Day 108: August 16th, 2010

VAMP



The first kiss could be your last.

Vamp, unfortunately doesn't get interesting or good until the second half of the film. As a horror film, it doesn't scare and as a comedy it gets no laughs. I found Vamp to be oddly trying to balance both and not succeeding very well. The overall feel of the film is off, but the last half or so is some neat stuff.

The entire town is overrun by vampires and we gradually see this as the night goes on and the characters become more desperate. The story is about two fraternity pledges who try to find a stripper to entertain their college friends. Things go awry when, of course, they are vampire strippers. If this sounds like From Dusk Till Dawn, then congratulations. From Dusk Till Dawn obviously borrowed many elements from this film.

As far as vampire films go, I'd stick with Fright Night and the Lost Boys, but wouldn't necessarily count Vamp out just yet. It's got all the essentials to be a good movie, the 80's cheese is pouring through here. I just didn't dig it as much as I would have expected. It might have been the production values, or again, that oddly balanced humour that fails. Putting aside the lame parts with people popping up that should be dead and other nonsense, the film is entertaining in parts. The pinks and greens that illuminate the street add to the surreal world these characters find themselves in.

To wrap things up, Vamp is a mediocre film. Not much else to say, if you're a lover of 80's horror then I would say this is right up your alley.

5.5/10

Day 58: June 27th, 2010

Fright Night.



There are some very good reasons to be afraid of the dark.

After his new neighbour moves into town Charlie begins to suspect he is a vampire. He tries to get the help from famed tv star Peter Vincent, Vampire Hunter to help kill him. But does anyone believe him?

That is Fright Night in a nutshell and the film is great eighties horror camp. Along with the Lost Boys this vampire romp is something I can watch over and over and is another entry into a long list of vampire films that are

A: Better than Twilight
B: I would rather watch than Twilight.

I'm sorry for bringing Twilight into this review, but it's a teeny romance film disguised as a vampire flick, so every chance I get I will knock it.

Sarandon is Jerry the vampire, he has a certain sex appeal about him that vampires usually do. They are either lustful, or ugly as hell. Sarandon becomes both. His good looks and calm demeanor are great, he oozes cool in this film. Roddy McDowall is hilarious as Peter Vincent, Vampire Killer. My one complain lies in the casting of now gay porn star Evil Ed. His annoying laugh and horrible acting really drag the film down in the scenes he is in. I cheered when his death scene occurred, one of many highlights in the film.To some small degree, Charlie Brewster himself gets tiresome. He is clearly an idiot.

The special effects are pure eighties and still rock to this day. I'd rather watch this film than Twilight anyday for the effects....for story....for pretty much anything. Sorry, like a said, any chance I get. Hell, even the wolf transformation scene is better than the stupid one from American Werewolf in Paris. See, no film is spared here.

The film has a horror Rear Window vibe to it. Is he, or isn't he a vampire. Seeing something you're not suppose to from your house. Fright Night is getting a remake with Colin Farrell in the role of the Vampire. I don't see it reaches the heights of this film, but I will still give it a chance. Fright Night is cheesy b-horror movie entertainment. Characters do stupid things, there's craziest effects, pure eighties soundtrack, some nudity, and vampires. Good mix for a good film.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Twilight Sucks.

8/10

Day 56: June 25th, 2010

Near Dark



I'd rather see a burnt and bloody Bill Paxton, than a white face glittery Robert Pattinson.

I was actually suppose to watch The Wolfman, but lost to a vote and people wanted to watch Near Dark instead.

Well, a young good looking cowboy gets bitten by a vampire and he soon becomes a member of the psychotic gang of vamps. The problem is that he doesn't want to be a vampire and he tries to fight the seductive urges of the blood thirst.

The vampire trend is nothing new, it's just made a comeback for this certain phase. Twilight is raking in the cash in the theatres and true blood is reigning HBO. It's good to be a vampire right now. But back in the day, 1987 to be exact. Vampires were not all glittery and award winning, they were mean, cut throat and cruel.

The problem this film has, right from the gate, is two uninteresting leads. The male and the female are boring, wooden actors (before he became a Hero) and it's always hard to stay invested in a film where the leads make you cringe from time to time. Enter Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen, two characters that rise above what is needed and make the film entertaining and scary.

The two are a part of a vampire family. These characters are far more interesting than our cowboy here. I would much rather watch a film following them. Every little line of dialogue is interesting and their look is unmatched. Bill Paxton is a great psycho, he is off the wall nuts and he looks to be having a great time doing it. Three of the cast members also appeared in Aliens, directed by James Cameron, ex-husband of Bigelow, who directed Near Dark.

The shootout in the motel sequence is really neat and drives the film into high gear. the special effects are too shabby either. Sun can be deadly to these guys and it is quickly proven many times. The death scenes are gruesome and to me are what true vampire films are about.

I watched this on bluray and the one thing that annoyed me is the new cover. They are obviously going for that twilight crowd as they have the female appear to be human and the male be the vampire. Even the bloody make-up, which has no reference in this film. This is false advertising, give me a burnt and bloody Bill Paxton over that trash any day.

7/10