Vampires (1998)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers (WGA):

John Steakley (novel)
Don Jakoby (screenplay)

Release Date:

30 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The final confrontation between good and evil has begun.

Plot:

A vengeful vampire slayer must retrieve an ancient Catholic relic that, should it be acquired by vampires, will allow them to endure sunlight.

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Team | Vampire Hunter | Relic | Crucifix

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

James Woods	...	Jack Crow
Daniel Baldwin	...	Anthony Montoya
Sheryl Lee	...	Katrina
Thomas Ian Griffith	...	Jan Valek
Maximilian Schell	...	Cardinal Alba
Tim Guinee	...	Father Adam Guiteau
Mark Boone Junior	...	Catlin
Gregory Sierra	...	Father Giovanni
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa	...	David Deyo
Thomas Rosales Jr.	...	Ortega (as Thomas Rosales)
Henry Kingi	...	Anthony
David Rowden	...	Bambi
Clarke Coleman	...	Davis
Mark Sivertsen	...	Highway Patrolman
John Furlong	...	Father Joseph Molina
Angelina Torres	...	Cleaning Lady (as Angelina Calderón Torres)
Jimmy Ortega	...	Male Vampire #1
Gilbert Rosales	...	Male Vampire #2
Danielle Burgio	...	Female Vampire #1
Laura Cordova	...	Female Vampire #2
Troy Robinson	...	Male Master #1
Anita Hart	...	Female Master #2
John Casino	...	Male Master #3
Chad Stahelski	...	Male Master #4
Steve Blalock	...	Male Master #5
Marjean Holden	...	Female Master #6
Cris Thomas-Palomino	...	Female Master #7 (as Cris Thomas Palomino)
Julia McFerrin	...	First Hooker
Lori Dillen	...	Second Hooker
Jake Walker	...	County Sheriff
Michael Huddleston	...	Motel Owner
Todd Anderson	...	Deputy Sheriff
Luce Rains	...	Clerk (as Steven Hartley)
Dennis E. Garber	...	Limousine Driver
Robert Lewis Bush	...	TV News Anchor (as Robert L. Bush)
Frank Darabont	...	Man with Buick
Mona García	...	Hooker
Candice Kirkiles	...	Hooker
Neva Lucero	...	Hooker
Helen Moreno	...	Hooker
Janice Richmond	...	Hooker
Juanita Romano	...	Hooker
Ann Romero	...	Hooker
Elisa Valdez	...	Hooker
April Winters	...	Hooker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lex Lang	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
James 'JR' Pollard	...	Rich Rancher in Church (uncredited)

Directed by
John Carpenter

Writing credits (WGA)
John Steakley		(novel "Vampire$")
Don Jakoby		(screenplay)

Produced by
Don Jakoby	....	co-producer
Sandy King	....	producer
Barr B. Potter	....	executive producer (as Barr Potter)
David Rodgers	....	creative producer

Original Music by
John Carpenter

Cinematography by
Gary B. Kibbe		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Edward A. Warschilka

Casting by
Reuben Cannon
Eddie Dunlop

Production Design by
Thomas A. Walsh

Art Direction by
Kim Hix

Set Decoration by
David Schlesinger

Costume Design by
Robin Michel Bush

Makeup Department
Enid Arias	....	hair stylist
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects
Jill Cady	....	makeup artist
Jill Crosby	....	hair stylist
Chris Hanson	....	special makeup effects artist
Monica Kenyon	....	special makeup effects artist
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects
Douglas Noe	....	special makeup effects artist
Scott Patton	....	special makeup effects artist
Janna Phillips	....	makeup artist
Laurel Van Dyke	....	hair stylist
Alan Friedman	....	makeup department head (uncredited)

Production Management
Kim Kurumada	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christian P. Della Penna	....	assistant director
Jeff Imada	....	second unit director
Chemen Ochoa	....	second second assistant director
Deanna Stadler	....	second assistant director
Joshua Vancil	....	assistant director

Art Department
Mike Blaze	....	property master
Lou Boggs	....	propmaker
Noah Bradley	....	carpenter
Stan Cockerell	....	assistant property master
Joe Del Monte	....	construction coordinator
Jeanne Develle	....	assistant set decorator
Walter Lab	....	head scenic painter
Josh Miller	....	props
Charlie Montoya	....	set dresser
Gary Petersen	....	construction gang boss
Ernest M. Sanchez	....	lead man
Sean Sobczak	....	props
Christopher Windisch	....	construction foreman

Sound Department
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator
Andy Brokmeyer	....	utility sound
Michael C. Casper	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Dunn	....	supervising sound editor
Ezra Dweck	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor
Hank Garfield	....	sound
Douglas Hinton	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Holzborn	....	foley artist
James Morioka	....	first assistant sound editor
Rick Owens	....	foley artist
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	supervising adr editor
Bill Meadows	....	dubbing recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gene Grigg	....	special effects
Jason Gustafson	....	special effects foreman
Kenn Jenkins	....	special effects assistant
Scott Kodrik	....	special effects technician
Casey Pritchett	....	special effects second man
Corey Pritchett	....	special effects
Darrell Pritchett	....	special effects coordinator
Darrell Pritchett	....	special effects
Wayne Toth	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital

Stunts
Joe Bucaro III	....	stunts
Jennifer Caputo	....	stunts
John Casino	....	stunts
Carl Ciarfalio	....	stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunts
Jeff Della Penna	....	stunts
Lori Dillen	....	stunts
Donna Evans	....	stunts
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts
Brian Imada	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Jeff Imada	....	stunt coordinator
Steven Ito	....	stunts
Tatsuro Koike	....	stunts
Steven Lambert	....	stunts
Steve Martinez	....	stunts
Rita Minor	....	stunts
Linda Perlin	....	stunts
Jimmy N. Roberts	....	stunts
Mario Roberts	....	stunts
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunts
Danny Weselis	....	stunts
Cris Thomas-Palomino	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Banister	....	second assistant camera
Ron Cardarelli	....	key grip
David M. Dunlap	....	director of photography: second unit
John J. Ellingwood	....	first assistant camera
Hank Herrera	....	grip
Leonard E. Hoffman	....	electrician
Neil Jacobs	....	still photographer
Dan Jones	....	electrician
Dominic Napolitano	....	assistant camera
Leo J. Napolitano	....	camera operator
Ray Ortega	....	electrician
Brad Peterman	....	first assistant camera
Derick Pritchard	....	lighting technician
Keith Roverud	....	best boy
Thomas J. Ruffner	....	dolly grip
Jack S. Schlosser	....	gaffer
George Stephenson	....	camera operator
Jeff Neumann	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Alan Swain	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ronnie Hollis	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe Diaz	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Craig Brown	....	apprentice editor
Mato	....	color timer
Sharon McGeeney	....	negative cutter
Richard B. Molina	....	assistant editor
Richmond Riedel	....	assistant editor

Music Department
E. 'Bucket' Baker	....	musician: percussion
Jeffrey Baxter	....	musician: guitars
John Carpenter	....	musician: rhythm guitar and synthesizers
Steve Cropper	....	musician: lead guitar
Donald Dunn	....	musician: bass (as Donald V. 'Duck' Dunn)
Carl Fortina	....	orchestra coordinator
Paul Mirkovich	....	conductor
Paul Mirkovich	....	orchestrator
Bruce Robb	....	music engineer
Bruce Robb	....	music mixer
Bruce Robb	....	music producer
Bruce Robb	....	music supervisor
Bruce Robb	....	musician: Hammond B3 organ/piano/percussion
Joe Robb	....	musician: saxophone
Rick Shlosser	....	musician: drums
Bruce Robb	....	music contractor (uncredited)
Bruce Robb	....	music editing (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Wendy S. Hallin	....	transportation captain
Dana Schisler	....	driver

Other crew
Doug Acton	....	set medic
Benu Bhandari	....	script supervisor
Kelli L. Bright	....	production coordinator
Karin Costa	....	assistant to director
James Deeth	....	helicopter pilot
Michael Dellheim	....	location manager
Carol Green	....	unit publicist
Glenn Nicol	....	production accountant
Michael Papac	....	armorer
Teofilo Sanchez	....	set medic
George Stapleton	....	animal trainer
Lawrence Tolle	....	production assistant
Joshua Vancil	....	assistant location scout
Joshua Vancil	....	assistant sound stage location manager
Mark D. Wray	....	set medic
Melodee Spevack	....	adr voice (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Film Office
• JVC Entertainment Networks
• Largo Entertainment
• Spooky Tooth Productions
• Storm King Productions

Distributors

• Arthaus Filmverleih (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• CTV International (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors (1999) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (1999) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Film Distributors (1998) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (1999) (Finland) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• LK-TEL (1999) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (1999) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MAWA Film & Medien (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2004) (Finland) (TV)
• Roadshow Home Video (1999) (Australia) (video)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (1998) (USA) (all media)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group (special make-up effects)

Other Companies

• Angel Security  security
• Bruce Schluter Design Inc.  main titles
• Bruce Schluter Design Inc.  title design: end titles
• Cherokee Studios  music recording studio
• Directors Sound & Editorial Services  adr and foley recording
• E=mc²  video displays
• Milan Records  soundtrack
• No Stone Unturned Security & Investigative Services  set security (as Angel Security)
• Pacific Title/Mirage  opticals
• Reeltime Creative  trailer music
• Robb Brothers, The  music production
• Spacecam Systems  spacecam aerial camera system
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  re-recording
• Weddington Productions  re-recording fx

Also Known As:

"John Carpenter's Vampires" - USA (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong vampire violence and gore, language and sexuality

Runtime:

108 min | Germany:104 min (cut version) | Argentina:106 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted | Netherlands:16 | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (VHS) (1999) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (DVD) (2001) | Philippines:R-18 | Chile:14

Filming Locations:

Bonanza Creek Ranch - 15 Bonanza Creek Lane, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Film Office

Trivia:

For this film, John Carpenter wanted to stay away from the stereotype of gothic vampires and wanted to make his vampires "savages" and not be "brooding loneliness in their existence. They're too busy ripping and tearing humans apart."

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning, a group of vampires slayers approaches a crooked house. One of them is holding a spear which repeatedly switches hands and position between shots.

Quotes:

Father Adam Guiteau:A master vampire, able to walk in the sunlight, unstoppable. Unless we stop him.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Bad Movie Beatdown: Ghosts of Mars (#4.22)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Padre's Wood

Fade in, Fade Out

I'm a big fan of John Carpenter. But in his latest films, I've noticed somewhat of a clumsy way he directs his films. It's almost as if the films were rushed and some scenes or even shots, just weren't filmed. He fades between all of his scenes... Sometimes, leaving us wanting more, but he just fades to the end of it. Sometimes, the scenes he uses could have been completly cut out and not used with the fade-technique whatsoever.

Anyway, I just had to get that off my mind. Off to the plot:

Jack Crow is a Master Slayer, meaning that he kills vampire for the catholic church, and has been doing that for his entire life. After he cleans out a nest of Vampires in New Mexico, his team gets ambushed my a powerful vampire named Valek. Valek kills the entire team of slayers, except for Jack and his friend Montoya. They also manage to bring a hooker along with them, who got bitten by the vampire. Using the hookers telepathic link with her master, the two try to hunt down Valek and find out what he's up to.

This film is gory. Really gory. Most likely John Carpenters goriest film to date, counting The Thing. Some might think that gore is an unnecessary way of filming, but in this film: Gore is not used to "impress" or "Show off". It's used as a background thing. I didn't feel that it was a way of using the gore to create "terror". And if you happen to like gore, you'll find one redeeming factor in this film.

The acting is good. James Woods is really funny as Jack Crow at times, altough Daniel Baldwin isn't really "great", nor is Tim Guinee. But the acting holds up. There's not much else to say other than that James Woods is funny... at times.

The action in this film is quite abundant, yet it's not that great. It can be enjoyable but at the same time the action is very repetive. That doesn't bode very well. Another thing abut this film is that it's too damn long for an action/horror film. Its almost 2 hours long. They should have made it 90 minutes instead, as that would be more fitting of a movie of this "type".

Well. The film is boring sometimes, yet it has some redeeming factors. All in all I give it a six. Nothing great, but if you're a John Carpenter fan you'll like it. And you might want to see how his style has changed. Dramaticly.