PeterBradford

It's with great credit to co-write/director JR Bookwalter and co-writer/star Matthew Jason Walsh that KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE isn't like any vampire film I've seen before. It's original, daring, disregards the more common vampire tropes, and succeeds in being an entertaining horror film. JR Bookwalter has done a lot of good work, and KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE is one of his earlier efforts. Allegedly shot on analog Super VHS-compact, and it looks terrific. This film delivers, and is well worth watching. Matthew Jason Walsh is a gifted actor who gives a great performance. Watching him in KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE makes one wish he'd done more acting in films.

Why didn't Universal Pictures marker this as "from the producers of Halloween.... Season of the Witch"? Perhaps it would have been well-received. It's a solid stand-alone horror film that takes risks, is creepy, and is entertaining. Tom Atkins and Stacey Nelkin give strong lead performances. Dan O'Herlihy makes a great bad guy. And why does no one ever mention the great Maidie Norman? This veteran actress plays Nurse Agnes, and it's refreshing to see her on screen. She's know for playing Elvira in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Overall, Halloween III delivers good scares, original killings, and a few surprises.