Garlic, stakes, mirrors and everything else
Sep 25 '01
The Bottom Line Vampire films with a twist
Vampires. What can we say about them. Somehow picturing a creature of the night sucking your lifeblood out of you have fired the imaginations of all throughout the ages.
I have grown up with vampire movies from the old Hammer Films starring Christoper Lee/Peter Cushing Dracula series of movies. From then on, any vampires movies with a twist of the old Bram Stoker's classic was always welcomed to watch. Even if it was bad. Here's a list, not in any particular order, of some of the vampire mythos with a twist.
Blade: Based on a character from the Marvel comic book back in the 70s called Tomb of Dracula, Blade was one of the vampire hunters who was after Dracula. The movie version is updated but has some of the same characters as the comic book. Deacon Frost for instance. What makes this movie different from the average vampire movie is that Blade is half vampire himself. (Twist: Based on a comic book)
Lifeforce: This is a space vampire or about a vampire lifeforce movie. An alien spacecraft is discovered in space and a space vampire is brought back to earth. It wants to mate. It's a classic B movie with explosions and hordes of vampires/zombies at the end. (Twist: Vampires from outer space)
Salem's Lot: Sort of like a Dracula plot where the vampire moves into a town, in this case Salem's Lot instead of London, and starts feeding and creating more vampires. It has some kids becoming vampires. (See my review if you want for more info) (Twist: Kids as vampires)
Lost Boys: Teenage vampires having a good time is how I would define this movie. Most of the time you have adult vampires, but this has teenagers as the main bloodsuckers. It's hokey at times but that is what it is all about. Lost boys just wanna have fun. (Twist: Teenage vampire angst)
Bram Stoker's Dracula: It's almost a reinvention of Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's really more of a love story. Dracula rejects his faith because while he is fighting for God, his wife is killed. It's a tragedy. (Twist: Classic but different than book)
Ultraviolet: More of a miniseries than a movie. Vampire conspiracy is the theme of this show. (You can read my review for more info). I like it because it is soooo different than the other vampire movies. A very different take of this genre. (Twist: Vampire conspiracy)
Dracula 2000: Talking about a different take, this examines the origins of Dracula. Not the Dracula you grew up with and know so well. I thought the twist was very good. Although it didn't do so well at the box office, you should rent it. I just love it when a movie plays with your mind. I won't spoil the surprise. (Twist: Altogether different origin of Dracula)
Kindred the Embraced: Not a movie, but a short lived television series. Think along the lines of vampire mobsters or clans. (Have a review on this too). They are trying to keep low and out of sight so that they won't be eradicated (masquerade is their term). They are kindred and not vampires and if you are turned into one, you are embraced. (Twist: Vampire gangs)
Fright Night: A boy believes his next door neighbor is a vampire after witnessing some strange going ons. The police don't believe him so he enlists the aid of an aging TV actor who portrays a vampire hunter in his old haydays of vampire movies. The vampire here is suave and threatening in his own way. This is a fun fare. (Twist: TV actor portraying a vampire hunter because a real vampire hunter)
John Carpenter's Vampires: After repeated watching, I have enjoyed this movie more. I guess after watching the trailer I was expecting more. But it's interesting that the Catholic Church is hunting down vampires. Reminds me about an excellent series of books by Christoper Golden. The first is called Of Saints and Angels. Another different take of the vampire legends and would make a good movie. Lot of actions too. But I digress. This vampire wants to be able to go out into the sunlight; therefore making him invincible. (Twist: Catholic Church is the vampire hunter)
Honorable mentions: From Dusk Till Dawn (twist: Mayans created the vampires because of human sacrifices?), Interview with a Vampire (twist: life and times of a vampire)
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