14/10/2012: Vampire Circus [1972]

I'm clearly not adverse to old movies, seeing as I spent the last dozen or so movies traveling through some highlights (and lowlights) of the 70's, I had not until today seen any Hammer Horror. Now, for many horror fans, Hammer Horror represents a golden age of horror; when Christopher Lee played Count Dracula and Frankenstein's monster roamed the world. For some reason, I had never ventured to this period in horror, but it seems like a movie promising both vampires and a circus was just what I needed to get there.

11/08/2012: The Fearless Vampire Killers [1974]

After watching Young Frankenstein I thought that The Fearless Vampire Killers would be a good follow up. Now, I honestly am not sure which one I enjoyed more. The Fearless Vampire Killers shows us that not only can Roman Polanski both direct and write a great horror comedy but can also star in one as well. Never has there been a more bumbling duo of vampire hunters since Professor Abronsius and his assistant Alfred.

11/05/2012: Dark Shadows [2012]

After the trailer was released, many sat pondering in their seats whether the world needed another vampire flick, even if it did include the dream duo of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Fortunately for Burton, Dark Shadows proved to be a fine movie, for the most part...

I'm not sure why that line is there. Oh well...

04/05/2012: Underworld: Awakening [2012]

I must confess that I was sorely disappointed when, after a month of waiting, I realized that Underworld: Awakening was not going to come to my local theatre. However tonight I finally got a chance to watch it, just before it hits shelves. While it would have definitely been nice to see on the big screen, Awakening still kicks ass on the small one.

Three Vampire Movies That Won't Admit It

After just finishing Cronos I realized that I had seen a couple of unconventional and very unique vampire movies recently. I decided that, I would see if I could compile a list of the more unique, re-inventions of the typical vampire movie, things that verged on minor obscurity and a none of them even mention the word vampire. The three I could think of were Cronos, The Wisdom of Crocodiles and Near Dark.

04/02/2012: Subspecies [1991]

Vampires. One of the oldest creatures in horror with a thousand variations, mythos and rules. Countless horror movies and even other genres tell different stories of the creatures of the night, those who live off the blood of the living. From the great Dracula movies of early film making vampires, have evolved into some amazing stories, but sadly vampire movies aren't what they used to be. Subspecies however gives us the true vampire, a castle dwelling monster, drooling blood and sporting a cape.

21/01/2012: Vampires [2010]

This is not John Carpenter's Vampires, this is a completely different kind of movie directed by Vincent Lannoo. This movie is a faux-documentary about a family of vampires, living in Belgium. A Belgian movie, the actors all speak french although subtitles are available.

What sets Vampires apart from other faux-documentary style movies is that it takes itself completely seriously. The cast makes no jokes as they play out their roles and it feels like you are watching an unscripted reality T.V. show. When it comes to the vampire aspect, Vampires creates it's own mythology, based on the standard but includes large aspects of a "vampire society" including laws, food sources, cooking, sex, and above all family matters. As a documentary, the family interacts with the film crew explaining things as they go about their daily lives.

The characters are good fun, including the family composing of the stoic Father, the batty mother, a partying trouble-making son and a daughter who wants to be human and die. The movie follows the events of the family, living quite well of in a Belgium community. As well there are their neighbors, a pair of vampires living in the cellar with problems of their own, as well as family friends, the local community leader, and of course The Meat.

The movie is filled with dry-humor and satire and if you don't like it from the beginning you won't like it as it continues. The movie is a very-slow burn, and don't expect any murderous bloodbath of a climax. While the movie doesn't shy away from a little blood or murder it doesn't revel in their brutality, eating someone is just the norm.

My favourite part is of course the families journey to Quebec, even featuring a glimpse of a La Belle Province (best hotdogs in the world). The Quebecois even clearly speak their type of french in contrast to the Belgians with the vampires complaining about it. As well the vampire society there is clearly a Canadian one, they have a democracy, don't eat people at random, murder anyone, and work everyday jobs. The Quebec vamps are just part of Canada's cultural mosiac.

Overall like I said this movie is really like it or hate it. It's all about the dialogue, the humour and the documentary, don't expect stunning action sequences or visuals.

Links:
Vampires IMDB
Vampires Netflix