Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

Flighty teenage girl Buffy Summers learns that she is her generation's destined battler of vampires.

Director:

Fran Rubel Kuzui

Writer:

Joss Whedon

Stars:

Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kristy Swanson	...	Buffy
Donald Sutherland	...	Merrick
Paul Reubens	...	Amilyn
Rutger Hauer	...	Lothos
Luke Perry	...	Pike
Michele Abrams	...	Jennifer
Hilary Swank	...	Kimberly
Paris Vaughan	...	Nicole 'Nicki'
David Arquette	...	Benny
Randall Batinkoff	...	Jeffrey
Andrew Lowery	...	Andy
Sasha Jenson	...	Grueller
Stephen Root	...	Gary Murray
Natasha Gregson Wagner	...	Cassandra
Candy Clark	...	Buffy's Mom

Storyline

Buffy Summers (Kristy Swanson) has the lifestyle any young woman could want. Cheerleading, dating the Captain of the basketball team, and copious amounts of time spent shopping with friends. She had no idea of her true calling until a mysterious man named Merrick (Donald Sutherland) approached her and told her that she is the Slayer; one woman called to defend the world from vampires. Reluctant to concede to the fact, Buffy soon learns that Merrick speaks the truth and so begins to take her new life seriously while trying to maintain the sense of normality her life had once been. With her best friends slowly abandoning her, Buffy finds solace in the town outcast, Pike (Luke Perry), who knows very well the terrors that have arisen. Together, they combat the forces of the old and powerful vampire, Lothos (Rutger Hauer), who has his eyes set on Buffy.

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Plot Keywords:

mentor student relationship | destiny | high school | coming of age | teenage girl | 

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Taglines:

Pert. Wholesome. Way Lethal.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Fantasy | Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for comic vampire violence and drug references

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the original version of the script, Merrick (Donald Sutherland) committed suicide to escape being turned into a vampire by Lothos (Rutger Hauer), who wanted to know the Slayer's identity so he could dispatch her. It is this version that was restored in the Buffy "Origin" comic.

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Goofs

The prologue is set in the Dark Ages, (the centuries of barbarism which followed the collapse of the Roman Empire), and Merrick later confirms that this was before the Crusades. However, the costumes depicted are from the medieval period, which came many hundreds of years after the Dark Ages ended.

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Quotes

[Buffy stakes Lothos]
Lothos: Now I'm really pissed off.

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Crazy Credits

TV interviews with people who were at the dance attacked by vampires.

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Alternate Versions

The original theatrical release received a "12" rating in the UK without any cuts however, the video release was rated "15" with 11 seconds cut. The scene in which Lothos ignites Buffy's cross was removed and instead of immolating his head, she merely flees. At the time, the "12" rating did not cover video releases, only theatrical so it was rated "15" and the scenes in question may be imitated by younger viewers. In 2002, all previous cuts were waived and the video release was rated "15".

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Connections

Referenced in Love, Death & Robots: Sucker of Souls (2019)

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Soundtracks

Party with the Animals
Written by Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde and Rondy Castillio
Produced by Duane Baron and John Purdell
Performed by Ozzy Osbourne
Courtesy of Epic Associated Records

User Reviews

You have to be seriously uptight not to find this hilarious.

I can't believe other reviewers called this moving "boring and idiotic". Um...hello...what were they expecting, a serious, contemplative piece of cinema? It's completely silly, as it's supposed to be. If it wasn't good, would it have inspired a (far inferior, in my opinion) television spin off? Watch it with no expectations. You'll be impressed. Kirsty Swanson does that Alicia Silverstone in "Clueless" thing perfectly. My friends and I have made it a ritual to watch this movie every couple months with a bottle of wine and a big bowl of popcorn. Nothing better on a rainy night. Don't listen to the bozos who said this isn't worth seeing. It's hilarious, trust me.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 July 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Filming Locations:

Merry-Go-Round, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,515,541, 2 August 1992

Gross USA:

$16,624,456

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$16,624,456

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Kuzui Enterprises, Sandollar

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1