Movieline's Halloween 25 Takes on Vampires: Robert Pattinson, Eat Your Heart Out
Quickly, before the death rattle for the current vampire craze, let's take a look at films in the expansive, ultra-profitable sub-genre that have been lost in the shuffle. Day three of Movieline's Halloween 25 features Christopher Walken with fangs, a cameo by David Lynch, the blacksploitation vampire film that wasn't and more!
(As always, if I skipped your favorite, point it out in the comments...)
· Ganja and Hess (1976)
Bill Gunn (Writer of Hal Ashby's The Landlord) was hired to make a straight-forward blacksploitation vampire film, but instead delivered this stylistically daring, complex film that uses the vampire conceit to examine racial identity, spirituality and impossible love. The producers were furious and released a heavily edited version of the film titled Blood Couple, which bombed. But now, thanks to DVD, you can watch this unheralded '70s art-house horror gem the way Gunn intended. It's may be a bit slow for some tastes, but it's essential for anyone interested in the intersection of high and low art or African-American cinema.
· Martin (1977)
Apologies to Let the Right One In, but horror maestro George Romero made the definitive coming-of-age vampire film. Martin is a shy teenager who happens to be a vampire. Or maybe he just happens to think he's a vampire? Regardless, his perceived thirst for human blood drives him to extremes that make most rites of passage seem like fairy tales. By turns funny, touching and disturbing, and never lacking in Romero's sharp subtext and social commentary, Martin still ranks among the very best modern vampire films. Also, the opening sequence may be the best scene Romero has ever directed.
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Comments
What? No _Innocent Blood_?? I kid.
Looove _Fright Night_, and I'm actually sort of interested to see what they'll do with that remake. I like that Marti Noxon wrote the screenplay.
Ahhh _The Addiction_. Haven't seen that one in a long while.
NO "BUFFY - THE VAMPIRE SLAYER"??????? I mena, please, Buffy changed a hole genaration!!!
Kudos on Nadja!
And way to go by showing love to Vampire in Brooklyn yesterday, so I don't have to invoke its name here.
Glad that Fright Night is on here. It's one of the most under-rated films of all time, and easily one of the top five horror films from the eighties! Also, thank you for keeping LOST BOYS off this list! I HATE that film! That movie is an over-rated piece of dung! Seriously, two junior vamprie hunters named Edgar and Allan? OOOO, how clever!
To the very first person who commented, they did make a new Fright Night. Only with werewolves rather than vampires. It's called Never Cry Werewolf. And I'm stunned that they don't have Dracula. That was amazing.
3 words
THE
NIGHT
FLYER
Great list, even without it.
Are you talking about the Coppola Dracula? I was very close to including that, it's totally nuts and fantastic
Thanks!
Refresh my memory on Night Flier - I love the idea of a vampire who flies a plane, but I remember the movie being kind of dull. It's been years though - worth a rewatch?
Ohhh, great call on Innocent Blood. Some of these lists make me wish I had listed ten.
Alright, sold. Well played.