When we think about vampires, our expectations have inevitably been shaped by popular literature, which has in turn – for the last century – also found expression in cinema. In the nineteenth century, popular reading habits created a set of cultural expectations about vampires. The birth of horror fiction, which stemmed in turn from the […]
With a rather unwieldy title, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant) starts at – a little girl’s birthday party. The little girl, Sasha, surprises her close-knit family group with her innate ability to play the keyboard she’s given as a gift – something which they puzzle over while she plays. […]
By Gabby Foor Nothing to see here. Just two Nicks, one older and historically fond of saws, the other younger with a traditionally bold appetite, with fascinating and fantastic filmographies, now both vampiric. Renfield is the ambitiously-told tale of a narcissistic, emotionally manipulative Dracula and his insecure familiar, Renfield. Part vampire epic, part relationship comedy, […]
I don’t know about you, but I always feel a moment of trepidation when I see rock stars’ names attached to film projects – perhaps particularly so when at least one of the rock stars in question has now shuffled off the mortal coil. What would they have thought of the finished product? Did it […]
I first encountered the cinema of Jean Rollin via the UK’s Redemption Films, whose founder, Nigel Wingrove, became good friends with Rollin over the years; the film company deserves far more awareness of the great service they did by bringing so many of these films into the common consciousness in the Nineties, making the films […]
By Ben Bussey If I were to ask who the most iconic screen Dracula was, I imagine the answers would be wide-ranging. Presumably most would be torn between Lugosi and Lee, with maybe a few shout-outs for Oldman, and one or two bending the matter slightly by arguing for Schreck. However, if I were to […]
Umbrage: The First Vampire (2009) Distributor: Left Films DVD Release Date: 17th October 2011 Director: Drew Cullingham Starring: Doug Bradley, Rita Ramani, Jonnie Hurn, Natalia Celino Review by: Aaron Williams We open on a sweeping shot of a forest, a Jeep steadily working its way along rocky roads. Cut to inside the moving car and […]
Stake Land (2010) Directed by: Jim Mickle Starring: Danielle Harris, Kelly McGillis, Connor Paolo, Nick Damici Review by: Nia Edwards-Behi The world has been ravaged by a disease that transforms people into vicious bloodsuckers. A teenager watches his family slaughtered and is rescued by the mysterious Mister, a tough vampire hunter who takes the boy […]