Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)

Director:

Wes Craven

Writers (WGA):

Eddie Murphy (story) &
Vernon Lynch (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 October 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Romance

Tagline:

A comic tale of horror and seduction.

Plot:

Maximillian is the only survivor from a race of vampires on a Caribbean Island, and as a vampire, he must find a mate to keep the line from ending...

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Destiny | Partner | Blood | Brooklyn Bridge

Cast

Eddie Murphy	...	Maximillian / Preacher Pauly / Guido
Angela Bassett	...	Det. Rita Veder
Allen Payne	...	Detective Justice
Kadeem Hardison	...	Julius Jones
John Witherspoon	...	Silas Green
Zakes Mokae	...	Dr. Zeko
Joanna Cassidy	...	Capt. Dewey
Simbi Khali	...	Nikki, Rita's Roomate
Messiri Freeman	...	Eva, Julius' Girl
Kelly Cinnante	...	Policewoman Photographer
Jsu Garcia	...	Anthony (as Nick Corri)
W. Earl Brown	...	Thrasher
Ayo Adeyemi	...	Bartender
Troy Curvey Jr.	...	Choir Leader
Vickilyn Reynolds	...	Mrs. Brown
William Blount	...	Deacon Brown
Joe Costanza	...	Bear
John LaMotta	...	Lizzy
Marcelo Tubert	...	Waiter at Caprisi's
Nick DeMauro	...	Kitty Caprisi
Jerry Hall	...	Woman in Park
Mark Haining	...	Man in Park
Wendy Robie	...	Zealot at Police Station
Alyse Mandel	...	Policewoman
Larry Paul Marshall	...	Greeter at Church
Vince Micelli	...	Checkers Player
Oren Waters	...	Singer
Carlton Davis	...	Singer
Clive Ross	...	Singer
Michael Hyde	...	Singer
Maxine Waters Willard	...	Singer
Josef Powell	...	Singer
Roy Galloway	...	Singer
Carmen Carter	...	Singer
Julia Waters	...	Singer (as Julie Waters Tillman)
Carmen Twillie	...	Singer
Ray Combs	...	Game Show Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrew DePalma	...	Joey (uncredited)
Mitch Pileggi	...	Tony the Hitman (uncredited)
Ken Tipton	...	Thug (uncredited)

Directed by
Wes Craven

Writing credits (WGA)
Eddie Murphy		(story) &
Vernon Lynch		(story) and
Charles Q. Murphy		(story) (as Charles Murphy)
Charles Q. Murphy		(screenplay) (as Charles Murphy) and
Michael Lucker		(screenplay) &
Chris Parker		(screenplay) (as Christopher Parker)

Produced by
Stuart M. Besser	....	executive producer
Dixie J. Capp	....	co-producer
Jeffrey Fenner	....	associate producer
Mark Lipsky	....	producer
Marianne Maddalena	....	executive producer
Ray Murphy Jr.	....	co-producer
Eddie Murphy	....	producer

Original Music by
J. Peter Robinson

Cinematography by
Mark Irwin

Film Editing by
Patrick Lussier

Casting by
Eileen Mack Knight		(as Ellen Mack Knight)

Art Direction by
Cynthia Kay Charette		(as Cynthia Charette)
Gary Diamond

Set Decoration by
Bob Kensinger		(as Robert Kensinger)

Costume Design by
Ha Nguyen

Makeup Department
Bernadine M. Anderson	....	makeup department supervisor
David LeRoy Anderson	....	on-set special makeup effects application
Karrie Aubuchon	....	special makeup effects coordinator
Howard Berger	....	on-set special makeup effects application
John Bisson	....	special makeup effects crew
Evan Campbell	....	special makeup effects crew
Marie Carter	....	makeup artist
Jean Pierre Durand	....	contact lens
Jeff Edwards	....	special makeup effects: puppeteer
Erin Haggerty	....	special makeup effects coordinator
Rob Hinderstein	....	special makeup effects crew
William Howard	....	hair stylist supervisor
Erma Kent	....	hair stylist
Robert Kurtzman	....	on-set special makeup effects application
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects: puppeteer
Robert Maverick	....	special makeup effects crew
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects: puppeteer
Douglas Noe	....	special makeup effects crew
Brian Rae	....	special makeup effects crew
Shannon Shea	....	special makeup effects: puppeteer
Richard Snell	....	contact lens
Mark Tavares	....	special makeup effects crew
Wayne Toth	....	special makeup effects crew
Toy Van Lierop	....	makeup artist: Eddie Murphy
Henrik von Ryzin	....	special makeup effects crew

Production Management
Stuart M. Besser	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Chesney	....	second unit director (as Peter M. Chesney)
Evan Gilner	....	second second assistant director (as Evan L. Gilner)
Hayley H. Hsu	....	second assistant director (as Hayley Hsu)
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	first assistant director (as Nicholas C. Mastandrea)

Art Department
Henry Alberti	....	set designer
Jerry Bingham	....	illustrator
Will Blount	....	property master
Phil Dagort	....	set designer (as Philip Dagort)
Dave DeGaetano	....	construction coordinator
Ted Haigh	....	graphic artist
Guy Hietala	....	painter gang boss
Guy Hietala	....	set painter
Lee J. Jashinsky	....	painter
Jeffery J. Jenkins	....	paint foreman
Roger L. King	....	property maker
Keith A. Kropf	....	head painter
Maureen Kropf	....	set painter
Héctor López	....	assistant property
David C. Potter	....	lead man
Francis J. Roix	....	carpenter
David Russell	....	storyboard artist
Troy Sizemore	....	assistant art director
Chris Vigeant	....	set laborer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul B. Clay	....	sound designer (as Paul Clay)
Paul B. Clay	....	sound supervisor (as Paul Clay)
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer
David Diamond	....	second boom operator
Roberta Doheny	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Tim Philben	....	sound re-recording mixer
Vic Radulich	....	foley editor
Peter Reale	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Schwartz	....	sound assistant
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer
Jim Stuebe	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects
Peter Chesney	....	special effects designer (as Peter M. Chesney)
Tom Chesney	....	special effects technician
Michel Gagné	....	special effects animator
Donn Markel	....	special effects technician
Edward T. Reiff Jr.	....	special effects technician
Karl Nettmann	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Thad Beier	....	visual effects: Hammerhead Productions
Daniel Chuba	....	visual effects: Hammerhead Productions
Jamie Dixon	....	visual effects: Hammerhead Productions
David Emerson	....	optical camera
Paul Gentry	....	director of photography: VistaVision plate unit, New York/Los Angeles
Julia Gibson	....	visual effects producer
Jessica Huebner	....	visual effects coordinator
Cynthia Hyland	....	digital compositor
Brian Jennings	....	digital effects supervisor: Todd-AO
Laurel Klick	....	digital supervisor
Malina Koani	....	production assistant
Rebecca Marie	....	visual effects: Hammerhead Productions
Bret Mixon	....	rotoscope supervisor
Luc G. Nicknair	....	visual effects: Vistavision first assistant camera
Rick Taylor	....	visual effects first assistant photographer
Joseph Thomas	....	matchmove photography
John T. Van Vliet	....	visual effects supervisor: Available Light
Larry Weiss	....	CG animator: Hammerhead

Stunts
LaFaye Baker	....	stunts
Alex Brown	....	stunts
Sonja Davis	....	stunts
Ousaun Elam	....	stunts
Dane Farwell	....	stunts
Mark Hicks	....	stunts
Al Lee Jr.	....	stunts
Irving E. Lewis	....	stunts (as Irving Lewis)
Gary Littlejohn	....	stunts
Dennis Madalone	....	stunts
Rusty McClennon	....	stunts
Buck McDancer	....	stunts
Bob McGovern	....	stunts (as Robert McGovern)
Wayne Montanio	....	stunts
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (as Benny Moore)
Alan Oliney	....	stunt coordinator
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts
Gary Price	....	stunts (as Gary K. Price)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (as Ronnie Rondell)
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts
Sharon Schaffer	....	stunts
Kym Washington	....	stunt double
Kym Washington	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Patric J. Abaravich	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Kevin Ball	....	key grip: second unit
Jeffrey N. Civa	....	second assistant camera
Egor Davidoff	....	camera loader
Dhamarata Dhiensuwana	....	best boy grip
John Ditomaso	....	best boy electric
Eric Dyson	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Kirk R. Gardner	....	Steadicam operator
Emil Hampton	....	Steadicam assistant
Loren Hillebrand	....	dolly grip
Charles M. Smallwood	....	key grip
Robert D. Tomer	....	camera operator
Robert D. Tomer	....	director of photography: second unit
Gary Katsuya Ushino	....	first assistant camera (as Gary K. Ushino)
Troy White	....	electrician
Jay W. Yowler	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Perri Kimono	....	costume supervisor
Cheri Reed	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Edward R. Abroms	....	additional editor
Peter Devaney Flanagan	....	first assistant editor
Joe Hathaway	....	digital color timer
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer

Music Department
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer
Steve Mccroskey	....	supervising music editor
Michael McCuistion	....	orchestrator
Larry Rench	....	orchestrator
Greg Townley	....	music engineer
Kevin Crehan	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Tom Briggs	....	set driver

Other crew
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist
Dawn Gilliam	....	script supervisor
Jason Gondek	....	production assistant
Crystal Hawkins	....	production auditor
Amy F. Ho	....	production assistant
Rob Klein	....	production assistant
Eric Klosterman	....	location manager
James Manke	....	production assistant
Bertram McCann	....	marine coordinator
Helen Medrano	....	construction accountant (as Helen Ruiz)
Liz Mersky	....	set production assistant
Stephanie Noone	....	craft service
Julie Plec	....	director assistant
Eartha Robinson	....	choreographer
David M. Rodriguez	....	assistant auditor
Andrew T. Rothmund	....	assistant: Ms. Bassett
Crystal Weaver	....	assistant production coordinator
Randy Webster	....	personal assistant to Eddie Murphy
Adam G. Williams	....	key location scout
Chris Winn	....	key craft service
Jay Horne	....	location scout (uncredited)
Troy Waters	....	marine crew (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Eddie Murphy Productions
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• United International Pictures (UIP) (1996) (Greece) (theatrical)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• Finnkino (1996) (Finland) (VHS)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1997) (Greece) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2000) (Finland) (TV)
• Paramount Home Entertainment Finland (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Pictures
• United International Pictures (UIP)

Special Effects

• Available Light Productions (special visual effects animation and compositing)
• Fantasy II Film Effects (special visual effects)
• Hammerhead Productions (digital animations)
• Image Engineering (special mechanical effects)
• Hammerhead Productions (digital animation)
• K.N.B. Effects Group (special make-up effects)
• K.N.B. Effects Group (special makeup effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Todd-AO/Glen Glenn Studios  additional digital services
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars

Also Known As:

"Wes Craven's Vampire In Brooklyn" - USA (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and vampire violence

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Eddie Murphy Productions

Trivia:

Sonja Davis, Angela Bassett's stunt double, died in an accident on the set.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After Julius the Ghoul loses his hand, you can see it several times while he's driving the limo, encased in a latex glove. This is before he acquires the mannequin hand that he shows Maximillian.

Quotes:

Policeman with dog:You people are ought to stay back! Killer here loves to bite!
Maximillian:So do I!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Directors: The Films of Wes Craven (#1.4)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Superstition

A comedy/horror that fails to deliver much of either.

Wes Craven is one of the most inconsistent directors in horror cinema: when on top form, he is a genius, taking risks with unpredictable projects and as a result, often giving the genre a much needed shot in the arm, as proved by groundbreaking movies like Last House On The Left, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream; at his least inspired, he is a hack, delivering predictably dumb (but still surprisingly enjoyable) trash like Shocker, Deadly Friend and Cursed.

Vampire in Brooklyn is something of an oddity in Craven's erratic career: it's definitely not a predictable project for the director—a comedy/horror featuring a predominantly black cast—but it certainly is dumb. Written by Eddie Murphy (obviously having a bit of an off day), the script fails to deliver consistent laughs, and even some inspired imagery from Craven cannot prevent this one from being a somewhat disappointing title in the canon of both star and director.

It's a shame, because Murphy can be hilarious and makes for a cool vampire, whilst we all know that Craven is capable of creating iconic scary moments; on this particular occasion, however, the magic just isn't there, and although the film cannot ever be accused of being dull, it is ultimately a forgettable flick that rabid Murphy fans might find enjoyable (the star hams it up to the max), but will probably only be of passing interest to horror fans.

5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.