Song of the Vampire (2001) (V)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Denice Duff

Writers:

Ron Ford (writer)
Jose Prendes (writer)

Release Date:

4 June 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

She awoke him from the grave to love again

Plot Keywords:

Female Nudity | Male Nudity | Vampire | Crossbow | Morgue

Cast

Denice Duff	...	Caroline / Victoria Thorn
James Horan	...	Jonathon Travers
Jillian McWhirter	...	Rose
Frank Bruynbroek	...	Marty
Marilyn O'Connor	...	Aunt Zerelda
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Geoff, Morgue Attendant
Julie Michaels	...	Maggie
John Mese	...	Police Officer Ben
Scott Spearman	...	Police Officer
Debbie Fleming	...	Erica Dunn / Singer in Club
R.W. Smith	...	Parole Officer (as Ron Smith)
Joss Martin	...	Man in Street
Tyler Stafford	...	Tyler
Dillon Crane	...	Young Boy
Paris Duff	...	Little Girl

Also Known As:

Vampire Resurrection (USA) (DVD title)

Runtime:

USA:77 min

Country:

USA

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Angry Video Game Nerd: Chronologically Confused About Sequel Titles (#1.15)" (2006)

cobbled together with love

"Song of the Vampire" is one of those movies that took years to complete, not because it's a vast and elaborate undertaking, but because it was stitched together on a tiny budget, probably in the production team's spare time. Rest assured that there are bloopers and signs of amateurism aplenty. But if you're reading this, you're probably already a low budget horror fan, so no doubt you're used to production values that aren't exactly blockbuster-level.

What really matters is the story, and in this case, it holds together pretty well. The basic premise is older than the hills; a vampire returns from his grave to seek a lost love. But there's some unique elements in the mix, including a very sympathetic heroine who is stalked by a psycho ex-boyfriend. Other commentators have complained that the domestic drama drags the movie down to a "chick-flick, Lifetime special of the week" level, but hey, I think it works. It's cool to get a female director's perspective on horror, and I find it annoying that so many male viewers are quick to dismiss a story that isn't as drenched in testosterone as something they would produce.

The directing is solid, considering that Denise "Subspecies" Duff wasn't working with decent cameras or lighting equipment. On the DVD commentary, she cheerfully admits that many of the props were obtained from Wal-Mart! But she's a very good photographer, and she knows how to frame interesting shots and inject a bit of mood here and there. Her work certainly eclipses much of what Full Moon did - with a lot more money - during the early 1990s. The only really amateurish parts are the action scenes; the gore is pretty convincing, but the slow-mo and synthesized suspense music are silly.

No doubt the people who will work to track this movie down are the same people it was made for. So you'll probably like it, you wacked-horror buff. Just be prepared for a movie that's less violent and OTT than "Subspecies," and a bit more grounded in the real world. Well, the real world, plus one hammy vampire.