing in a book. She is awaiting the return of her sister, Myca (Kara Gray), who she then drives home. As the film progresses, we discover that they are foster sisters, Myca’s mother, Leni (Angela Steele), having taken Devin in. Myca will claim that she was the victim of abuse due to her mother’s addictions and that Devin was treated better in an attempt at redemption. Despite this, the sisters are close, though very different, with Devin unswervingly loyal to Myca.

Kara Gray as Myca

Myca is searching through the kitchen for her mother’s money – Leni comes in and says she won’t find it. Myca has been away for four months – she also, sarcastically it sounds like, claims she is rehabilitated. She goes out and Leni begs Devin not to follow her. Myca has gone to a party looking for occasional partner and dealer Caleb (Jonathon Beavers). She is short of money, though, after Caleb offers a complaint, it appears it won’t actually be an issue. Devin sees Myca with him, through a window, goes home and smashes the bathroom in frustrated anger.

Devin

Myca finds Devin out cold with a cut head – it appears that Devin suffers from blackouts (they seem to be stress induced). We never get an answer to what these blackouts actually are. Myca attends a band practice with Devin (who travels everywhere with her guitar) but the band are less than impressed at her presence (it transpires that she was the drummer but has been replaced as she is unreliable and vanishes off often). The band have an upcoming gig. Later Myca sneaks to Caleb who has what she asked for (later revealed to be a bag with blood packs in it). She takes the blood, and a small baggie of cocaine, and then verbally turns on Caleb.

Cindy Maples as Gloria

The band drummer has been caught with cocaine and the band have to turn to Myca to fill in as drummer (they are suspicious and it is confirmed later that Myca planted the drugs for just that reason). At the gig the first track goes well but, after it, Myca vomits blood on the drums and crawls off, wrecking the gig and splitting the band. Devin discovers that Myca is drinking blood and Myca vows to Devin that she will kill *her* – her being Gloria (Cindy Maples), the wealthy socialite that turned her. The film then follows the road trip (and various misadventures) as Myca, with Devin, searches for Gloria.

Myca blood spattered

The first thing that struck me with this was the cinematography, a gritty photography is often treated with filters (green and violet primarily, which are also the names of the two parts of the film). The camera often pulls in close to the subjects. The acting can be patchy in places. Both leads manage, for the main, to pull the performances off but occasionally the delivery noticeably falters, probably an experience thing. However, when they are on point it works well and it is their believable relationship that drives the film forward. Although Devin is, generally, quiet and thoughtful both sisters are capable of explosive violence (though Devin may subsequently black out).

blood pack

The vampirism consists of a need to consume blood with a cold turkey reaction to not feeding and Myca eventually losing conscious control if she doesn’t feed her hunger. This gives us our drug simile but it might be that she is not a vampire – she may believe she is but that belief may be only that – her need then a psychological reaction to believing she is a vampire. Certainly she has no other symptoms/powers that we see. As such it can be read either way and her violent streak offers no clue as Devin is just as capable of violence.

bloodied mouth

I rather liked this, it is quite a slow burn in places (and the pace could be tidied up) but it fits in well with Martin and similar films. However comparing it to the earlier film, or perhaps more modern equivalents like the Transfiguration, this does come off poorer – not poor mind you, just that it aspires to the place those films sit in but doesn’t quite reach there. It isn’t in the performances (the occasional patchy moments aren’t enough to damage the film) but perhaps in the plot itself. Nevertheless, this is worth a watch. 6.5 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

On Demand @ Amazon US

On Demand @ Amazon UK

Red Snow – review

Directed by: Sean Nichols Lynch

Release date: 2021

Contains spoilers

I had seen this film on pre-order DVD for region 1 but suddenly it appeared on UK Prime Video and what we have is a neat, simple little film. There are, of course, several films where the vampires are found in snowy climes and this is another to add to that list, but it is also set specifically at Christmas near Lake Tahoe.

It opens by a cabin and a woman calling for her dog. When it fails to return she goes into the woods looking for it, eventually finding its bloody collar. She hears a gasping sound and turns to see a vampire, Brock (Alan Silva), as his hunting mate Jackie (Laura Kennon) also comes for her. She is killed off-screen.

Dennice Cisneros as Olivia

After the credits… A car pulls up and Olivia (Dennice Cisneros) gets out. She lives in her recently deceased mother’s house near Lake Tahoe and is an aspiring vampire novelist with a draw full of rejection slips. We see her reading the book 100 Vicious Little Vampire Stories (which I have and is great fun, incidentally), taking a peppermint each day from her advent calendar and going about her life. One night something bangs against her window.

injured bat

She looks outside and there is an injured bat laying in the snow. She retreats indoors and googles how to tend an injured bat, puts it into a box (whilst she wears rubber gloves), gives it some water and then puts the box in the garage. She doesn’t notice the car that slowly drives by her house. In the morning she’s on the phone to her sister when she hears something coming from the garage. She grabs a knife and looks and there is a busted box and a naked vampire, later discovered to be Luke (Nico Bellamy), who has a wound in his side. She shuts and locks the door.

Vernon Wells as Julius King

There is a knock at the door and a man, who we recognise as the driver from the night before, stands there. He flashes a badge, but does admit that he is a private eye named Julius King (Vernon Wells, Re-Vamped, The Dead Undead & Like a Bat Outta Hell), and tells her he’s looking for three persons – the first two we recognise as the vampires from the film start and the third she recognises as the vampire in the garage but says nothing.

in mother's clothes

King has noticed the vampire book she's reading, as well as the plastic fangs used as Christmas Tree decorations, and suggests she likes vampires and then suggests that the three really are vampires and goes on about how dangerous they are – until suggesting he’s just kidding. After he has left, leaving his card, she takes clothes to Luke (having got his name from King) – though they are her mother's as that's all she has spare and he subsequently spends a section of the film dressed in mom clothes. His eyes are clouded, his fangs out and he demands blood – which she gets from the supermarket (though he seems unimpressed with pig's blood).

Luke bloodied

So the two get to know each other – Olivia taking advantage of having a real life vampire to learn about the actual lore (stakes will kill anyone really, garlic causes hives, sunlight hurts but won’t kill, crosses are an issue but holy water only really works if the priest is good – most are corrupt. We also get the concept that a vampire has amnesia regarding their mortal life and an implied need to be invited. Luke had not been invited but Olivia carried him in, a de facto invitation, however there is a definitive invitation moment later). His slow healing injury was caused by King shooting him with a holy water drenched crossbow bolt. Of course, she also gets him to read her manuscript eventually, looking for tips. Of course King is still out there and so are Luke’s vampire companions…

Laura Kennon as Jackie

This was a gentle comedy, driven in main by the characters of Luke and Olivia and relying on the actors and their likability. This did work for the film, Olivia comes across as a little ditsy but determined, Luke charming in a gruff sort of way. The story is very simple, there are moments of gore that work. Luke’s motivation isn’t explored massively and so we do wonder why he vacillates between dangerous, with a barely contained hunger, but ultimately safe and just plain violent. However this isn’t a major block to enjoyment and I think it is the simplicity that carries this. 6 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

On DVD @ Amazon US

On Demand @ Amazon UK