Coventry
Joined Nov 2002
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Coventry's rating
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One of the coolest disaster movies I ever watched is the Japanese "Bullet Train" from 1975, but hardly anyone knows about its existence because there was this unofficial US-remake during the mid-90s named "Speed". Luckily, though, they still remember the original in its home country of Japan, and - 50 years later - Netflix even produced a remake/sequel to it!
The subject of a high-speed train that can't go below 100mph and therefore obliged to race through train stations and densely populated areas still guarantees action and excitement, but sadly this is where good news stops. The script of this updated version is weak (the last half hour is even downright disappointing), there is not a single memorable character, the body count is pitifully low, and the special effects (such as explosions and derailments) are not convincing. Unlike in the original, there are only stereotypes on board this train, such as a politician embroiled in a scandal, heroic cabin crew members, hysterical schoolgirls, and an annoying influencer/vlogger. The film is also far too long, especially because - all together - there are only 2 or 3 genuinely exciting rescues missions.
The subject of a high-speed train that can't go below 100mph and therefore obliged to race through train stations and densely populated areas still guarantees action and excitement, but sadly this is where good news stops. The script of this updated version is weak (the last half hour is even downright disappointing), there is not a single memorable character, the body count is pitifully low, and the special effects (such as explosions and derailments) are not convincing. Unlike in the original, there are only stereotypes on board this train, such as a politician embroiled in a scandal, heroic cabin crew members, hysterical schoolgirls, and an annoying influencer/vlogger. The film is also far too long, especially because - all together - there are only 2 or 3 genuinely exciting rescues missions.
"The Lost Boys", "Fright Night", and "Near Dark" ... Those are to me the most fun vampire horror movies of the 80s. A friend of mine advised me to urgently add "Vamp" to this list and - as often the case - he was more than right! From now on, "Vamp" is part of the Big Four (*) or fun vampire flicks of the 80s!
This is exactly what a horror comedy looks like when made by a team with little experience and even less budget, but with a surplus of enthusiasm and ingenuity! Two students seek a stripper to impress their fraternity but soon end up in the gritty After Dark nightclub in Chicago, where the fully drained bodies of lone customers often end up in the dumpster. Grace Jones' role as the silent but menacing bloodsucker-queen Katrina is small but iconic. Before he properly realizes it, Keith has to run in order to survive the night, as his buddy AJ has disappeared without a trace.
It sometimes seems as if "Vamp" was filmed without a script, because everything seems to happen so randomly and spontaneously. But the pacing is fast and there's also tension, as Keith gets stuck in a murderous elevator, must move through the sewers, and is forced to fight albino street punks with poor dental hygiene. There is also a female child vampire who doesn't do much, but she sure is very creepy! Good soundtrack, some very nice gory moments, and an undeniable influence on "From Dusk Till Dawn". What more could you want?
(*) honorable mentions are given to "The Hunger", "Once Bitten", and (sort of) "Lifeforce".
This is exactly what a horror comedy looks like when made by a team with little experience and even less budget, but with a surplus of enthusiasm and ingenuity! Two students seek a stripper to impress their fraternity but soon end up in the gritty After Dark nightclub in Chicago, where the fully drained bodies of lone customers often end up in the dumpster. Grace Jones' role as the silent but menacing bloodsucker-queen Katrina is small but iconic. Before he properly realizes it, Keith has to run in order to survive the night, as his buddy AJ has disappeared without a trace.
It sometimes seems as if "Vamp" was filmed without a script, because everything seems to happen so randomly and spontaneously. But the pacing is fast and there's also tension, as Keith gets stuck in a murderous elevator, must move through the sewers, and is forced to fight albino street punks with poor dental hygiene. There is also a female child vampire who doesn't do much, but she sure is very creepy! Good soundtrack, some very nice gory moments, and an undeniable influence on "From Dusk Till Dawn". What more could you want?
(*) honorable mentions are given to "The Hunger", "Once Bitten", and (sort of) "Lifeforce".
In 1979 there was a vampire comedy/parody, which was called "Love at First Bite", about Count Dracula who left his castle in Transylvania and went to swinging New York. Despite the fact that this movie is quite popular and gets good reviews, I personally didn't like it. Not funny at all and not at all a good use of the location and contemporary atmosphere of NYC. Via the extras on the BluRay DVD of "Vamp" (1986) I now discovered that - in the same year 1979 - another comedy/parody was made with the exact same plot. I think this film, by "Vamp" director Richard Wenk, is a lot better and not just because it's only a short film and is therefore finished after 25 minutes. No, "Dracula bites the Big Apple" contains a few hilarious moments and New York itself also feels much more authentic. My favorite part is still the melancholic intro, in which Dracula has to leave his beloved castle because he has literally sucked all of Transylvania dry. There are also jokes that don't work, but the highlights are Renfield running all across NY behind a taxi because Dracula's coffin is still inside, Dracula chasing a victim and just when he's about to strike she's getting a surprise party for her birthday and - of course - the best singalong version ever of the song "Dancing in the Moonlight"
