...and Tudor Gates were a young savvied up screenwriter, this is the film he would have made. I've always been of the opinion that a film with real character will never age, even if it begins to look dated and low budget. After all, if this weren't true, why have all the Hammer films been so popular on DVD?
Firstly though, I would have to be honest, and say that even from the opening moments, this film looks as if it was filmed on the budget of a gnat's shoestring. But (and again, as with the Hammer oldies) the actors ham the roles up with so much relish that you can't help but get completely drawn in to it all. They all seem to enjoy it all so much that it just can't be make believe, can it? I mean, Lilith has a point from the word go - what would a real vampire do for a living today? She would do something she was good at of course - killing people discreetly and making money from it! Would she hang about in gothy clubs debating the finer points of Stoker and Le Fanu with fake fanged vampire wannabees? Of course she would! It would be fecking hilarious for her!
And that film that Hammer would have made - Sexy buxom chick? Check. Cleavage? Check. Token lesbian tendancies? Check. Gratuitous blood and violence? The good old 'sex = death' equation? Hammy bad guys and secret societies? Yes, all present and correct squire, as well as the period costume flashbacks, the Elstree mansions and (ooer missus) huge big guns used with little effect by the bad guys.
This is a movie that deserves to live a long and celebrated life, not as a budget project that gets by on novelty value but as an updated hommage to all that was scary, exciting and fun to a generation of kids who bribed their way into staying up late on a Friday and Saturday night and are now old enough to make their own movies. It's definitely a love it or hate it affair but I honestly believe that only the most po faced of film afficianados would choose to berate this thrilling yet tongue in cheek labour of love.
Bride of Razorblade Smile, anyone?
