Vamp or Not? Monstrosity

Suggested to me by Simon Bacon, this 1963 film was directed by Joseph V. Mascelli and Jack Pollexfen and it matches its title as it is a bit of a monstrosity. Simon saw within it a potential of it being a vampire film firstly due to its opening lines from the narrator (Bradford Dillman) that says “For in the ancient folk legends, tales are told of blood-sucking vampires, crawling out of graves to live on the bodies of helpless victims. Is man now doomed to produce a race of ever-living monstrosities, worse than the vampires of legend?” Through that he likened the film to the story Good Lady Duncayne and, to be fair, this does have an elderly rich lady, Mrs March (Marjorie Eaton), employing a Doctor, in this case mad scientist Dr Frank (Frank Gerstle), to restore her youth. Blood is not the order of the day, however.

In the reactor chamber

It starts with Dr Frank transplanting an animal brain into the newly deceased female body he has stolen – in a procedure that involves an atomic reactor chamber. We then see him stealing a newly interned corpse, aided by the monstrous looking reanimated male corpse in which he put the brain of a dog. This reanimated corpse has fangs in the lower jaw, giving a bestial look that brings the Island of Dr Moreau to mind.

Marjorie Eaton as Mrs March

He has discovered that the transplant works better the fresher the corpse and the aim is to be really fresh and transplant Mrs March’s brain into a living woman’s body. To this end she has lured three young woman, Anita (Lisa Lang), Bea (Judy Bamber) and Nina (Erika Peters), to her home, which she shares with “toy boy” Victor (Frank Fowler). She will select one of the girls to be her host, as it were, and through the course of the film one will end up with a cat’s brain.

Two of the candidates

So, the use of science to gain eternal life but this is by brain transplant and so calls to mind the superb Get Out (2017) – though this does not have the haunting vestiges of the original owner mentioned. The use of atomic power does bring Atom Age Vampire to mind but the vampiric surgery in that had to be repeated. This would be initially a one-shot transplant, killing the person though not the body (with the assumption that the new owner would swap bodies at some point as the new one ages). I am veering towards Not Vamp, it just didn’t feel like it was to me – despite invoking the vampire at the head of the film, but I can see why Simon suggested it might be and I am interested to hear what you think in the comments.

The imdb page is here.

On DVD @ Amazon US

On DVD @ Amazon UK

Swap – review

Director: Dallas King

Release date: 2024

Contains spoilers

With a tagline of “Fifty Shades of Red”, one knows what we’re going to get from this and, whilst it is not hardcore, folks going in need to realise what they’re going to get and make their viewing choice based on that. Now, overall, this was competent but what I was left with was a question as to “why vampires?” It is not as though the vampirism isn’t front and central, it is, and there is an aspect of the ending that relies on the genre but the same film could have been made as a sex/jealousy story without vampires and not really changed the broad direction. Part of the issue is that things were left unsaid.

Kayla and Rad

So, it starts with sex, touching and becoming more passionate as the scene goes on. The couple are Kayla (Jessica Lelia Greene) and Rad (James Eastwood). Towards the end she chokes him and he reacts badly to it, having to make her stop. This underlines an issue in their relationship, one that is doubled down on when she talks about exploring, not getting stale, threesomes and another couple. He makes it very clear he does not want that (and considers it cheating).

Rad and Kayla

What we discover later is that he is a cop – there is mention of an investigation and so we get the idea that there is something going on with his career but the film does not expand or follow up on this. His reaction sours things and he goes for a shower, when he gets out she is doing naked yoga, but although his mood improves, she reminds him they are leaving in 30 minutes… Leaving is to go and visit her best friend Glory (Erin Anne Gray) and her new fiancé (3rd one) Angelo (Dallas King). When they get there, there is no answer at the front door.

shadow of wings

They go round the back, find an open sliding door and go in. There is sex noise, and they spy Glory and Angelo having vigorous sex at a pool table. At times she calls him “Daddy” at others she says “no”. They move away, though Rad is slow to (playing into the accusation of him being a voyeur later and though he suggests he nearly intervened at hearing her objections, dismissed by her as role play, it does seem he merely watches). We notice that Angelo (at least) has noticed but ignored them and, when out of Rad’s view, his shadow sprouts wings (there isn’t much done with shadows through the remaining film). So, what’s going on…

turning Kayla

Glory and Kayla used to be wild together and have been lovers as well as friends. Glory met Angelo at a swinger’s party and he has turned her. They want to turn the couple – but vampirism is not mentioned at first, just sex. Rad is not into that scene. Indeed after dinner the first night, in the pool as things becomes heated, he ends up punching Angelo. The ensuing argument between Rad and Kayla does not include him reminding her that he explicitly stated, that very morning, that he was not willing to contemplate group sex. That night Glory turns Kayla (consensually, though one questions just how much she understood what she consented to) this involves drinking Angelo’s blood from a bottle and a very well-done bite scene.

sunlight is no issue

So, vampires. They can go out in daylight and say they rarely drain but do, occasionally, drink blood. They actually feed on pleasure and Angelo states that they are not vampires, rather the source of the legend, and calls their “race” hedons – as in hedonists. Now here is where things needed expanded on – a bite turns (draining kills) but it is apparent that drinking a hedon’s blood is needed too. It is also apparent that the intention is that Angelo will die, passing on his knowledge and memories to Rad (or if the gift is refused he’ll drain Rad and get another 100 years of life, suggesting a direct need for blood as well as energy derived from hedonistic pleasure). The blurb suggests that Angelo is 500 but the dialogue suggests 4000. Why does he want to die? The dialogue doesn’t tell us and this is where the film fails…

hedon's eyes

I was left not knowing why Angelo wishes to pass the gift on and die and his manner does not suggest anything. He admits to having watched Rad and Kayla for two months and Glory is unsure of Rad’s suitability. Angelo says his relative innocence means the gift will mean more (ropey reasoning) but I find it difficult to see why Angelo thinks this uptight cop would want to turn/change his sexual preferences. I find it even more difficult to see why a 4000-year-old being would think 2-months observation and a couple of day’s interaction would be enough to deem him suitable. Overall the vampire story needed way much more expansion – the paper thin detail makes it feel tacked on even though the ending relies on it. There are style over substance moments, such as the rippling glass of a touched mirror once Angelo’s blood has been drunk, with no reason why but panache.

fangs

The photography worked, the performances were ok (though as writer/director/performer it appears as much fantasy fulfilment as film making on King’s part) but we needed more depth and that includes character depth as well as vampirism backstory depth. Why, for instance, was Rad so nonchalant at Angelo using cocaine (yes cops might turn a blind eye, but would he – we don’t know but his uptight nature suggests he wouldn't). Overall the vampirism could have been stripped out and a semi-erotic flick about sexual experimentation would have been much the same film. 4 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

On Demand @ Amazon US

On Demand @ Amazon UK

Suckers – review

Directors: Brandon Morson & Kenny Pettis Jr.

Release date: 2024

Contains spoilers

When I first sat down to watch this, I was concerned. Clearly a film set in the world of social media influencers, I was concerned that without a level of satirical savvy the film would not be so great.

In truth, I believe it did not have that savvy and works with stereotypes to build character rather than to underpin satire. However, it actually does work in its own way (though it pulls its horror punches) and I found myself enjoying it as a fairly short (69 minute) feature.

attacked

It starts with a woman, unnamed but called Passion (Shira Monae) in the credits, walking through a pretty darn empty office building looking for her booty call. She gets fed up of looking for him when her beau, Howie (Lamar A. Burks), appears. He is the building manager and they are just about to get it on when she hears a noise. He doesn’t hear it first time but then does and goes looking. We see him got POV (but not the actual getting) and then she sees something and is dragged off. In truth the opening seems to have little to do with the film (though I guess the building is meant to be the same as in the film proper).

Max, Freeway and S Dot

We watch Max (Lexi Collins) bathe, get dressed, do her makeup video (she is a beauty vlogger) and then head out to a mixer she has been invited to, for a Young Hollywood Influencer Event. Getting to the event, only Freeway (Kenny Pettis Jr.) is there – a nerdy, game streamer with (we discover) very little social network following. However, in comes S Dot (Suede The Plug), an egotistical streamer-douche with large follower numbers. Next to arrive are Crystal (Zahra Elise) a beauty vlogger and her friend Trinity (Melinda Thompson). The lack of others there might have killed the event but free booze and food (though Crystal orders her own food to be delivered) keep them there.

Luna Star as Serena

Next into the building is Benny (Errol Cummings Jr.), he is famous for a viral TikTok but wants to be more than that and he meets singer Dee Jay (Ajdin Sefer). Dee Jay’s girl, Serena (Luna Star), has organised the event (and is an Only Fans performer). They get to the main room and she takes everyone’s phones. Drinking ensues and then she takes Dee Jay for some rumpy and vamps out and eats him. She manages to get one more before they realise what is going on. They are phoneless… the door to the outside world is locked… A bite turns so there is more than one vampire… the influencers have to survive…

vamp face

The premise is revenge, with Serena wronged via a viral video. Freeway is there as a fall guy (although as they are being turned one wonders what he is a fall guy for) and, of course, she has managed to maintain a relationship with Dee Jay (for how long we don’t know) without him knowing she is a vampire. There isn’t much else story wise and the actors might not have a huge amount to work with but they do, to be fair, manage to inject enough in to keep the viewer's attention. The film stereotypes the influencers but doesn’t manage to make any kind of message about micro-capitalism. This then leads to the issue; the film pulls its punches. We see little in the way of vampire action and staking is done out of camera frame. Practical gore effects would have boosted this film where characterisation and underlying message are missing. 5.5 out of 10 as it doesn’t outstay its welcome and it was surprisingly watchable despite simple story and lack of horror.

The imdb page is here.

On Demand @ Amazon US

On Demand @ Amazon UK

Short Film: Stake

Released in 2023 and directed by Michael Sparks, this short film comes in at just over 10-minutes.

The story is very simple, watched by her assailant as the sun rises, a woman – Alex – comes round in a field with a wound on her neck. She wakes again in hospital but is soon sent home.

Emma arrives

At home she makes some food (spaghetti and a steak) and Emma, her sister, tries to call her. She doesn’t pick up. Sitting down to eat there is frantic knocking at the door – Emma has come to her house. Emma is fussing her and she just wants to be left alone, however there are some physiological changes taking place also.

fang

The film doesn’t really do anything new with the genre, this is a simple turning story that stands out because of the wonderful black and white photography more than anything. It is definitely worth 10-minutes of your time.

At time of writing, I couldn’t find an IMDb page.

Honourable Mention: Sundelbolong

Directed by Sisworo Gautama Putra and released in 1981, Sundelbolong is an Indonesian film starring Suzzanna and is part of the Severin films All the Haunts be Ours volume 2 set. The set quotes Sophie Siddique as she writes about how the film confronts the New Order Indonesian Government’s gender ideologies and the “gender fantasies of the world of the vampire ghost”. This, of course, made my ears prick up.

Bane also describes the folkloric sundel bolong thusly “In Java, there is a vampiric REVENANT known as a sundal bolong (“hollowed bitch”). It is created when a woman commits suicide or when a child who was conceived by rape dies. It appears to its prey, mostly travelers and foreigners, as a beautiful woman with unkempt HAIR wearing its burial shroud. Using its beauty, this vengeful and angry vampire will lure a man to a quiet place with the promise of an indiscretion but instead will turn and attack him, draining him of his blood.” The translation of the name is suggested in the Severin notes as prostitute with a hole and refers to a maggot covered hole in the ghost’s back.

the wedding

Unfortunately, whilst the film does follow the folklore this particular (physically manifesting) ghost does not indulge in draining blood, rather she murders her victims as we’ll see. As such the film is of genre interest. It starts with the grave of Alisa (Suzzanna), who has died very young, and a voice over suggesting that she did have some happiness in her life – this then cuts to her wedding as she and her groom Hendarto (Barry Prima) enter the reception. However, a man approaches him with a letter. It is from “the company” and Hendarto, a ship’s captain, must go to sea for nine months. They have a final drink together and mention is made of her twin sister Sinta dying at age 10.

Suzzanna as Alisa

Alisa embroiders and is called by Rudi (Rudy Salam), who owns a boutique, to propose going into business with him. She brings her samples, but a customer there knows her. She is known as Mami (Ruth Pelupessi, Satan’s Slave) and she is a Madame over s stable of prostitutes and Alisa used to work for her. Mami has an idea and Rudi changes the offer to Alisa of modelling for his range – she turns him down as such modelling does not fall into her new gender role of a dutiful wife. Driving home a car is blocking the road. Alisa goes to the driver to check he is ok and a group of men come out of hiding and kidnap her.

haunted by phantom kids

They take her to a warehouse, where she fights back but is eventually overpowered. Rudi and Mami turn up and she is offered a deal – they’ll let her go if she works for Mami again and submits to Rudi. She refuses and is dragged off, tied down and Rudi rapes her. He then has the four thugs gang rape her too. The film cuts to a trial where Mami and Rudi are accused of rape but the four are not on trial (Alisa mentions them in an outburst) and the defence solicitor calls her story into question – based on her former profession and basically victim blaming. The trial is adjourned. Worse news comes when she discovers she is pregnant and the doctor she goes to refuses to abort the pregnancy (in truth why she told him it was simply not her husbands, but not that it was as a result of rape seemed odd). It turns out that she has previously had five abortions.

Alisa's death

Realising that her husband is due home she becomes desperate, after a rather freakish hallucination of her previous aborted children as obviously disabled babies (based on the doctor suggesting abortion causes disability), she eventually (in a scene that is almost a flash but pretty darn gruesome) cuts the baby out of herself, killing herself in the process. The film then has her returning to her husband as her twin sister (he quickly accepts that her dying at ten is untrue) and, as the sundel bolong, attacking those who wronged her.

hungering for food

Both non-corporeal and corporeal, she wears a white shroud and has a wan, heavily shadowed face and a hole in her back that is rotten. Occasionally she appears as a (rather rubbish looking) skull with rotten flesh clinging to it. However she can also take the form of another woman and uses this to lure some of the men. Once lured she murders them. At one point she appears as a pocong. We get the lore that a nail in the head, something often associated with the kuntilanak, will turn her into a controllable, beautiful lady (it never happens). At one point she goes to a food stall and demands 200 satay skewers, eaten half cooked, and then drinks a pan of soup, which all drops/pours out of the back hole; showing a relentless hunger but not one for blood.

skeleton form

The fact that the vampire element is removed may have been due to the time it was made (though there is plenty of horror themes in the film) but is a shame. The film is a supernatural rape revenge film and is interesting read against Western films of that genre from the time but the social context of Indonesia at the time also has to be read into it. The classical music on the soundtrack is bombastic and, honestly, ill placed and there is a thick layer of melodrama, especially to the first 30 minutes plus, which despite the gang rape has a layer of schmaltz to it. It is notable that part way through they give Barry Prima a shirtless, action hero martial arts sequence – this film is known as a breakout horror film for Suzzanna who became one of the largest horror stars in Indonesian films but Prima was also one of the hottest Indonesian actors in the 80s.

The imdb page is here.

Silent Bite – review

Director: Taylor Martin

Release date: 2024

Contains spoilers

Set at Christmas, this has less a Christmas horror feel than it feels inspired by From Dusk Till Dawn, with its premise of criminals on the run coming face to face with vampires. It was also entertaining to a point, where it then pulled defeat out of the jaws of victory. Nevertheless, for the most part it is a worthwhile indie watch.

The credits have a series of illustrated panels of the gang robbing the bank in Santa/elves outfits – the art had an AI feel to it, though I may be doing someone a disservice. We see someone dropping bank notes out of a moving vehicle’s window and the news tells us of the Wisconsin Bank robbery and five suspects,

the gang arrive

At an inn four men check-in, the reservation is under Scrooge (the organiser of the heist, who we never see) and the men carry weapons and are dressed in Christmas costume (one is an elf). The clerk, Colin (Paul Whitney, Being Human (US)), comments that they are a day late and shows them to a bar/lounge area where they are to stay – there isn’t a room big enough for five and they are to stay together. A wodge of cash is given to Colin to say nothing of their presence and as far as they know the inn is empty.

Paul Whitney as Colin

The four refer to each other in code names (bar one) and this, with a member disgruntled about his code name, does remind of Reservoir Dogs. The leader is Father Christmas (Simon Phillips, Strippers Vs Werewolves & Age of the Living Dead), with Grinch (Nick Biskupek) – who dislikes his code name, Snowman (Michael Swatton) and Prancer (Luke Avoledo). The latter, who runs tech, seems out of place in the gang (we hear later he is paying off his late father’s debts) and is referred to as Blake, his real name. The fifth member of the gang is Rudolph (Dan Molson), a decoy driver who deliberately lays a trail for the cops to follow and who will return to meet the gang later. The inn is very close to the robbery.

Camille Blott as Genie

Also in the hotel (in room/suite 666, which was a bit of a moment of meta too far) is a kidnapped young woman, Genie (Camille Blott). She is being taunted by Selene (Sienna Star) who bites her – only to be almost immediately rebuked by Mother (Sayla de Goede). Though it is not mentioned in film, Mother in the credits is also identified as Lilith. The room is set for a Satanic ritual (blood exchange leads to a person turning but there is clearly a desire to underpin that, for Genie, with a dedication to infernal forces). Mother has three female vampire 'daughters' with her, in a reflection of Dracula’s brides, the other two being Victoria (Kelly Schwartz, Drakul) and Lucia (Louisa Capulet). They are aware of the men – it sounds like the inn was selected with them in mind though this wasn’t explored – and the daughters are given permission to hunt them. The idea of enjoying the hunt (with sexual aspects mentioned) allows for a stretch to the running time.

the daughters

And it is so far, so good. The bickering criminals give us banter and character (the vampires are more two dimensional) with Simon Phillips (who also wrote the screen play) giving a strong performance as the leader of the bunch. There isn’t too much lore. They are not caught on camera – leading to the gang reviewing camera footage and believing that Colin is at reception talking to himself. A missed opportunity here is when we have seen Mother, in the live scene, smash a bottle and they absolutely don’t notice a bottle smashing itself on camera. Sunlight kills and they decide (when they know what’s going on) that the UV in a flash grenade should be (and is) effective – this brings us to the issue with the film.

mother feeds

It takes its sweet time getting to the showdown and it’s all a bit of a damp squib. There could have been plenty more violence and more inventive deaths (though kudos for the killing a vampire by use of a silver spoon) and, importantly, more gore. The showdown felt genuinely anticlimactic – which given how much fun I’d had with the film to that point was doubly disappointing. But fun was had through the main body of the flick and that is reflected in a score that would have been higher if they’d landed the ending. 6 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

On Blu-Ray @ Amazon US

On Demand @ Amazon UK

Seymour the Unfortunate Vampire – review

Director: Joe Kane

Release date: 2024

Contains spoilers

This film was, I believe, a reconstruction of a web serial, now pulled into a feature and despite trying to do urban fantasy, in a comedic way, on a budget I was really rather taken with it. There were some fun characters, and it was helped that Seymour (Joe Kane) was rather endearing.

It starts with an almost industrial moment and then we see movement through trees into suburbia where Seymour is outside the house about to smoke a cigarette. His friend Corina (Jacqueline Real) arrives, asking about friend Wally (Wayne Heckler) – he’s inside – and nags Seymour about the cigarette. Once she has gone in he is suddenly confronted by a man, Basil (Chritian Titus), bumming a cigarette. We see the fangs, Basil attacks Seymour.

attack

The titles contain background, talking about humans becoming fearful and destructive towards the supernatural creatures, the Salem witch trials and the council of royal vampires (purebloods we later hear) creating the Shadowlands as a haven. There was then civil war and the royal vampires were defeated. Back in our timeline and Corina and Wally interrupt the attack. Seymour's subsequent turning process involves various visions.

Seymour and Agent Odin

Basil is confronted by Director Hagar (Brimstone) of the Supernatural Rehabilitation Services (SRS). Attacking a human (and turning him) is a big no no. Hagar rips the heart out of his chest and boxes it. Elsewhere, Corina and Wally speak on the phone as they are out and about – Wally is taking no chances, despite Seymour being their friend, he has filled his contact lens case with holy water and bought Garlic powder. Meanwhile Agent Odin (Sal Conca) of the SRS drugs and kidnaps Seymour, ensures he has not fed off anyone, gives him a rule book and a pill box full of blood. I should mention that vampires, in this, have reflections but they can act independently of the physical self.

Wally and Corina

So we follow Seymour getting used to the new way of life, being tutored by Chester (Marshall R. Teague) the werewolf, on the radar of a couple of vampire hunters and learning that he should avoid fairies – they like to drink vampire blood as it is a drug to them and he eventually discovers that drinking fairy blood puts the vampire into a coma. A bit of a spoiler but I did want to mention that the film does jump forward five years part way through, due to this mishap, and whilst it jarred immediately, it did quickly work and drew in a larger conspiracy.

the vampire hunters

As I said at the head, this was fun. It was really inventive and, whilst the budget did show, they did much with little. Seymour, as I mentioned, was endearing and most of the characters worked really well (barring a couple of side characters later on that were there for plot/numbers and not developed in the same way). I would have liked to see more of the vampire hunters – they were fun – and more of Seymour’s family, but they did pack a lot into the short running length. 6.5 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.

On Demand @ Amazon US

On Demand @ Amazon UK