Nightlife

The scenario seems ripe for both comedy and horror as two star-crossed vampires find themselves in the modern world, and one of them becomes enamored of a young doctor who has a different perspective on the condition. Filmmaker Daniel Taplitz and screenwriter Anne Beatts whipped up some very clever scene writing and dialogue, with swell ideas mixing up the vampires' outmoded conceptions of the world and the modern person's misunderstanding of what seems to have some other explanation. Hot on the heels of her starring turn in 'The living daylights' Maryam d'Abo is wonderfully charming as Angelique, with just the right measures of finessed poise and personality to make her mark; Ben Cross is notably more forceful as villainous Vlad, and he's clearly reveling in the imperious, dramatic overtones of the part. In supporting parts of varying size Camille Saviola and Keith Szarabajka are delights as they complement d'Abo and serve somewhat as foils in any given scene, and meanwhile this is fairly well made overall, with commendable contributions from all those operating behind the scenes. By all reason 'Nightlife' seems primed to be a good time. And it is! But it's it's also definitely not without some issues that drag down the viewing experience.

The pacing is weirdly soft, often to the point that it feels like the playback speed was reduced by ten percent or so. That pacing sometimes impacts the comedic timing in turn, or falsely heightens Cross' monologuing as Vlad into chewing of scenery; alternatively, some moments are boisterous or silly to an extent that feels out of character with what is otherwise a weirdly soft tone. Case in point, for as clever as the mix of horror and comedy is here, the movie took about forty-five minutes (nearly half the runtime) to earn its first laugh. In a similar manner, where the picture embraces abject horror vibes (the first time especially), something feels indescribably off; it's not just that Taplitz has difficulty bringing the horror to bear, but also that the fundamental arrangement of elements - camera, makeup, lighting, music, acting - is swirled together incongruously. Fine as Szarabajka is generally his acting is also the least consistent; I adore d'Abo, but she struggles somewhat to make the monstrous side of Angelique more than just a caricature. And there are some scenes, particularly in the back end, where tonal issues culminate in a slurry of the two composite genres that can't seem to figure out at all what it wanted to be in the moment.

The practical effects and special makeup are outstanding, and the sets; I appreciate Dana Kaproff's original music that complements the gently shifting mood. There are select times when Taplitz's direction, Peter Fernberger's cinematography, and every other element comes together for a shot of brilliance, and I'm stunned at how great it all looks for a brief moment. I'll note that it's a minor joy to see Glenn Shadix here (Otto in 'Beetlejuice'), and I wish he had a bigger part. By and large I think this is enjoyable, with a lot of points in its favor including the root ideas for the plot and scenes, and the cast. It's so regrettable that 'Nightlife' very distinctly has trouble discovering its ideal form, and for as earnestly as everyone tries, nothing comes out quite right. The comedy is rarely more than lightly amusing; the horror never strikes with the potency we'd hope, and the balance between the two facets comes across as kind of cockeyed, like a framed photo that never hangs on the wall the way it's supposed to. It's worth checking out on its own merits, and it's definitely suggested most highly for those who are fans of d'Abo, Cross, or someone else involved. It's difficult to give a more robust recommendation, though, for as sadly middling as the end result is. It's evident all on hand had fun making it, and I'm glad for those who get more out of 'Nightlife' than I do; I wish I could feel the same way.

Nightlife has some of the most literate dialogue I've encountered in a movie in a long time. From beginning to end, the scenes are clever and funny. The writers have a very droll sense of humour and do a great job of spoofing the vampire genre. The casting was excellent, and Maryam d'Abo and Ben Cross with their British accents in a movie set in Mexico only adds to the funny quality of the film; Camille Saviola as Rosa the maid is hilarious.

As any movie buff knows, very few monsters have been featured in as many films over the years as vampires have. As someone who has loved tales of the undead since childhood, I've seen quite a few flicks in my time that deal with the subject, from Bela Lugosi's "Dracula" to 1987's "Lost Boys". So imagine my surprise when I came across one that I had never heard of. It's a little horror, comedy called "Nightlife" and it's one that very few others have probably heard of as well. That's a shame because unlike many low budget horror pictures, this one is widely entertaining!

The film starts in beautiful Mexico City, where a group of grave diggers are digging up old remains for one reason or another and they come across the perfectly preserved body of a beautiful woman. Their awe of her turns to horror, however, when she opens her eyes and as a result, they run away in typically fashion. Her name is Angelique (played by the charming and former Bond girl Maryam d'Abo) and of course she is a vampire. But as it turns out she is one with a conscious, since she allowed herself to be buried in order to avoid her evil boyfriend, vampire lord Vlad (the always enjoyable Ben Cross). Needless to say, a lot has changed since she went into the ground and it doesn't take long before hilarious situations ensue, such as the scene where she thinks a blood bank is a place to pick up blood rather than giving it! Luckily she ends up meeting a young, American doctor named David (Keith Szarabajka, in an especially effective performance) who quickly takes a liking to her. But Angelique has a lot more to worry about than trying to explain her condition to her human lover. Vlad turns up in town and he's dead set on reuniting with his lost love and turning her into a killer. Can Angelique and David defeat Vlad or are they doomed to fail?

Looking at the film, you can tell it was probably made on a low budget, although I must say the overall production looks good. With that said, what makes the film stand out is the quality of acting. Maryam d'Abo is nothing short of lovely as the innocent Angelique and you just can't help but fall in love with her. Her co-star, Keith Szarabajka, is equally likable in his role of David and together, he and Maryam have wonderful chemistry together throughout the film. And of course, what good would a vampire movie be if it didn't have a villain. Ben Cross shines in the role of Vlad, as he manages to be both menacing and yet comedic when the occasion calls for it (Not long after this, Ben Cross would go on to play the immortal Barnabas Collins in the splendid but sadly short lived 1990 revival of "Dark Shadows". Curiously, as any "Shadows" fan may know, that series also featured a character named Angelique). All the actors here demonstrate great comedic timing, whether it's Angelique's extreme fear of bugs, David's zany behavior whenever he makes a scientific breakthrough, or Vlad's punch line at the end: "Angelique, you broke my heart". There were a number of instances where I simply couldn't help but burst out laughing because the comedic timing was just so spot on. But the film also has a well crafted story that you can just tell someone put a lot into to it. Also it's worthy to note that Mexico City is filmed beautifully, particularly in regards to the ancient Cathedrals that dominate the city. Yet despite all this though, as I mentioned earlier, the film is virtually unknown ( I only learned about the existence of the movie when looking at Ben Cross's bio). As to why that is, I haven't the slightest idea. There's absolutely no info about this film on IMDb or anywhere else (the film doesn't even have a Wikipedia page). I can't even tell for sure if the film was made for TV or a studio. Whatever the case is, it slipped through the cracks for God knows why. The good news is that movie is available on you tube and it's probably the only place you can view it. So until this film is released on DVD, which I desperately hope it will be one day, I recommend "Nightlife" to those who enjoy a smart, funny, and entertaining film of any type.

This is actually a VERY fun, goofball vampire romantic comedy. You'd almost never guess the witty banter to be found in it, but if you ever get a chance to watch this movie TAKE THAT CHANCE. It makes no pretense about what it is, there is no over-acting, no scenery chewing. Just a fun spin on a vampire-in-love movie.

I saw this film a long time ago on TV, but definitely enjoyed it. The film has an engaging mix of dark humour and sexual tension running throughout. The script, though nothing spectacular, is well written and keeps the viewer entertained. This film deserves at least 7/10 and I rate it 8/10. The average rating (after 70+ reviews) of under 6/10 is, I think, unfair and I suspect many reviewers either did not 'get' the humour, or were not paying attention to the nuances of the script. I definitely recommend this film for bedtime entertainment. If you enjoyed this film, I would also recommend the film 'Split Second' starring Rutger Hauer.