John Carpenter's Vampries

Film: Vampires
Genre: Action/Horror
Director: John Carpenter
Year: 1998
Starring: James Woods & Daniel Baldwin






With the slew of vampire movies out today, it is refreshing to sometimes go back and look at films with the mythical creatures, wherein they don't sparkle and run about the woods. And, what a better way to look at these modern vampire films that pre-date the current craze, than with a film by my favorite director John Carpenter? The vampires in this film are dirty, vengeful, apparently have rancid breath, and are flat out brutal.

The story is about a professional vampire slayer named Jack Crow(Woods), who has been tracking down and eradicating vampires in the American southwest. Following an investigation of a house nested with vampires, Crow and his team are attacked by the head-vampire who kills everyone but Crow, his teammate Montoya(Baldwin), and a prostitute. Eventually they learn that the head-vampire is the original vampire, who has come to the United States searching for a relic that will allow him to walk in the daytime. Hasn't this happened to us all?

Visually, Carpenter's look well employed. His use of wide shots, and static camera movements has become a signature look in his film, and has essentially become his trademark. The cinematography works well in constructing the film's atmosphere, you truly feel as though you are in the southwest. The use of a pink filter on the sky gives an illusion of the romanticized west, and how you would imagine it after looking at endless hotel room painting.

As this was a film made by Carpenter in the 90's, it usually gets grouped in a category of lackluster films that aren't worth seeing. Noted, his films have been in a slow decline since his release of John Carpenter's The Thing in 1982, but that doesn't mean this film isn't worth watch. If you like gritty action movies, then watch this one. But, unfortunately, the film seems to lose momentum in the third act. Most of the antagonists just run away, Crow's character seems to go back and forth between attitudes, so it becomes almost impossible to attach yourself to him.


Memorable Moments:
• When the main characters enter the village of Sandiego for the final battle. The use of shadows, and lighting makes you feel as though this town is truly empty, but it also gave me a sense of waking. Like when to take a nap in the afternoon, and wake up at dusk.


• While looking for a car to steal Baldwin looks down a road, and due to the angle of his face, he looks like he is slowly transforming into someone else.