“Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don’t know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflowed into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.”
Patrick Bateman-American Psycho
This was a late addition to my Halloweenfest list. I had heard of the film, and it was on my radar, but for some reason, I thought it was similar to Once Bitten. I already had a lot of horror comedy on my list, so I wanted something more serious. Then I read a few reviews and realized that while it is technically a horror comedy, it’s not a wacky one.
Nic Cage stars as Peter Loew, an executive at an advertising agency. He’s a yuppy who bullies his employees by day, and by night, he parties and womanizes. One night, Peter meets Rachel, played by Jennifer Beals. Their fling soon turns into a bloodletting. Night after night, Rachel returns to feed on Peter as he slowly descends into madness.
I’m not the biggest fan of Nic Cage’s early work because it always feels like he’s acting. His characters are never grounded, and he’s always using a weird voice. Vampire’s Kiss isn’t much different. I don’t love his performance, especially in the first act. By the film’s end, the character transformation fits Cage’s performance much better. Jennifer Beals is great as a seductive vampire. She gets to have a lot of fun with the role, and it’s great to see her in this type of performance.
Robert Bierman’s direction is excellent. He uses Cage’s character in a very unique way. The audience is rooting for Peter one moment, and the next, you can’t stand him. The horror elements are primarily psychological, and Peter’s descent into madness is terrifying. The physical horror isn’t the best and is where much of the humor originates.
The third act was surprising and very effective. I had more questions than answers, but that’s the point. Bierman focuses on Peter’s relationship with his lifestyle rather than his interpersonal relationships. Despite going out every night and having a lot of money, Peter lives a secluded, lonely life, and no one really cares about his emotional state.
Vampire’s Kiss is fun and thought-provoking. We hear a lot in today’s culture about how great American Psycho is, but that film owes an awful lot to Vampire’s Kiss. The parallels between Patrick Bateman and Peter Loew are many. What makes Vampire’s Kiss so different is the supernatural but also the closure. Loew’s character gets to find some respite. Nic Cage’s performance was grating at first, but I came around to enjoying it by the final act. Director Robert Bierman should be lauded for assembling a truly unique entry into the vampire subgenre!
Rating: 7.5/10
