BONNIE & CLYDE VS. DRACULA -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 3/13/11

 

It's fun to see filmmakers take a low budget, apply hefty amounts of talent and imagination, and totally ace it.  It's also fun to see a movie called BONNIE & CLYDE VS. DRACULA (2009) in which the infamous outlaws actually do go up against the King of the Undead.  And it certainly doesn't hurt if Tiffany Shepis gives a stunning performance as Bonnie and happens to get nekkid along the way, too.

The film opens with Bonnie Parker (Shepis) and Clyde Barrow (Trent Haaga, who wrote the incredible DEADGIRL) driving the backroads of the deep South, looking for a place to hide out.  Meeting up with old crony Henry (F. Martin Glynn) at a roadside whorehouse run by crotchety old Jake (T. Max Graham), they embark on a scheme to make fast money by swindling some moonshiners.  Bullets fly and a doctor's aid is needed, so Bonnie is sent to the spooky mansion of Dr. Loveless (Allen Lowman), who, as it turns out, is harboring none other than Count Dracula himself. 

Writer-director Timothy Friend doesn't use this outrageous subject matter as an excuse to make a stupid movie.  Indeed, much of BONNIE & CLYDE VS. DRACULA could be a pretty nifty low-rent gangster flick on its own if not for the horrific cutaways to Loveless' mansion along the way.  When the outlaw pair finally do meet the ghouls, we get to see them react in realistic style (shock and outrage, followed by lots and lots of bullets) with the humor coming mostly from the incongruity of the situation.  Russell Friend's impressive-looking Dracula also strikes a good balance between dry wit and genuine supernatural menace, as do his hordes of fanged, blood-craving minions.



Thanks to Friend's deft direction and some superior cinematography, the film looks great.  Artistic lighting and rich colors combine with good costuming and sets to give everything an authentic period feel.  Some shots, in fact, have a pictorial splendor that is suitable for framing.  The synthesizer score by Joseph Allen enhances the off-kilter aura of the story nicely.

Trent Haaga makes a fine Clyde, alternately goodnatured and ruthless, but Shepis steals the show as a sassy, sexy, and bloodthirsty Bonnie.  Her performance is stellar and she milks every line of tough-gal dialogue for all it's worth--I don't think Warren Beatty could've handled her.  She's a joy to look at too, as when she gets the last word in an argument with Clyde simply by standing up in the bathtub.  (I found myself speechless as well.)  In addition to pulling off a more than passable Southern accent, Shepis also handles a Tommy gun or pump shotgun with gleeful abandon and don't take no guff from nobody, alive or undead.



Another standout in the cast is co-producer Jennifer Friend (writer-producer of CADAVERELLA) as Dr. Loveless' simpleminded sister, Annabel.  With an electric restraint collar locked around her neck, the childlike Annabel is forced to help Dr. Loveless in his dastardly scientific endeavors although she'd rather dance and sing and play her harmonica, and put on "The Annabel Show" in her bedroom.  Well, I just fell in love with her and think she's adorable.  I could watch "The Annabel Show" anytime.  Her final scenes during the gangsters vs. vampires melee raise the film to a totally unexpected level that had me glowing with admiration for both the actress and the filmmakers.

The DVD from Indican Pictures is in 2.35:1 widescreen with Dolby Digital 2.0 sound.  No subtitles.  The screener I reviewed didn't have extras, but the DVD should include two trailers, a behind-the-scenes featurette, "Loveless Viral Video", and a cast-and-crew commentary track.

Hardly the intentionally-bad, "it sucks, so it's fun" type of yuckfest the title suggests, BONNIE & CLYDE VS. DRACULA distills solid acting, a sharp screenplay, hardboiled action, Gothic horror, and a delightfully wicked sense of humor into something that adventurous genre fans should lap up like moonshine out of a Mason jar. 

BONNIE & CLYDE VS. DRACULA -- DVD Review by Porfle

KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 4/18/10

 

If you're a fan of movies that look like they were shot with a camcorder (mainly because they were), yet are somehow--perhaps inexplicably--fun to watch, then J.R. Bookwalter and Tempe Entertainment have come up with another fun way for you to waste a few hours of your life that you probably wouldn't have done anything productive with anyway.

The most interesting thing about the KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE disc is that it's a double-feature containing the original 1991 flick directed by Bookwalter and shot in Ohio for about $2,500, plus its 2007 remake by Canadian director Brett Kelly (THE BONESETTER, MY DEAD GIRLFRIEND). With sixteen years of cinematic progress separating the two, you'd think that Kelly's version would be a significant improvement. And technically speaking, you'd be correct--it isn't nearly as hokey and slapdash as the original. But somehow, it isn't quite as much fun, either.

As the 1991 version begins, we meet Jeffrey (Matthew Jason Walsh, who co-scripted with Bookwalter), a nebbishy, inept night-shift clerk in a convenience store. When he drags himself home after work--to the only house in the neighborhood that is permanently draped in a shroud of ground fog--he's forced to clean up the blood-splattered Girl Scout currently decorating the kitchen after trying to sell cookies to Jeffrey's mom, who happens to be a vampire.

Imagine character actress Kathleen Freeman or "Everybody Loves Raymond"'s Doris Roberts as a frumpy, yet bloodthirsty vampire in curlers, a housecoat, and fuzzy slippers. That's Jeffrey's mom. Cherie Patry is hilarious in the role, always furiously nagging Jeffrey to stop trying to be normal and be more of a vampire like his late father and herself.


She wistfully regails him with stories about how vampires used to rule the world, with humans as their cattle, until they began to be hunted down and wiped out over the centuries. Then she frumps back to her comfy chair in the livingroom to watch TV and munch on Girl Scout cookies and stray kitty cats. And when she's not doing that, she's beating the bloody bejeepers out of Jeffrey with a big wooden crucifix while screaming at him like a bull moose in heat.

Well, Halloween's a-comin', and Mom's planning to snag herself a tasty trick-r-treater or two to snack on, while Jeffrey dreads having to help with the slaughter. Mom gets all done up as a wicked witch, and really looks natural in the part. She invites a mother and her little boy, who's dressed up like Robot Ninja ("He's cool! He kills people!" the kid gushes) into her house and the horrific fun begins, with Jeffrey as a reluctant accomplice. But before long, the resulting missing-persons investigation will lead the local law dog, Sheriff Blake (Tom Stephan) right to Jeffrey's doorstep.

Meanwhile, a pretty young girl named Nina (the cute Shannon Doyle) starts hanging around the convenience store and becoming romantically interested in Jeffrey for some damn reason that I couldn't quite fathom. She does explain at one point that he reminds her of a pet mouse she once had. So I guess I was just wasting my time back in high school, trying to get girls to like me by acting "cool" instead of behaving more like a pet mouse.


Anyway, Jeffrey's attraction to Nina rouses his mother's ire to rabid-dog proportions and the whole thing inevitably ends in a bloody showdown between Jeffrey, Mom, the sheriff, and some torch-wielding townsfolk, with poor Nina caught in the middle of it all.

This early J.R. Bookwalter effort is, to put it mildly, "unpolished." But it's also a lot of fun, especially the scenes with Jeffrey and his crazed vampire mom. The acting is a mixed bag, with some of the cast giving pretty solid performances (I love watching Matthew Jason Walsh and Cherie Patry screaming at each other at the top of their lungs and emoting their asses off) while others range from fair (Tom Stephan as the sheriff reminds me of a poor man's Kevin Spacey and does a pretty good job when he isn't staring directly into the camera) to totally inept.

But that doesn't matter. The script is tongue-in-cheek fun (despite Bookwalter's efforts to make it serious, Walsh insisted it be more in a NIGHT OF THE CREEPS vein), the story toodles along at a nice pace, and, except for a too-abrupt ending, KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE '91 is a fairly entertaining flick overall.



So now, on to Brett Kelly's 2007 remake. This time, the story is taken a lot more seriously (as executive producer Bookwalter originally intended) and the movie is not only better photographed, but contains some nice stylistic touches, a good score that reminds me a little of the music from PHANTASM, and a more consistently talented cast.


Kelly himself plays Jeffrey, who works in a video store this time, while Karen Landstad gives us a totally different take on "Mom." This time, she's sexy--sort of like an older Morticia Addams--and retains an air of the decadent vampiric royalty that existed long ago. Nina (Anastasia Kimmett), no longer an innocent high school girl, is now a streetwise drug addict who falls for Jeffrey because he's so unlike the abusive punks she usually hangs around with.

Brett Kelly gives his remake a good deal of atmosphere and draws some pretty deft performances from his cast while doing an okay job himself as Jeffrey. The story is tweaked quite a bit by scripter Janet S. Waltham, with some scenes switched around and altered (mostly for the better), and, as mentioned before, some characters are changed extensively.

Chip Hair (who might want to consider changing his stage name) is solid as Sheriff Blake, and a long exposition scene in which he tells his secretary why he believes there just might be vampires roaming their streets is placed much earlier in the story for better effect. The ending is a tad better, too. And this time, for those of you keeping score at home, Jeffrey actually gets past first base with Nina.


Of the two Jeffreys, Matthew Jason Walsh's portrayal is my favorite. A gawky, painfully shy scarecrow hiding behind long locks of stringy black hair, cowering like a whipped dog one moment and exploding with suppressed rage the next, Walsh's goofball energy and intensity compensate for his lack of acting refinement.

In comparison, Brett Kelly's portrayal is competent but rather bland, and far outshined by his skill as a director. And while Karen Landstad is exquisitely decadent and sexy as "Mom", Cherie Patry's dowdy, bug-eyed harridan is a pure delight and easily the highlight of this disc.

The DVD contains both films, a bunch of trailers for these and other Bookwalter and Kelly flicks, and a couple of talky, informative commentary tracks by the directors. For those of us who enjoy independent filmmaking on the low, low end of the budgetary scale, by people who obviously love to make movies, KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE is a whole evening's worth of breezy fun and an interesting double-take on the vampire mythos.

KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE -- DVD Review by Porfle

LET ME IN -- DVD review by porfle

Originally posted on 1/31/11

 

If you're a fan of the celebrated Swedish vampire flick LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, chances are you greeted the news of this remake with extreme pessimism.  My own feeling was that it would be a pale imitation rushed into production for the simple purpose of selling a copycat product to American audiences who don't like to read subtitles.  Finding out how wrong I was about this is one of the things that makes the mesmerizing LET ME IN (2010) such a pleasure to watch.

The snow-covered desolation of the New Mexico locations provides a suitable replacement for icy Sweden.  From the dramatic opening shot of a distant ambulance and two police cars screaming down a mountain road at night, we get our first hint of how interesting this film is going to look.  Matt Reeves' imaginative direction and visuals are consistently compelling, with a lushly dark color palette that's a refreshing change from the faded bluish tint of so many recent films.

After the opening flash-forward, we meet Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), an odd, introspective little boy who lives in fear of the bullies who torment him at school.  His parents' divorce has all but made them ghosts in his life, and he yearns for a friend.  Enter Abby (Chloë Grace Moretz), a little girl who just moved into the apartment next door with her sullen father (Richard Jenkins).  Distant at first, she warms up to the smitten Owen and he finds her a sympathetic friend.  What he doesn't know is that she's also a vampire.


 

While her "father" goes about the ghastly task of procuring sustenance for her, Abby's bond with Owen grows stronger.  But when he eventually discovers her secret, their relationship becomes a strange, life-altering experience for the troubled boy.  Meanwhile, his harrassment at school reaches a potentially deadly level as a police detective (Elias Koteas) investigating a rash of violent murders in the area gradually closes in on Abby.

Director Matt Reeves (CLOVERFIELD) describes LET ME IN as a labor of love, and it shows.  His adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist's screenplay (Lindqvist wrote the original novel as well) sticks pretty close to it most of the time but with a number of interesting and well-considered revisions.  Everything from the first movie is reimagined in such interesting ways that I found myself looking forward to seeing how each familiar occurrence would be reinterpreted.

The scenes with Owen's dad are dropped, although a phone conversation in which the desperate boy vainly reaches out to him serves the same purpose.  While the other tenants in his apartment complex are much less developed, the tunnel attack and that horrible hospital scene with the unfortunate Virginia are no less effective.
 

 

The police detective becomes a major player in this version, especially during a crucial moment in Abby's apartment.  The circumstances surrounding the Richard Jenkins character's nightly activities on Abby's behalf have been considerably fleshed-out and come to a dramatic conclusion.  Throughout the film, things that I thought couldn't be redone as well--particularly the climactic swimming pool scene--are artfully handled.

One thing that did disappoint me about the remake is how bad some of the CGI is.  When Abby attacks a jogger in a tunnel beneath a bridge, the movements are jerky and unconvincing.  Later glimpses of a CGI-Abby figure in action are similarly jarring.  Fortunately, though, a reprise of the original film's infamous "cat scene" isn't even attempted.

The juvenile leads are amazingly good.  Both Kodi Smit-McPhee as Owen and Chloë Grace Moretz as Abby have haunting, expressive faces that convey deep feeling.  This isn't just child acting by imitation or rote--they give mature, fully-realized performances.  (Moretz is pretty creepy in her vamp-out makeup, too.)  Also noteworthy is Dylan Minnette as Kenny, the embodiment of the vile schoolyard bully.


 

As Abby's mysterious "father", Richard Jenkins displays his knack for portraying a deeply tragic figure with quiet subtlety.  Elias Koteas is equally good as the police detective, in whom we sense an innate humanity that makes it hard not to root for him.

The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.  Subtitles are in English and Spanish.  Extras include a director commentary, "From the Inside: A Look at the Making of 'Let Me In'", "The Art of Special Effects", "Car Crash Sequence: Step-By-Step", some interesting deleted scenes (including how Abby became a vampire), green and red-band trailers, and a poster/stills gallery.  Also enclosed is a mini-comic book, "Let Me In: Crossroads", which is #1 in a four-part prelude to the film from Dark Horse Comics.

There's a fascination to watching a remake that's so good that it doesn't constantly draw unfavorable comparisons to the first film.  Dark and richly atmospheric, LET ME IN never feels like an imitation, nor does it self-consciously try to be different.  It's a remake that feels like an original.

LET ME IN -- DVD review by porfle

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN -- DVD review by porfle

 

 

Originally posted on 3/7/09

 

One of the topic titles on the IMDb forum for this movie dismisses it as "FRIGHT NIGHT + MY GIRL." Which, superficially, is a fairly accurate way to describe the Swedish film LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, aka Låt den rätte komma in (2008). It isn't strictly a horror film, although it's filled with horrific elements, nor does it try to be particularly scary even though certain moments are rather chilling. What makes it so affecting is the way it explores a visual and emotional territory that your typical horror flick rarely bothers with.

Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a troubled 12-year-old boy who is terrorized daily by bullies at school and spends most nights in an empty apartment while his mother works. Preoccupied with sensational newspaper stories of murder and mayhem, he fantasizes about slashing his schoolyard tormentors with the knife he carries about. One night, an older man and a little girl move into the apartment next door. As Oskar and Eli (Lina Leandersson) gradually get to know each other during their nightly encounters in the snow-covered courtyard of the building, he's glad to find that she is also lonely and troubled, and their friendship grows. But there's something very mysterious and strange about her.

People in the area start to turn up violently murdered, and we find that Eli's guardian, Håkan (Per Ragnar), is killing them and collecting their blood in large containers. When he's captured by the police, Eli is forced to go on the prowl herself, and as we see her attacking and killing people with little effort, it becomes clear that she is, in fact, a vampire. As Oskar realizes this, his initial reticence is overcome by his feelings for her, and in turn she begins to help him gain the confidence he needs to fight back against his cruel schoolmates. But as their hostility toward him reaches lethal proportions, Eli's secret is discovered and she must flee just when Oskar needs her help the most.

When I started watching what the Washington Examiner calls the "Best. Vampire Movie. Ever" (I wouldn't go quite that far), I had no idea that it was going to be a sensitive, contemplative love story filled with moments of haunting beauty. Oskar is so alone--his parents are divorced so he rarely sees his father, and none of the adults in his life can help him anyway--that we can feel the enormously uplifting effect Eli has on him. And being that Eli is even more alone in the world, the fact that she has a friend her own physical age (we never know how old she really is), who comes to accept her for what she is, gives some meaning to her useless life.

At times we see them merely lying together, holding hands--this simple contact makes each feel more substantial and alive. In a deleted scene, Oskar playfully hisses at her and she hisses back at him, gently mocking the image of the traditional screen vampire. Even the fact that Eli isn't quite what she appears to be ("I'm not a girl," she cryptically tells him at one point) ultimately doesn't matter to Oskar.

In a way, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is almost like a blood-drenched version of those somber made-for-TV children's films I used to watch when I was growing up, about two lonely misfits who find each other. In those films, the story was about two kids, or a kid and a dog, or a kid and a cat, or a kid and an understanding old person. Here, it's about a human kid and a vampire, but the slow, thoughtful story development and heartfelt empathy for the lead characters are the same. And within this framework, the matter-of-fact way that the shocking horrors are presented makes them all the more unsettling.

Eli's guardian, Håkan (is he her father, or an older version of Oskar?), prepares for his night's work as though he's going to any other routine job, calmly abducting people off the street and hanging them upside-down to drain their blood. His eventual fate is suitably grim, leaving Eli to fend for herself in a series of violent nocturnal attacks. Virginia (Ika Nord), a woman in Oskar's building who survives an encounter with Eli, enters the apartment of a cat-loving friend and is viciously mauled by his enraged felines, then later deals with the problem of her impending vampirism in a spectacular manner.

Tomas Alfredson, who has directed this film with impressive skill and restraint, saves the best for last in the climactic sequence. In a placid and almost silent underwater environment, we suddenly witness several violent killings without actually seeing them, in a shot that's so cleverly conceived that it comes as a delightful surprise. I had to watch it two or three times before I could get over what a visually imaginative piece of storytelling it is. (The behind-the-scenes featurette shows the filming of this shot in detail.) There are other interesting touches throughout the film, such as a glimpse of Eli climbing up the side of a building in the far background, or the pivotal scene in which Oskar, torn between feelings of love and loathing, demands to know what will happen to Eli if she enters his apartment without being invited. I also like the way Alfredson often slowly moves his camera around until something unexpected enters the frame.

The adult actors are all good but it's the juvenile leads who carry the film. As Oskar and Eli, Kåre Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson couldn't be better as each gives a performance that is complex and moving. The film itself has the cold, icy look of a Swedish winter but is warmed by their affection and concern for one another. Every aspect of the production is similarly well-done. I've never read John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel, but his screenplay adaptation is fine. As for the ending, I'm still wondering whether or not it's a happy one (Alfredson contends that it is). It's definitely thought-provoking.

The DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment is 2.35:1 widescreen with Dolby Digital sound, both of which are good, and the soundtrack comes in the original Swedish or an English dub with subtitles. Bonus features include four deleted scenes, a "making of" featurette, a photo gallery, and a theatrical poster gallery. There are also trailers for this and other features in the Six Shooter Film Series.

Viewers looking for a fast-moving succession of shocks and visceral thrills will likely be disappointed in LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. But most people who can appreciate extremely compelling filmmaking--even those who may have trouble getting past the fact that it's a "vampire" movie--will be glad that they let this one in. The most famous screen vampire, Bela Lugosi's DRACULA, unknowingly gave this worthy successor a fitting recommendation way back in 1931: "Listen to them...children of the night. What music they make."


Read our review of the remake LET ME IN

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN -- DVD review by porfle

Porfle's Trivia Quiz: "DRACULA" (1931) (video)

Universal's first great horror film of the sound era was 1931's "Dracula."

It made the character an icon...

...and Bela Lugosi shot to stardom in the role.

How much do you remember about it?


Question: The story begins on the evening of what night?

A. All Hallow's Eve
B. Walpurgis Night
C. Night of the Dead
D. Nacht Infernum
E. Blood Moon

Question: Dracula tells Renfield, "The blood is the..." What?

A. Answer
B. Secret
C. Sustenance
D. Life
E. Purpose

Question: Who is Dracula's first victim in London?

A. Carriage driver
B. Flower girl
C. Theater hostess
D. Lucy Westenra
E. Bar maid

Question: Van Helsing frightens Renfield with...what?

A. Latin phrase
B. Crucifix
C. Wooden stake
D. Wolfsbane
E. Mirror

Question: Who lets Dracula into the house the final time?

A. Harker
B. Renfield
C. Maid
D. Orderly
E. Nurse

Question: How is Dracula killed?

A. Sunlight
B. Flaming pyre
C. Wooden stake
D. Incantation
E. He survives


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Porfle's Trivia Quiz: "DRACULA" (1931) (video)

All The Vampira Scenes In "Plan 9 From Outer Space" (1959) (video)

Vampira (aka Maila Nurmi) was a popular TV horror movie hostess in the 50s.

Filmmaker Ed Wood persuaded her to appear in his magnum opus, "Plan 9 From Outer Space."

She plays "Vampire Girl", an undead woman resurrected by space aliens.

Also in the cast are Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson...
...and a stand-in for the late Bela Lugosi.

The film didn't do much for Vampira's career at the time.

But bad movie fans would rediscover it decades later...
...and elevate it to the status of a revered classic.

Maila Nurmi (Vampira) 1922-2008


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

All The Vampira Scenes In "Plan 9 From Outer Space" (1959) (video)

BLOODRUNNERS -- Blu-ray/DVD Review by Porfle

Even if it didn't eventually turn into a vampire movie, BLOODRUNNERS (Speakeasy Pictures, 2017) would still be a pretty nifty period piece about gangsters vs. cops during the wild and woolly days of Prohibition. 

Former cinematographer Dan Lantz has gone to great lengths to make his directing debut look like a million dollars even if the budget had to be kept on the down-low.  (I'm using that term wrong but you get the idea.)

From its eye-pleasing production design to its exquisite lighting (about which Lantz goes into great detail in the commentary), this is a candy-coated confection that gives both the gritty world of speakeasies and the dark underworld of vampirism the dazzling veneer of a Warren Magazine color comic.

GOODFELLAS this ain't.  Storywise, Lantz and co-writer Michael McFadden, who plays rumpled veteran cop Jack Malone, keep the action on a breezy/pulpy level even when tommy guns are blasting, fists are breaking bones, and blood is in the air. 

It's like a nostalgia-fantasy version of the 30s via the old gangster pictures, with even the green-screen driving sequences made to resemble old-style process shots. (Consequently, some of the gorier elements, such as the discovery of a vampire-ravaged murder victim, seem somewhat more jarring in comparison.)

What's more, the whorehouse run by sassy Madam Rosie (Kerry McGann), Jack's longtime lover, comes off like a sorority house where the girls just happen to get paid for having sex with nice clean-cut gents (including most of the police force).

The film's gorgeous centerpiece set is a speakeasy run by none other than Ice-T as smooth criminal Chesterfield, who--which comes as no surprise--turns out to be the head vampire whose business isn't moonshine but rather high-quality human blood for the discerning undead connoisseur.

Jack comes across as the usual hardbitten "big lug" cop at first, but he has a backstory set in a terrific World War I flashback involving vampirism in the trenches--a novel idea in itself--which ties in nicely with the present storyline and, along with his clumsy semi-romantic scenes with Rosie, makes his character way more sympathetic even when he's using suspects as punching bags.

Another nice touch is the Romeo and Juliet love affair between Rosie's illegitimate daughter Anna (Airen DeLaMater) and Willie (Chris Boylan), a well-meaning lad caught in the tenuous position of working for both Rosie and Chesterfield.  (Which also puts him on the receiving end of Jack's fists.)

Performances are fine, with Peter Patrikios especially fun to watch as Chesterfield's flamboyant human familiar Victor Renfield, who does double duty as operations manager for the speakeasy and coordinator of illicit blood shipments. 

One of the film's highlights occurs when the cops interrupt what they think is a moonshine run on a dark country road, only to discover the horrific true nature of the cargo and the trigger men carrying it (resulting in another of the film's enjoyable vamp-outs.)

As an actor, Ice-T is not only born to this sort of role but obviously has a ball playing it, especially when he gets to sprout fangs and go bats on us.

The film itself finally gives us the full "Famous Monsters" treatment when Jack, Willie, and a loony street preacher named Luther (Jack Hoffman), who happens to know a thing or three about fighting vampires, confront the beastly bloodsuckers in their own deadly lair.  The result is sort of a "Dick Tracy vs. Dracula" blow-out that I found invigorating.

The double-disc set from Speakeasy Pictures contains both Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film.  (The Blu-ray has optional subtitles while the DVD does not.)  Extras on both discs consist of a trailer, gag reel, deleted and extended scenes, and a commentary with Lantz and McFadden that entertains while serving as a primer for budding indy filmmakers.

BLOODRUNNERS doesn't have a TITANIC budget, but the sleek look and artistic attention to period detail are a pleasure to behold.  As action/horror, it's like a lighthearted cross between BLADE and THE UNTOUCHABLES--not nearly as intense, but still a vintage carload of good old-fashioned fun.

http://www.bloodrunnersmovie.com/

BLOODRUNNERS -- Blu-ray/DVD Review by Porfle

Ice-T's "BLOODRUNNERS" Sinks Its Fangs Into Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD

SVU's Ice-T Stars as an Ancient Vampire Hellbent on Conquering a Prohibition-Era Town

Dan Lantz's BLOODRUNNERS Available on Blu-ray/DVD
And Digital HD March 7th
   
Los Angeles, CA - Speakeasy Pictures and IMPULSE-FX have announced the March 7th Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and Digital HD release of the period action thriller Bloodrunners.  The latest feature from writer-director Dan Lantz (Blind Love, Felix Melman), Bloodrunners centers on a turf war between a crooked cop and a power-hungry vampire (Ice-T, "Law and Order: SVU") over a small town soaked in illegal hooch during the height of Prohibition.

Bloodrunners will be available to rent or own globally on iTunes and Steam and across the US and Canada on iTunes, Steam, Google Play, Xbox, Playstation and various cable platforms, including Comcast, Dish, Rogers and Shaw.  The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, featuring 1080p video, 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound and bonus features will be available on Amazon and the Bloodrunners official site.

Bloodrunners combines the action of crime dramas with the otherworldly gore of vampire legends.  Michael McFadden (The Networker) headlines as a cop living large on looking the other way as booze flows through his protectorate.  When he discovers that Chesterfield, the owner of the latest speakeasy has a thirst for warm blood as well as cold hard cash, he must find a way to save his town before it dries up.

 

 

By 1933, Prohibition has proven a booming enterprise, where average citizens break the law, hide in the shadows and operate at night. The new world order has even lined the pockets of corrupt cops like Jack Malone (McFadden). He collects a 'luxury tax' from every bootlegger and scofflaw in the small town he has sworn to protect. While shaking down the newest speakeasy in the local underground, Jack and his men uncover a clan of vampires hell bent on taking over the town.

Now Chesterfield (Ice-T), an ancient vampire, and his horde must hide their secret at any cost. The bloody result leaves several bodies and innocent townsfolk taken as lambs to await the slaughter. With nowhere else to turn, Jack joins forces with a busboy and a crazy preacher to save the town and make a final stand against Chesterfield and his vampires.

                Bloodrunners (Official Trailer)


Pre-Order Bloodrunners on Blu-ray/DVD

The Blu-ray/DVD (SRP $14.99) and iTunes releases of Bloodrunners will include a feature-length commentary with director Dan Lantz, deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel and trailers.

Ice-T's "BLOODRUNNERS" Sinks Its Fangs Into Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD

"UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS" Blood Trailer -- See It Now!

UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS
        January 6, 2017
        Action/Horror

The next installment in the blockbuster franchise, UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS follows Vampire death dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) as she fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her.  With her only allies, David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Directed by                Anna Foerster

Screenplay by            Cory Goodman

Story by                Kyle Ward and Cory Goodman

Based on characters created by   Kevin Grevioux and Len Wiseman & Danny McBride

Produced by               
                    Tom Rosenberg
                    Gary Lucchesi
                    Len Wiseman
                    Richard Wright
                    David Kern

Executive Producers       
                    Eric Reid
                    James McQuaide
                    Skip Williamson
                    Henry Winterstern
                    Ben Waisbren
                                   
Cast             Kate Beckinsale
                    Theo James
                    Lara Pulver
                    Tobias Menzies
                    Bradley James
                    James Faulkner
                    and Charles Dance
               
This film is not yet rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.  For future rating information, please visit www.filmratings.com. 
Credits not final

"UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS" Blood Trailer -- See It Now!

"FROM DUSK TILL DAWN" On Screen For Two Days Only -- With Exclusive Filmmaker Q&A

Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Miramax’s Cult Classic Film From Dusk Till Dawn with a Screening Featuring an Exclusive Q&A with Director Robert Rodriguez, Writer/Actor Quentin Tarantino, and Moderated by Elvis Mitchell

The Movie Is On Screen for Two Days Only, November 6 and 9, Along with an Exclusive Filmmaker Q&A

DENVER, SANTA MONICA – October 11, 2016 – From Dusk Till Dawn, the genre-busting cult classic that launched an epic filmmaking partnership spanning two decades, will return to movie theaters to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Fans won’t want to miss this once-in-a-cinematic-lifetime event commencing with a brand-new, exclusive Q&A with director Robert Rodriguez and writer Quentin Tarantino.

This 20th anniversary celebration of From Dusk Till Dawn takes place in cinemas for two days only on Sunday, November 6, at 6:00 and 9:00 p.m.; and Wednesday, November 9, at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. (all local times)

Presented by Fathom Events and Miramax, the 20th anniversary celebration of From Dusk Till Dawn is the only place fans can see a brand-new, exclusive Q&A with Rodriguez and Tarantino discussing the blockbuster hit. The conversation is moderated by renowned film critic and host of The Treatment, Elvis Mitchell. 

Tickets for “From Dusk Till Dawn 20th Anniversary” are available online at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants subject to change).

From Dusk Till Dawn thrilled moviegoers on its initial release in 1996, stunned audiences with Salma Hayek’s now iconic snake dance scene, and launched the film career of George Clooney. It’s since gained a rabid cult following and spawned two film sequels as well as “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series,” now in its third season on El Rey Network (www.elreynetwork.com), a 24-hour English language network founded by Robert Rodriguez.
 
“From Dusk Till Dawn is unpredictable, creative and breathtakingly original, a movie that almost defies description,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said. “Fathom is excited to help bring this collaboration of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, two of the unique voices in modern American cinema, back to the big screen for four special showings to commemorate its 20th anniversary.”

It’s nonstop thrills when George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino star as the Gecko brothers - two dangerous outlaws on a wild crime spree. After kidnapping a father (Harvey Keitel) and his two kids (including Juliette Lewis), the Geckos head south to a seedy Mexican bar to hide out in safety. But when they face the bar’s truly notorious clientele, they’re forced to team up with their hostages in order to make it out alive. From Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, the creators of Grindhouse, From Dusk Till Dawn is explosive action entertainment.

About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live’s Hamlet, sporting events like FS1 Presents USA v Mexico, concerts with Roger Waters and One Direction, the TCM Presents classic film series and faith-based events such as The Drop Box and Four Blood Moons. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 887 locations and 1,354 screens in 181 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About MIRAMAX®
Acquired by beIN Media Group (beinmediagroup.com) in March 2016, MIRAMAX® is a global film and television studio best known for its award-winning and original content. New projects include both film and television, among them Bad Santa 2 starring Billy Bob Thornton, who reprises his Golden Globe nominated role as Willie Soke, and Oscar®, Golden Globe and Emmy winner Kathy Bates, with Broad Green Pictures co-producing/co-financing and handling U.S. theatrical; Bridget Jones’s Baby from Working Title for Universal Pictures, MIRAMAX® and StudioCanal, with Oscar® winners Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth reprising their roles in the third installment of the Bridget Jones film series; the recent acquisition Southside With You, inspired by the first date of Barack and Michelle Obama, starring Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter, with MIRAMAX® and Roadside Attractions partnering on the U.S. release, Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, heading into its third season in the U.S. on El Rey Network; as well as the recently announced Whitney, the forthcoming documentary feature from Oscar®-winning director Kevin Madonald on pop icon Whitney Houston, and the Johnny Depp film Labyrinth which MIRAMAX® will be co-financing with Open Road Films.

In 2015, MIRAMAX® together with Roadside Attractions, released the critically acclaimed Mr. Holmes, one of the year’s most successful independent hits, directed by Academy Award® winner Bill Condon and starring Academy Award® nominees Sir Ian McKellen and Laura Linney; as well as the Kevin Hart hit comedy The Wedding Ringer with Sony-Screen Gems.

Collectively, MIRAMAX’s unrivaled library of more than 700 titles has received 278 Academy Award® nominations and 68 Oscars®, earning most notably four Best Picture awards for The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love, Chicago and No Country for Old Men. More iconic titles from the library include critically acclaimed and commercial hits alike, such as Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, Bridget Jones’s Diary, the Scream film franchise, Kill Bill Vol. 1&2, and The Aviator.

MIRAMAX® Online
Website: Miramax.com

Facebook: facebook.com/Miramax
Twitter: twitter.com/Miramax
Instagram: instagram.com/Miramax

“Oscar®” and “Academy Award®” are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

“MIRAMAX®” and the “MIRAMAX” Logo are the registered trademarks, trademarks and service marks of Miramax, LLC.

About El Rey Network
El Rey Network is a 24-hour English language network founded by maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez.  Curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective, the network unites "the new mainstream" through badass content that awakens the renegade in everyone.  El Rey's action-packed slate is anchored by signature series including the original drama, "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series", the one-on-one interview program, "El Rey Network Presents: The Director's Chair" and "Lucha Underground," a Lucha Libre wrestling series from Mark Burnett. El Rey Network's lineup also showcases a wide range of iconic feature films and TV series including genre, cult classics, action, and horror/sci-fi.  El Rey Network LLC  is jointly owned by Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures with a minority stake held by Univision Networks & Studios, Inc.

"FROM DUSK TILL DAWN" On Screen For Two Days Only -- With Exclusive Filmmaker Q&A

"UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS" Legacy Trailer Now Available

UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS
       
January 6, 2017
Action/Horror

The next installment in the blockbuster franchise, UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS follows Vampire death dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) as she fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her.

With her only allies, David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Directed by                Anna Foerster

Screenplay by            Cory Goodman and Jayson Rothwell   

Story by                Cory Goodman

Based on characters created by   Kevin Grevioux and Len Wiseman & Danny McBride

Produced by                Tom Rosenberg
                    Gary Lucchesi
                    Len Wiseman
                    Richard Wright
                    David Kern

Executive Producers        Eric Reid
                    James McQuaide
                    Skip Williamson
                    Henry Winterstern
                                   
Cast                    Kate Beckinsale
                    Theo James
Lara Pulver
                    Tobias Menzies
                    Bradley James
James Faulkner
                    and Charles Dance
               
This film is not yet rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.  For future rating information, please visit http://www.filmratings.com/ 
Credits not final

                            Watch the Trailer

"UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS" Legacy Trailer Now Available

"Dracula: The Vampire and the Voivode" Takes a Bite Out of DVD Oct. 4

Walking Shadows and Virgil Films & Entertainment Proudly Present "Dracula: The Vampire and the Voivode"


Documentary Unearths the Never-Before-Told True Story of Bram Stoker and His Legendary Novel


Taking a Bite Out of DVD Oct. 4th


"This is a fascinating and most enjoyable documentary … few viewers will not learn some new from it." - Voices from the Vaults, The Dracula Society

LOS ANGELES - Oct. 1, 2011 - For Immediate Release - In the first documentary to unearth the never-before-told true story of Bram Stoker and his legendary 1897 gothic novel, Dracula: The Vampire and the Voivode takes a bite out of DVD Oct. 4, from Walking Shadows (distributed by Virgil Films & Entertainment).

Few mythic figures have ever captured the imagination, nor been as enduringly popular, as Dracula, made famous in Irishman Bram Stoker's 1897 gothic novel and sparking the earliest pop culture fascination with vampire folklore.

But much confusion surrounds Count Dracula, the fictional vampire, and Vlad "Tepes (The Impaler)" Draculea III (1431-1476), the voivode, Old Slavonic, meaning "one who leads warriors." A real-life royal, many believe that Vlad III's violent, six-year rule of Romania and now-familiar surname inspired the famed, fanged figure.

Separating fact from fiction, Dracula: The Vampire and the Voivode - filmed in Transylvania, Whitby, London and Dublin - was produced in association with the Transylvanian Society of Dracula and features interviews with the leading experts on the subject.

Sink your teeth into this intriguing examination of one of the world's most infamous legends with an unprecedented look at: visits to Stoker's hometown of Dublin and his (and Dracula's) London haunts; a vivid account of the real-life count's arrival in the seaside town of Yorkshire; Vlad III's reign of terror; debunking the association between any Dracula (a common surname in the former countries of Yugoslavia) and the iconic Castle Bran; retracing Vlad III and Count Dracula's footsteps through Romania; and a look at how Stoker (who never visited Transylvania) left an indelible impression of Romania on the world.

Directed by Michael Bayley Hughes and narrated by Jason Walford Davies.

Dracula: The Vampire and the Voivode is presented in full frame with an aspect ratio of 4x3 (1.33:1) and 2.0 Stereo Sound.

Dracula: The Vampire and the Voivode
Virgil Films & Entertainment
Genre: Documentary
Not Rated
Format:  DVD Only
Running Time:  Approx. 84 Minutes
Suggested Retail Price:  $19.99
Pre-Order Date:  August 30, 2011
Street Date:  October 4, 2011
Catalog #:  670779
UPC Code:  #829567077924

Buy it at Amazon.com
See it now with Amazon Instant Video

"Dracula: The Vampire and the Voivode" Takes a Bite Out of DVD Oct. 4

HIGANJIMA (EQUINOX ISLAND) -- Movie Review by Porfle

You know how a fruitcake is colorful and tastes pretty good, but you don't really enjoy eating it that much?  That's kind of what it's like to watch HIGANJIMA (EQUINOX ISLAND)  (2009), a Japanese manga-based horror film by Korean director Tae-gyun Kim. 

At first I thought this might be a kids' movie because the alternate English title, "Escape From Vampire Island", reminded me of ESCAPE FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN.  And at times it does seem a little on the juvenile side, albeit with a lot more geysers of blood than Uncle Walt was known to use.  It's more action-fantasy than scare flick--in fact, it isn't scary at all, with the island's drone vampires resembling a bunch of hunched-over geezers with red eyes and fangs and behaving a bit like the winged monkeys in THE WIZARD OF OZ. 

The creepiest scene is the pretitles one, in which some poor shlub in a blood-splattered business suit is terrorized by vampires in an abandoned building on the island until a mysterious swordsman named Atsushi (Dai Watanabe) steps in and kills them.  It's an atmospheric sequence with effective gore (Atsushi smashes the vampires' heads in with a log) and some nice CGI-rendered settings.

After that, we're transported to the city where Atsushi's younger brother Akira (Hideo Ishiguro) runs with his gang of high-spirited urban pals.  They're the usual types: Ken, the older leader; Yuki, the girl Akira loves but who has a crush on Ken; Pon, the simpleminded misfit; Nishiyama, the nerdy brainiac; and Kato, the overweight clown (played by stand-up comic Masaya Handa).  The early scenes of them knocking around in the streets are mercifully brief.

One day, a beautiful and mysterious woman named Rei (Asami Mizukawa) appears and tells Akira she knows the location of his long-missing brother Atsushi, arranging for him and his friends to travel to the island.  As it turns out, even Rei's ulterior motives have ulterior motives, and the kids find themselves surrounded by vampires.  The vamps prove pretty ineffectual here, easily beaten back by a bunch of gangly inner-city kids despite all their scary grimacing and hopping around. 

The real menace turns out to be vampire king Miyabi (Kôji Yamamoto), although he isn't scary either.  He's more of a white-faced, nattily-dressed dandy who seems terminally pleased with himself than an object of fear.  He is pretty unbeatable, though, as reunited brothers Akira and Atsushi discover in their bloody clashes with him.  Atsushi's band of underground freedom fighters get into the act, with Akira getting a crash "anti-vampire" course and being transformed into a sword-slingin' warrior in about two hours.  This sets up their climactic assault on Miyabi's lair (an actual Japanese army fortress from WWII) to rescue a captive Yuki.

The action scenes are fairly exciting for the most part although a little repetitive.  About midway through the film the shaky-cam gets progressively worse for some reason, to the point of noticeable annoyance.  By the final minutes, however, this problem seems to give way to some nicely-staged action with Akira and the vampire fighters taking on a giant reptilian beast which guards Miyabi's inner sanctum.  This creature is a direct descendant of both the dragon in DRAGONSLAYER and the queen alien in ALIENS, and the CGI effects here run from good to sketchy. 

The best thing about the movie for me is Genki, an albino bat-girl who swoops around causing trouble while giggling girlishly through it all.  The makeup and SPFX used to create her, along with Kazuko Sakagami's quirky performance, make her a fun character whose demise comes all too soon.  Later, the final clash between Miyabi and brothers Akira and Atsushi in the vampire king's exploding fortress provides the film's bloodiest and most suspenseful action setpiece. 

HIGANJIMA (EQUINOX ISLAND) is fairly well-made and has a reasonable amount of entertaining action and carnage, but it lags in spots and just doesn't come together nearly as well as it should have.  With these ingredients, it could've been as much pure, exhilarating fun as BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA or as scary as any number of Asian horror flicks, but as it is, it's a fruitcake.

HIGANJIMA (EQUINOX ISLAND) -- Movie Review by Porfle

"BONNIE & CLYDE VS. DRACULA" Coming April 26

The Showdown Movie Fans Have Been Waiting For--
Freakin' Bonnie & Clyde vs Dracula!

Starring Tiffany Shepis and Trent Haaga
Directed by Timothy Friend ("Cadaverella")

After their latest heist goes wrong legendary outlaw couple Bonnie & Clyde are on the run from the law and in need of fast money to fix up their companion who was shot during the robbery.  Finding shelter in small town they crash at the mansion of the notorious Dr. Loveless. Bonnie & Clyde soon discover Dr. Loveless is hiding a chilling secret. Deep in his cellar, the recently revived Dracula awaits…and when gangsters meet vampires, there's bloody hell to pay!



Directed by Timothy Friend
Starring: 
Tiffany Shepis (Masterpiece Theater, Cyrus, Dirty Little Trick, The Black Box)  
Trent Haaga (Sutures, Slices, Killer Biker Chicks, Someone is Knocking at the Door)

With T. Max Graham, Jennifer Friend and Allen Lowmen
Running Time: 90 minutes
Format: 1:78 (HD)
Sound: Dolby SR
Rating:  (pending)
Country: USA
Language: English
Website: www.bcvdmovie.com
Genre: Action Horror
Release date: April 26, 2011

Watch trailer now:
http://www.vimeo.com/20314059

Film Festival credits & awards:
Best Feature - Sacramento Film Festival
Best of Fest - Fright Night Film Festival
Best Actor - Fright Night Film Festival
Best Feature - Arizona Underground Film Festival
Best Feature - Chicago Horror Film Festival
Official Selection - New York Horror Film Festival
Official Selection - Amberg Horror Film Festival
Official Selection - Dark Carnival Film Festival

"BONNIE & CLYDE VS. DRACULA" Coming April 26

THE BLEEDING -- DVD review by porfle

When I saw the trailer for THE BLEEDING (2009), I thought, "What a cast!  This has gotta be good!"  Then I found out it was directed by Charles Picerni (brother of late, great actor Paul Picerni), whose only other feature film credit as first-unit director is the agonizingly bad comedy THREE DAYS TO VEGAS, and thought, "Oh my god!  This is gonna hurt!"

Well, maybe comedy just isn't Picerni's forte, because this rowdy action-horror flick looks pretty slick for a low-rent production and clatters along like a cheap carnival ride.  It's derivative as hell, lifting whole chunks out of films such as BLADE II and THE ROAD WARRIOR, but it's having so much fun mixing them around and throwing them back at us that it's infectious.

There's a story in there somewhere about a master vampire named Cain (Vinnie Jones) rising to rule the underworld and destroy us all.  Natural born vampire slayer and Vin Diesel-lookalike Shawn Black (Michael Matthias) is the only guy who can kill him because he's Cain's brother and thus part of the same "royal" bloodline.  Since Cain offed the 'rents before embarking on his current rampage, Black is miffed and looking for some big-time revenge.


That's about all we need to know, as the film moves rapidly from one setpiece to the next and keeps pouring on the action and gore.  Along with it is some amusingly hardboiled narration from the unflappable Black and a series of supporting characters to help keep things interesting.  DMX shows up early as an ally to Black, while "L.A. Ink" tattooist Kat Von D fangs it up as Cain's main squeeze.  Neither are master thespians, but in this movie that doesn't really matter.

Cain eventually runs across Father Roy, one of those cheerfully profane priests who drinks and curses like a sailor but has all kinds of faith--not to mention firepower, which has all been blessed--when it comes to battling the forces of evil.  With his black cowboy hat and flowing cassock, Michael Madsen has a ball in the role and actually puts some effort into it instead of breezing through a few scenes just for the paycheck.  After reciting some dubious scripture to Black, he assures him, "It's in the Bible," then adds with that trademark smirk, "somewhere."

Vinnie Jones also seems to be enjoying himself as Cain, baring his pointy teeth with evil gusto as he orchestrates his army of the undead.  I actually prefer Vinnie as the soft-spoken good guy in THE RIDDLE and think he should play more such roles which give him a chance to actually act.  But he seems destined to do parts like this and is a welcome presence in them.  My main disappointment is that Armand Assante appears in only one brief scene as a tough cop.  Assante is like a nuclear reactor of cool, and for him to be so underused is a colossal waste. 

When Black and Father Roy track the vampires down to a flashy techno club inside an abandoned factory, the BLADE II influence comes to the fore as scores of kinky vampires writhe on the dance floor with unsuspecting mortals before the blood feast begins.  The beautiful Lena (Rachelle Leah), whom Black met earlier at a rest stop, is chosen as Cain's bride and must be rescued when the scene explodes in a cacophony of guns and gore.
 

The next sequence finds Black and Lena escaping in an 18-wheeler with the vampire horde hot on their heels, and, as you might guess, it recalls THE ROAD WARRIOR with a vengeance.  It may lack the same level of finesse (to say the least) and suffer a bit from salad-shooter editing, but makes up for it with loads of comic-book style and vehicular destruction.

Director Picerni, who has had a badass film career performing and coordinating hundreds of high-profile stunts (as well as directing many TV episodes and serving as second-unit director on major films such as BASIC INSTINCT and GHOST) serves up a smorgasboard of thrilling auto and motorcycle stunts that climax with the rig jack-knifing down the highway.  Chip-off-the-old-block Steve Picerni serves as stunt coordinator. 

The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1, with English and Spanish subtitles.  Extras include three five-minute featurettes (cast interviews, stunts, make-up and effects) and a trailer.

You know you're not watching an A-flick here, so you might as well relax and enjoy the cheesy, testosterone-fueled B-movie goodness--which THE BLEEDING provides in spades.  Packed with guns, ghouls, hot babes, cool cars, and metal-grinding mayhem, it's my kind of guilty pleasure.


Buy it at Amazon.com

THE BLEEDING -- DVD review by porfle

Anchor Bay Entertainment lets LET ME IN onto Blu-ray and DVD February 1, 2011

“The BEST American horror film in the last 20 years.” – Stephen King

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS THE HAUNTING AND PROVOCATIVE THRILLER "LET ME IN"

Available On Blu-Ray™ And DVD On February 1, 2011

Jam-Packed with Bonus Features, the Blu-Ray™ and DVD Boast an Exclusive
Let Me In Comic Book and Fan-Favorite “Car Crash Sequence” Visual Effects Piece!

Beverly Hills, CA – A bullied young boy befriends a young female vampire in the thriller,  Let Me In, available on Blu-ray™ and DVD on February 1st, 2011 from Anchor Bay Entertainment.  Written and directed by filmmaker Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), Let Me In is based on the best-selling Swedish novel Låt den Rätte Komma In (Let The Right One In) by John Ajvide Lindqvist, and the highly acclaimed film of the same name.  The film’s score is by Oscar®-, Emmy®- and Grammy®-winning composer Michael Giacchino (Up, “Lost”).

Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road), Chloë Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass), Elias Koteas (Shutter Island), Cara Buono (“The Sopranos”), and Oscar® nominee Richard Jenkins (The Visitor),  Let Me In is a poignant coming-of-age story as well as a bone-chilling horror film.  In a pop-culture landscape littered with the bloodthirsty undead, the 2010 release from Overture Films Let Me In stands out as a very different kind of vampire movie – a haunting meditation on the difficult and often painful transition into adolescence.  SRP is $39.99 for the Blu-ray™ and $29.98 for the DVD.


Genre fans and DVD aficionados will be thrilled with the generous amount of bonus features on the Let Me In Blu-ray™ and DVD, including the much-talked-about visual effects piece, “Car Crash Sequence Step-By-Step”, with commentary from Director Matt Reeves; “From The Inside: A Look at the Making of Let Me In”; “The Art of Special Effects”; Unrated Deleted Scenes; Trailer Gallery: Greenband Trailer, Redband Trailer; and a Poster and Still Gallery. The Blu-ray™ edition also includes the Blu-ray™ exclusive: “Dissecting Let Me In”, as well as a digital copy of the film.  And if that wasn’t enough, both editions include a Let Me In comic book with an exclusive cover designed by award-winning comic book artist Sean Phillips.  A graphic novel will be released next year.

Here’s what the critics have to say about Let Me In:

Lou Lumenick of the New York Post calls Let Me In, “The scariest, creepiest and most elegantly filmed horror movie in years.”  Says TIME’s Richard Corliss, Let Me In is “Seductive and shocking.  A film people will talk about!” Adds Bloody-Disgusting.com’s Brad Miska, “It will be nearly impossible for any vampire film, ever, to measure up.”  Scott Bowles of USA Today calls the film “chillingly real,” while Cinematical describes it as “one of the best horror films of the year,” and Pete Hammond of Boxoffice Magazine says Let Me In is “a haunting, touching and unforgettable thriller.”

In bleak New Mexico, a lonely, bullied boy, Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), forms a unique bond with his mysterious new neighbor, Abby (Chloë Grace Moretz), who moves from town to town with the man who appears to be her father (Richard Jenkins).  Trapped in the mind and body of a child, however, Abby is forced to hide a horrific secret of bloodthirsty survival.  But in a world of both tenderness and terror, how can you invite in the one friend who may unleash the ultimate nightmare?

Based on the Swedish novel, Let the Right One In, “Let Me In is a dark and violent love story, a beautiful piece of cinema and a respectful rendering of my novel for which I am grateful,” says the book’s author, John Ajvide Lindqvist.


LET ME IN BLU-RAY™
Street Date:               February 1st, 2011
Pre-book:                   January 5th, 2011
Cat. #:                         BD21464
UPC:                           0 1313 21464-9 2
Run Time:                   115 Minutes
Rating:                        Rated R
SRP:                           $39.99
Format:                       2.40:1 / 16x9
Audio:                        Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Subtitles:                    English SDH, Spanish
Bonus Features:        Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Matt Reeves
From the Inside: A Look at the Making of Let Me In
The Art of Special Effects
Car Crash Sequence Step-By-Step
Blu-ray™ Exclusive: Dissecting Let Me In
Unrated Deleted Scenes
Trailer Gallery: Greenband Trailer, Redband Trailer
Poster & Still Gallery
Digital copy of the film

LET ME IN DVD
Street Date:               February 1st, 2011
Pre-book:                   January 5th, 2011
Cat. #:                         OV21461
UPC:                           0 1313 21461-9 5
Run Time:                   115 Minutes
Rating:                        Rated R
SRP:                           $29.98
Format:                       2.40:1 / 16x9
Audio:                         Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:                    English SDH, Spanish
Bonus Features:        Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Matt Reeves
From the Inside: A Look at the Making of Let Me In
The Art of Special Effects
Car Crash Sequence Step-By-Step
Unrated Deleted Scenes
Trailer Gallery: Greenband Trailer, Redband Trailer
Poster & Still Gallery

Buy it at Amazon.com:
Blu-Ray
DVD

Anchor Bay Entertainment lets LET ME IN onto Blu-ray and DVD February 1, 2011