Vampire Week Day 7: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

For Kat, the girl who convinced me to give this film a go.

As so we end Vampire Week as we began, with Dracula!

Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 take on the classic gothic horror is certainly a very different experience than many other adaptations, claiming to be the closes adaptation of the novel made at the time and for the most part it succeeded, following the books plot pretty close from having Dracula start old and grow younger and even including characters that are omitted from most versions such as Quincey Morries. It's biggest divinations are in Dracula's back story, now it is a popular fact that Bram Stoker took the name for his vampire from Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, or known by his more common title of Vlad the Impaler and also Vlad Dracula. Since the novels publication the connection between the historical figure and the fictional character has been discussed even to the point where many believe Dracula is Vlad the Impaler, which is the rout this film takes. The back story presented here isn't from the book but instead based on a legend that Vlad's wife committed suicide when false news was delivered to her that her husband died in battle, the returning Vlad is devastated and when a priest informs him that due to suicide been a sin she will never be able to join him in heaven he lashes out, renouncing God and becoming the vampire.

The film's plot truly begins with Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) arriving in Transylvania and traveling to Dracula's castle to discuss his purchase of several properties across London, Harker is replacing his predecessor R. M. Renfield (Tom Waits) who after his last trip to the country returned to England quiet mad. Though at first Dracula is welcoming to the young man it soon turns into a nightmare for him as when Dracula see a picture of his fiancée Mina Merray who has a uncanny resemblance to his own wife Elisabeta (both played by Winona Ryder), the vampire sets off for England leaving Harker to the mercy of his three brides who rape and fed upon him in their masters absence.

Arriving in England Dracula takes on a wolf like form, he finds Lucy, Mina's best friend, rapping and biting her. The next day a now young looking Dracula meets and befriending Mina, as the two grow close her heart is conflicted between her love for Jonathan and her growing feelings towards Dracula.

Lucy has been growing weaker, believing her to be ill her former suitor Dr. Jack Seward (Richard E. Grant) dedicates his spare time to her care along with other former suitor Quincey P. Morris (Billy Campbell) and the man that won her hand in marriage Sir Arthur Holmwood (Cary Elwes). Realising something is very strange about Lucy's illness Seward summons his former teacher and friend Dr. Abraham Van Helsing who immediately recognises that she is the victim of a vampire.

Meanwhile Jonathan escapes Dracula's castle and send's word for Mina to come to Romania so that they can be married at once, she sends a letter to Dracula to inform him and goes. Enraged Dracula transforms Lucy into a vampire. Lucy appears to die and while the others morn her Van Helsing realises what has happened and knowing she will rise from her coffin enlists Seward, Morris and Holmwood to accompany him to her grave and mercy kill her. And the scene where he asks Seward give the film one of it's best humorous lines;

Van Helsing: I want you to bring me, before nightfall, a set of postmortem knives.

Jack Seward: An autopsy? On Lucy?

Van Helsing: No, no, no. Not exactly. I just want to cut off her head and take out her heart.

Returning to London Jonathan joins the others in their fight against the vampire, while attacking one of his properties Dracula goes to Mina, admitting what he has done to Lucy and all. Mina is angry, confused but admits to still loving him and that she even has memories of her life as Elisabeta, confirming that she is indeed the reincarnation of her. Though he wants to transform her into a vampire Dracula hesitates, not wanting to curse her like he has been, but she insists and he begins. The others burst in and chase off the vampire, Van Helsing hypnotizes Mina and they find out he is heading back home. So a race begins towards their final confrontation with the vampire!

This film really is an interesting experience to watch, it draws you into its world with its beautifully framed shots and use of colour, a great example early on is when Jonathan Harker is on a train heading to Dracula castle, outside the window the sky is a blood red and we see the vampires eyes appear watching over him. The whole film has a surreal dream like quality, some sets were made with walls that would close in to bring a feeling of claustrophobia, other sets are highly stylised such as Dracula castle or Dr. Jack Seward's insane asylum, giving the feeling this is its own little world that is both welcoming like a dream and strange and frightening like a nightmare. Use of colour is also great in this film and most scenes seem to have their own pallet, such as the opening where we see Vlad fighting a war, the sky is a deep orange but everything else is a black silhouette, it reminded me a lot to the introduction to the 1978 version of Lord of the Rings in a way.

Now I have to talk about the cast and address the elephant in the room, I've always liked Keanu Reeves, when he's given the right role he can shine and while I don't think he's as bad here as many have criticised before me he is certainly the weakest of the leads, especial when up against such powerhouses as Gary Oldman or Anthony Hopkins.

Speaking of Oldman's Dracula it is a great performance, an interesting take where the character doesn’t seem to see his vampiric powers as a gift or curse but his torment comes from deeper inside, his love for Elisabeta and Mina, his desire to have her and all others be damned. Oldman has a great task of portraying Dracula in several forms, the old man, the young man, the wolf and a humanoid bat like creature and he bring something new to each one.

Anthony Hopkins's Van Helising is a pure joy whenever he is one screen and for me when he first showed up is what changed this from a good film to a great one, he plays the character as the most wonderful eccentric, when he realises there is a vampire behind Lucy's illness he isn't fearful, he is ecstatic that he has worked it out and at the shear wonder of the discovery. He is my favoured character in the film.

The rest of the cast works too, ranging from good to to great such as the always awesome Richard E. Grant, an actor who has been a favourite of mine for a long time.

Though it may not be as iconic as the 1931 version this film is still a modern classic and would certainly be up there if I was to ever make a list of my top 10 Dracula films. There is so much more I would have written about such as Dracula's shadow or the final battle and so many other elements that make this film so good, if you haven't seen it already give it a go.

Vampire Week Day 6: Razor Blade Smile

This is one of my favourite vampire film from one of my favourite directors, Jake West.  Razor Blade Smile, released in 1998 this English vampire film staring contemporary scream queen and cult film icon Eileen Daly as Lilith Silver, vampire assassin, seductress and part time latex fashion model.

The film begins in ye olden times when the world was still black and white and pistoles at dawn as still an accepted way to to sole a dispute.  In the shadow of a large manor house we see two men stand back to back, loaded flintlock pistols in hand preparing for such a duel, one is Sethane Blake (Christopher Adamson) who wins the duel shooting his opponent dead.  Lilith, who was watching, bursts into a fit of rage and draws her own gun shooting Blake in the chest, though this seems to shock and annoy him more than anything.  Blake's assistant shoots Lilith before the two men take her inside the house and lay her on a bed.  Blake reveals himself to be a vampire and chooses to save her by making her one as well.

Over the scene Lilith has been narrating, her last line before the opening credits is this; “I bet you think you know all about vampires. Believe me, you know fuck all.”

After a very inventive and somewhat James Bond like opening credit sequence involving flying razor blades and Lilith silhouetted against stormy sky's wielding gun's and sword's, we are transported to modern day London where Lilith is now a contact killer. We see her suit up in a latex catsuit and arm herself with knives and guns before she sneaks into a large house and find's her target in the bath, drinking his blood she then shoots him. Unfortunately part of the contract was that she was to collect his ring, but she drops it into the water and has to flee when someone sets off the alarm. After killing the guards she makes her escape.

Meanwhile in another part of London the Illuminati are meeting, the leader is Sethane Blake who is discussing the various members Lilith has been hired to kill over the past months. At the meeting is  Detective Inspector Price (Jonathan Coote), the policeman heading the investigation onto Lilith's murders, or as the authorities have dubbed her 'The Angel of Death'.   All the Illuminati wear ring with an eye design on them, same as the one Lilith lost on her last job. Blake takes out a deck of Tarot Cards tells Price that he has used more traditional methods to determine that their assassin is a vampire, Price is sceptical but is convinced to keep an open mind.

At the scene of her last assassination Price speaks with their forensic's man who is only ever refereed to as Horror Movie Man (genera legend David Warbeck in his final role), asking him if the victim had been drained of blood, the forensic's man says yes but believes it to have gone down the drain with the water, but does note that there are wounds on the next, Price realises these could easily cover bite marks.

Lilith meets with her contact, ex assassin known simply as Platinum.  He tries to stick to business but Lilith insists it can wait, they have had sex before and he says it was unprofessional and shouldn't have happened, but as Lilith says; "I know you can't resist my hypnotic charms."  One steamy sex scene latter Lilith tells him that she lost the ring, he's concerned about how the client will take it but says he'll sort it out. He gives her her next target, Detective Inspector Price.

Meanwhile Price is able to track Lilith down after finding out her last victim’s wife saw everything, identifying Lilith's picture and confirming her as a vampire. He arrests Lilith, much to her amusement especially when he accuses her of been a vampire, even flashing her fangs when only Price is looking, naturally when he attempts to stake her in the interview room his colleges stop him and the interview, then let Lilith go.

Returning home she finds a videotape with her post, it shows that Platinum has been captures by the Illuminati. Rescue attempts go south, Blake reveals himself to Lilith and on top of all she still has Price to deal with.

I love this film, warts and all, I'm not going to argue it's perfect, nor would I defend a lot of it's weaker and in some cases bad bits, this is low budget film making that embraces it, it knows it has problems and wears them like a badge of honour, it is a roller-coaster B-movie and Jake West infuses his debut feature with enough style that you can't help but go along for the ride.

There are a few scenes earlier in the film that are particular favourites of mine, Lilith hangs out in a bar with some goths, and argues with them about what a vampire can do and what they would do with their time. Maybe it's because I have and had friends who act like they are the authority on vampires or ghosts or werewolves but they were really just cherry picking their favourite aspects from different media and then talking about it like it's fact, so seeing characters like that argue so viciously not knowing the woman they are talking to actually is a vampire makes me grin every time. Speaking of which there is a cute cut away gag in one of these scene when Lilith is arguing that a vampire turning into a bat is a stupid idea and we are treated to a shot of her turning into a very cartoony bat, it always makes me chuckle.

Eileen Daly is great as Lilith Silver, playing the character as someone who doesn’t give a damn what others think and will go through life (or is that unlife) her way.  She has a great little habit of rating her victims blood, such as "F grade ruddy shit" or "Nice and salty, B plus", it's a fun little character bit that never feels over done.  I'm not sure when it was that Vampires started wearing latex, though it seems to be a growing trend looking at this film, the Underworld series and several urban fantasy book covers I've seen, maybe it started here, who knows?

I also love Christopher Adamson (who had previously appeared in Jake Wests short film Club Death) as Sethane Blake, a character you could image waking up and saying to himself “it's good to be evil”, I love the kind of villain who clearly enjoy been bad, playing up the role like the baddie in a kids game of cops and robbers.  He also has my favourite line in the film, after revealing to one of his men that he is a vampire he offers the man the chance to become one as well, to which the man puts his gun in his mouth and pulls the trigger, Blake replies by saying, the the most nonchalant way; “Well I think he turned down a good deal.”

This film won't be for everyone but I urge you, if you check it out stick with it until the end, even if you find the plot goofy and action bad just stick with it, trust me, the ending it worth it.  But if you are like me and roler-coaster low budget movies are your bread and butter than this film will be right up your street, great fun with enough blood and boobs to keep any B-movie fan happy!

Vampire Week Day 5: VideoHound's Vampires on Video

Been an avid film fan I have several books on the subject, from biography of film series, actors and directors, and of course film guides. Though I'm young enough to have had the internet readily available to me most my life when I was younger my first port of call for film information was Halliwell's Film Guide, specifically the 2003 edition we still have on the bookshelf. Though Hallowell's seems to have ended, been replaced by the same in all but name Radio Times Film Guide I'll always have cherished memories of looking through the big green book and reading about my favoured film as well as discovering new one's I was yet to see.

It was a couple years ago I came across VideoHound's Vampires on Video, published in 1997 and written by J. Gordon Melton. an American religious scholar who's areas of research, among other things, include Vampireology, he had previously written the successful Vampire Book: An Encyclopedia of the Undead and is the president of the American chapter The Transylvanian Society of Dracula.

VideoHound's Vampires on Video is a sort of Hallowell's that's exclusively for vampire film's, boasting an impressive 600 plus films, giving you a brief synopsis, opinions, rating and a few facts including year released, director, awards, what home media formats it's available on (US only,) among others.

These bite sized reviews are easy to sink your fangs into but the book also has pages dedicated to actors and directors that help flesh out the already impressive book. There are also several pictures throughout, all black and white and the sheer number is great never going more than a couple pages without been treated to a poster or screenshot, though my copy always manages to fall open on the page with this heart-attack inducing image from 1985's Fright Night.

If you are a horror, vampire or just a movies fan this is a book worth tracking down, you can pick it up pretty cheep online. I only wish there had been more editions of the book so that we could have films covered from the rest of the 90's and the 21^st century. Though this is my only book from the VideoHound series I hope to track down a couple more, one advertised in the front of Vampires on Video sound particularly delicious; Cult Flicks and Trash Pics.

Vampire Week Day 4: Dracula 2000

It is said that this film was sold on its name alone, surprising considering the flood of films that slapped 2000 onto the title at the turn of the millennium, from Pokemon 2000 to Blues Brothers 2000, how would one more stand out. But having said that I do think this film is some bloody good fun!

Dracula 2000 (or 2001 in countries such as mine that got it a year late) is a 2000 action horror film directed by Patrick Lussier that takes the classic character of Bram Stokers novel and transports him to modern day.  Interestingly enough the novel does exist in the films universe, been a fictionalised account of what actually happened over a hundred years ago.

Dracula (Gerard Butler) isn't the only character from the book in the film but Van Helsing (Christopher Plummer) is also here, having discovered he can use Dracula’s blood to stay alive he runs an antique shop in London with the vampire locked up in a coffin deep beneath building, where he has been held for over a hundred years after they failed to discovered a way to permanently kill him. But one night a gang of high tech thieves break into the vault and take the coffin believing it to be filled with treasures, of course while on a plane Dracula awakens after some of the thieves blood spilt onto the coffin. After attacking the thieves and claiming one (played by Jennifer Esposito) as his first bride he causes the plane to crash in the Louisiana swamp, in a nice nod to the source material one thief has been lasted to the planes controls much like the captain of the Demeter was in the book. News woman Valerie Sharpe (Jeri Ryan) is on the scene of the crash, Dracula kills her cameraman and makes her his second bride.

On Dracula's trail is Van Helsing as well as his assistant Simon (Jonny Lee Miller), they go to where the body's from the crash are been stored and find they have all been turned into vampires, killing some but the others fleeing Van Helsing and Simon flee before the police show up and Van Helsing explains to Simon about capturing Dracula, using his blood to stay alive and guarding the body for a century, he also reveals he has a daughter living in New Orleans called Mary (Justine Waddell).

While all this has been going on we have also been following Mary and her life in New Orleans, who for her hole life has been haunted with nightmares of Dracula which now that he is free have become hallucinations.  Due to her father injecting himself with the blood of Dracula she has been born with a telepathic link to the vampire, making her of his blood as well. Realising Dracula is after her Van Helsing and Simon race to save her.  She also has a room mate Lucy (Vitamin C) who eventually becomes the third bride of Dracula.

This film isn't perfect, I'll start by saying that and that I'm also not blind to some of its weaker aspects, but I still really enjoy it, I feel the directing and cinematography are solid, especially one amazing visual where a close up of an eye looking into a retinal scanner turns into a vault door.  The performances are great from the whole cast, and it is a great cast.  Especially enjoyable are the scenes of Christopher Plummer's older Van Helsing going up against the eternally young Dracula providing a great contrast.  Jonny Lee Miller is an enjoyable leading man to follow, Simon is a good lead been dragged into this mad world of Vampires and stepping up to the challenges.  Justine Waddell's Mary is also great, starting off as Dracula's prey and eventually taking on her fathers legacy and fighting back.  Of course any adaptation of the character lives and dies on their Dracula and Scottish actor Gerard Butler steps up to the task brilliantly creating a sexy, threatening and yet also tortured version of the classic villain. And of course Jennifer Esposito, Jeri Ryan and Colleen Ann Fizpatrick (possibly better known by her stage name Vitamin C) are great as Dracula’s trio of seductive brides.

New Orleans was a great setting for the film, also setting it at Mardi Gras was great as it filled the city with parties and bright colours, as well as the city simply been beautiful.  I know this isn't the first vampire story to be set in new Orleans but it's a place I've always liked and find it a welcome setting in any film I've seen.

There are some great lines in the film, a couple personal favourites are Dracula saying "I never drink... coffee" which is a homage to the line from the 1931 film; "I never drink... wine."  And I also love Millers line; "Never, ever fuck with an antiques dealer!", as well as been both hilarious and badass it apparently started off as a joke the actor would say on set which the director liked so much he worked it into a scene.

Finally I have to mention the reveal in this film about Dracula's origins, without giving it away I will say I understand why some people dislike it and why it turns them off the film, but personally I think it was a fantastic and unique take on the character.

As I said at the beginning this film is some bloody good fun, an enjoyable little action horror ride with great visuals and a good cast. Though if it isn't your cup of tea you can try the 'Dracula 2000 Drinking Game', take a shot every time you see the Virgin logo, and you will see it, at lot, Mary and Lucy work in a Virgin Megastore so there are a number of scenes in and around the shop, as well as Mary sleeping in her work T-shirt.  Trust me, you'll be hammered before you even get to New Orleans!

Vampire Week Day 3: Vampyres (guest review by Derek Tate)

“They shared the pleasures of the flesh, and the horrors of the grave!”

Long evening shadows.  Scattered leaves blowing across Berkshire park land.  Gothic towers pictured at angles against a darkening sky, all set to bizarre electric guitar and synth music that only the zenith of 70’s exploitation cinema could bring.  And so begins this hammer-esque gothic shocker, also known as “Satan’s Daughters” and “Daughters of Dracula”.

A Spanish/British co-production of the mid-decade, the film follows a female vampire double act, played with cool sexiness and aplomb by Marianne Morris (Fran, the brunette) and ex-Playboy centrefold Anulka (Miriam, the blonde), who during the daytime share a regal bed in their gothic pile (Oakley Court, the famous Victorian mansion near Windsor and home to many a classic British horror film as well as ’Rocky Horror’s’ groovy pad) and by night, hunt down male victims for some blood drinking and lots of lurid softcore sex, of which these beauties have lots of enthusiasm for.  This seems to be very thirsty work, as our two lasses have an endless supply of wine.  One of their victims, Ted (played by Murray Brown) falls in love with Fran after being picked up on the road for a night of chat, rolling around on the covers, and lots and lots of the aforementioned red.  You have to feel sorry for the poor lad, as Fran sucks his blood after each night of passion, he grows weaker and weaker.  Meanwhile, in a nearby field, two caravaners, John (Brian Deacon) and Harriet (Sally Faulkener) watch the odd comings and goings from their window, and get increasingly concerned over their break in the country. Fran and Miriam run through eerily shot woods and graveyards, acquiring victim after victim every night, until the conquest of an un-named playboy (played by Michael Byrne) results in an orgy of ‘Kensington gore’.

This horror picture is a respectable notch on the bedpost of the sub-genre of lesbian vampire films, popular in European cinema of the early 70’s.  It follows on from such arthouse sleaze fests made by Jess Franco and Jean Rollin, and the rise of sex and cleavage shots in the later Hammer Horrors.  “Vampyres” easily tops the boobs and blood quota, firmly placing it as grindhouse classic.  What sets it apart from a lot of films of the type is the creepy atmospheric cinematography by Harry Waxman (“The Day the Earth Caught Fire”, “The Wicker Man”).  There is a definite sense of dreamlike dread contained in many of the scenes, what could easily be described as “halloweeny”.  The locale and ‘home counties’ setting really does lend the film a classic feel.  This is an enjoyable horror picture, especially for those that love a little eroticism thrown in for good measure.

The film was directed by Jose Larraz, who went onto make the 1982 horror “Black Candles”.  On the DVD commentary, his comment about sinister eyes is hilarious.  A fun way to watch the film: listen to Laraz’s thick Spanish accent, intercut with the upper class tones of producer Bryan Smedley-Aston.  By the way, it’s also worth watching the original US trailer for this feature, as it includes a fab voiceover that describes our lovely vamps: “Very un-natural…[short pause]...ladies.”

Vampyres Trailer by zombienationdotnet

Vampire Week Day 2: Requiem Pour Un Vampire (Requiem For A Vampire)

Out of all the films I'm looking at for Vampire Week this is by far the biggest departure, directed by French filmmaker Jean Rollin and the fourth vampire film from him. It is a serial experience as the film relies very little on dialogue, in fact for the first half of the film barely a word is spoken instead using visuals and music to tell the story.

We begin with two girls (Mireille Dargent and Marie-Pierre Castel) dressed as clowns and their male driver in a high speed chase around the french country side as the women take shots at their perusers. It's safe to say my curiosity was intrigued immediately. Their driver is shot but the girls manage to pull into a side street and escape their perusers, their driver dies from his wound and they burn his body in the car and continue on foot.

Avoiding most people they pass the girls eventually come to an abandoned house, then enter and emerge a couple minutes latter changed out of their clown costumes, having presumably hidden a change of cloths in there earlier. They also take a motorbike that was hidden nearby, riding until it runs out of petrol where they once again continue of foot walking through the french countryside until they encounter a flock of vampire bats. The bats lead them to a castle, finding a comfy bed inside the women strip and clime in (apparently never questioning that all the torches in the castle are already lit but I'm sure we can let that slide), they start to make love when noises suddenly distract them, dressing again they explore the castle more and find a chapel full of skeletons dressed up in robes and a woman with fangs playing the organ.

Attempting to flee the girls are perused by her and another female vampire as well as their male slaves, eventually been cornered in a graveyard they meet the leader of the vampires, and this is where the girls must decide weather to accept and become vampires themselves or try and escape this fate.

I don't want to give much more away but the latter half of the film contains some great moments including the films infamous whipping scene.  It's interesting to see how each girl deals with the situation, one with acceptance and the other with rejection and how it puts a strain on their friendship and love for one another.  But for me a real high light is the vampire leader who at first seems like your usual menacing vampire but as he speaks with one of the girls we have a different picture painted, he is the last of his kind having lived countless years. His desire to turn others into vampires has nothing to do with mechanical plans but instead he is lonely, knowing he only has a few years left to live he wishes not to spend them alone and is desperately trying to create other vampires so he wont be. Though it seems futile as the women he has already turned are only part transforming and he is growing more aware that they will never complete the transformation.

The film drips with atmosphere, simple scenes of the girls walking through the forrest are never boring, the music and visuals keep you invested as you are drawn into this tale.

Granted my version is the cut UK DVD, though I have seen the cut scenes online and other than seeing the film in full the story isn't affected by them at all, mostly just been longer scenes or nudity or violence. Though I would prefer to watch the film and most film's uncut, in this cast I feel that I lost little from the overall experience.

Not for everyone, but if you are in the mood for something very different I recommend you give it a go, the film is a grand departure from the usual English language affair and is truly a grand experience for horror and foreign film fans like myself.

Vampire Week Day 1: Dracula (1931)

“I am Dracula.”

Eighty-five years later and those words still have the power to send a chill down your spine, spoken with cool confidence as Bela Lugosi descends a long flight of stairs to meet Renfield for the first time, it is a great scene that really sets the tone of the film.

Though as many may already know the film is not based on Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, at least not directly, instead it is mostly an adaptation of the 1924 play adaptation, as well as taking some inspiration from F. W. Muranu's unofficial silent adaptation of the book, Nosferatu, in particular a scene not from the original book nor play where Renfield pricks his finger and Dracula almost loses control and gives into his blood lust.

But really what can I say about this film that has not already been said a hundred times over, this film is a classic, the image of Lugosi as Dracula standing tall with his jet black hair is the most recognisable image of the character, replacing the novels description of an old man with beard, moustache and pointed ears. Lugosi, a Hungarian actor has a presents about him when he plays the roll, been able to seamlessly switch from the eccentric and charming Count to the monstrous creature full of blood lust that will captivate you with his hypnotic stare before killing you.

But for me the real show stealer is Dwight Frye as Renfield, at first a young and eager solicitor meeting Dracula to discuss business, but he is soon attacked by the vampire and his brides becoming a mad slave to the count. Frye steals every scene he's in with a laugh that the Joker would be jealous of, he seems to be fearfully loyal to Dracula but on a few occasions fights his masters control, warning people, trying to get them to flee, but one sight of that bat or the sound of leather wings flapping and his fear takes over and he becomes a loyal once more.

The film is iconic, the first sound horror film it uses no music outside of the title screen but you soon get used to this as the silent moments, along with every other scene of the film bleed with atmosphere and mood the way only a black and white picture can. One shot I particularly loved was when Dracula’s ship the Vesta (Demeter in the novel and most subsequent adaptations) washes up in England, the crew are dead and we hear men discuss the find while our only image is the shadow of the ship's wheal with a crewman hanging limply off it, we are informed that his hands had been lashed to the wheel, to me this is a more effective image than if we had actually seen the body.

(Special Thanks to my friend Derek Tate for sending me this awesome picture of a 

Kentucky cinema playing Dracula)

You already know this is a classic, if you haven't already you owe it to yourself to see this film!

Vampire Week Coming - V / V / XV

Venturing to view a variety of vampire visions it is this viewers vocation to pass verdict upon both victim and villain a like, neither virtue or vanity shall be vindicated as horror visitations of Vlad the Impaler stand vanguard with vinyl clad victors voyaging into the vigil beyond view.  Voila!

Verily I vow to voice my viewpoint and pass valuation upon these valiant ventures.

Vampire Weeks starts with...