Blood: The Last Vampire (Anime)

                                                                                                                    

Date Of Release: 29th July 2000 (Worldwide), 18th November 2000 (Japan)

Director: Hiroyuki Kitakubo

Producer: Ryuji Mitsumoto, Yukio Nagasaki

Starring: Youki Kudo, Joe Romersa

Running Time: 50 minutes

Distributor: Production I.G

Review

There are very few films that I would actually place in my top 10; this is quite possibly one of my favourite movies of all time. I have been a big fan of anime for years and have watched every type of movie and series going (yes, even the cheesy ones!). This film is from the creators of Ghost in the Shell, which itself, is an excellent series. When I heard that they were doing a vampire film, I didn't take it too seriously. It was either going to be extremely funny or very over the top serious. Imagine my joy when it was actually something completely in its own league.

The film has a very dark setting, from start to finish. This really helps set of that dark, horror scene. The script is also very simple but effective. The only criticism that the film ever had was its lack of character building, but you can easily over look that (there was a series after called Blood + which was loosely based on it, that may give you the character background that you crave). Another criticism would be that the movie is relatively short compared to most. Although it feels like one big episode, you forget that halfway through as it is able to suck you into the story. You will be also glad to know that there are no cheesy vampires in this movie. No, these are proper monsters of a type that you won't have seen before. They are referred to as "chiropterans", basically a bat like creature.

My favourite scene would have to be the Halloween school dance scene. It is very simple, the creature has a sack over them and they manage to grab the teacher in a busy dance hall with no one noticing> May not sound like a big deal but that really stuck with me somehow, it is borderline creepy. The end scene is quite a poignant one, I won't give it away but it pulls the film together I think. For all you gore freaks, there is a fair bit of blood flying around (literally) in this movie which I think would satisfy your needs.

It is a bit of a cult classic and sometimes it has to grow on a person a bit for them to like it but I took to it straight away. It was everything that I loved about an anime and everything I wanted to be different in it also. If you are a big fan of the genre and have not seen it yet then where have you been??? If you are not however, you should still see it anyway....because I told you too!!

Rating: 10/10 - A bloody good film that even the last of you vampires should see!

30 Days Of Night

                                                                                 

Date Of Release: 19th October 2007

Director: David Slade

Producer: Sam Raimi, Ted Adams, Rob Tapert

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Mark Boone Junior, Ben Foster

Running Time: 109 minutes

Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Review

As most of you will have guessed by now, I am a bit of a comic book freak. I especially love comics that were considered very "underground" at the time. 30 days of night is no exception. I collected the graphic novels as soon as they came out and immediatley fell in love with not only the amazing artwork but the whole concept. It is easy in this day and age to dismiss another vampire movie. Goodness knows that the genre has almost been done to the death, so when I heard that the comic novel was being adapted into a movie, my heart really did sink a little. After watching it however, I was certainly eating my words.

This really is not just another vampire movie. It is based on an Alaskan town, who has just entered into a 30 day long polar night, for those of you that don't know what that means, the town is basically night time for the next 30 days. This gives way to the town being over run with vampires. Seems boring but it really is not. For starters, the movie has some how managed to keep its comic book feel without going over the top, which, for a bit of a comic geek, is very refreshing. What I love most is that they have kept the gore in the movie (which if you have read the novels, you will understand what I am talking about). They really don't mess around with the blood. Put it this way, if you have a weak stomach, then I am afraid that this movie is really not for you!

The look of the vampires is the next thing you will point out. They are ment to be almost ancient, even having their own language, but somehow still come across as quite modern. Rather than your basic set of fangs, they have a rather sharp set of needle like teeth. I can't say that I am a massive fan of Josh Hartnett and he wouldn't have been my first choice for this movie but I actually think he done the character a bit of justice. If I had to pick a favourite scene then it would have to be when Eben sacrifices himself to save the others. I don't want to give too much away but it was quite clever.

The story may seem like a simple one but if you don't like it then all I can say is please don't fob off the franchise as the novels are amazing! I was very suprised by this film. I had really set a low bar for it, as I am pretty sure most people do when it comes to remakes or adaptions, but you will really love it. There is nothing out there like it and that is what we like at the end of the day, a bit of originality!

Rating: 9/10 - I can think of 30 ways the might get you for not buying this!





Underworld

 

 

Date Of Release: 19^th September 2003

Director: Len Wiseman

Producer: Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Richard Wright

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Shane Brolly, Erwin Leder

Running Time: 121 minutes (133 for the extended cut)

Distributor: Screen Gems

 

 

Review

This film came out when I was 16 and I was heavily into vampires back then. I loved this film then and I still love it now 9 years on. The vampire film had been done to death. What else could they possibly do with the genre? Then this film came out. The story is about the on-going secret battle between the vampires and the lycans (werewolves). It is a story of wrong doing, betrayal and a battle of survival.

When the film came out there were mixed feelings, mainly negative ones. Some liked it and some didn’t. Those who didn’t like it felt it was just another vampire story, and essentially, that is what it is, but it has a bit more than that. The film is very fast paced and has a consistent plot. The atmosphere of the film is very dark and modern, a lot of dark black and blue hues used. Even the clothing everyone wears is predominantly black (to make them appear more “gothic” maybe?). The vampires themselves don’t look like your stereotypical vampires. They don’t all have pale skin and protruding fangs, they actually look slightly normal, apart from the elders but that’s to be expected I suppose. Some of them have bright blue eyes but that’s as far as it goes. The Lycans transformation is also pretty cool. Again, they aren’t your stereotypical wolf. When they are not transformed they are pretty normal.

 

 

 

The best scene would have to be the one where the guy who is a mix breed of both, transforms. I like how they managed to put the 2 species together. All of the fight scenes really hold their own too, with the actors doing most of their own stunts. The only thing that I would have really liked to see would be more back story to the characters (although, films 2 and 3 do this finally). This film has a slight teen angst to it and I think that is why I, and others, loved it so much. Some may find it a bit flimsy but essentially it is a very good film in the vampire series.

 

Rating: 8/10 – Under the world and far away….all the vampires come to prey!! (on those that haven’t bought this anyway….)