Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1990)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Anthony Hickox

Writers:

John Burgess (story) and
Anthony Hickox (writer)

Release Date:

2 November 1991 (Japan)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Western

Tagline:

There's two kinds of folks in Purgatory. Vampires and lunch.

Plot:

Reclusive vampires lounge in a lonely American town. They wear sun cream to protect themselves. A descendant...

Plot Keywords:

Van Helsing | Vampire | Immigration | Vampire Bat | Engineer

Cast

David Carradine	...	Jozek Mardulak / Count Dracula
Morgan Brittany	...	Sarah Harrison
Bruce Campbell	...	Robert Van Helsing
Jim Metzler	...	David Harrison
Maxwell Caulfield	...	Shane
Deborah Foreman	...	Sandy White
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Mort Bisby
John Ireland	...	Ethan Jefferson
Dana Ashbrook	...	Jack
John Hancock	...	Quinton Canada
Marion Eaton	...	Anna Trotsberg
Dabbs Greer	...	Otto Trotsberg
Bert Remsen	...	Milt Bisby
Sunshine Parker	...	Merle Bisby
Helena Carroll	...	Madge

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, USA

Company:

Vestron Pictures

Quotes:

Bailey: This is no life for a vampire!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bordello of Blood (1996)

Soundtrack:

I'M SO FINE

Vampire Western Comedy

Once you see the vampires in sunscreen and sombreros, you will know exactly what kind of movie Anthony Hickox has made with his "Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat". Not only is it totally silly, but it's also pretty unique.

The plot of this vampire western comedy goes something like this: the powerful Count Mardulak (a quietly comic David Carradine) has founded a colony for reformed vampires in an old ghost town called Purgatory. The denizens of Purgatory fight the urge to kill and drink a milky-looking blood substitute ("It isn't even the right color", huffs one vamp). But it turns out that reform doesn't suit all the vampires that well, and things only get more tense when a few humans come to town.

B-movie lovers will likely be charmed by "Sundown", stop-motion bats and all. It certainly strays from horror cliche. Adding to the lighthearted festivities is Bruce Campbell as the artless but well-meaning Van Helsing. Overall, it's a kooky good time for movie fans of a particular mindset.