Director – Jeffrey Arsenault (Vampire Playmates, Dracula’s Guest)
Starring – Lori Thomas (Stab 2, End of the World), Robin Macklin (Teach Me, Morning Glory), and Cynthia Polakovich (Tinsel Town, Nocturnia)
Release Date – 2000
Rating – 1/5
Blu Release – 4/5
I grew up on vampire flicks. While I loved the Universal Dracula and Hammer horror vampire flicks, I was obsessed with Fright Night, The Lost Boys, My Best Friend is a Vampire, Vamp, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Children of the Night, Subspecies, and so many more. Vampires were an essential part of my childhood and a sub-genre that I still enjoy. It’s not often that I cross paths with a vampire flick that I’ve never seen but when I do you can bet your ass I’m going to check it out.
A few weeks back I got a press release for Date with a Vampire from my friends over at Visual Vengeance. This was a new one to me so I rushed to my email and hit up Visual Vengeance for a review copy. They sent me over to MVD and a few days later I had a copy to check out. I want to thank VV and MVD for sending this one over!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows Violet (Thomas) who is a vampire that not only craves blood but is a sex addict. She suffers from an endless cycle of bringing victims, male and female, back to her bed for sex before feeding on them. However, her most recent victim is more than that. **Spoiler Alert**
I was excited when I went into Date with a Vampire but I quickly saw that this was not for me. I have nothing against the films that explore the sexual side of vampirism. There has always been a sexual allure to vampires that can be traced back to the very beginning of the vampire mythos and has been shown in films since Universal’s Dracula. With that being said, it can’t be the only part of the story. The viewer needs something else to sink their teeth into so to speak.
The acting in this one is not the worst I’ve seen. While the cast does show a great deal of inexperience, they really got into their roles. There was a few scenes where the dialogue was extremely awkward but the acting was decent for the most part.
The story for this one is a bit repetitive and one sided. A female vampire wants to screw and then feed. Literally the extent of it. No real action, drama, or twists to hold the viewer’s attention. If the film would have embraced the sex and became a sexploitation then it would have became a bit more fun.
Finally, we have some make-up effects that looks solid for what it is but that is really the extent of the effects we have with this one. Overall, Date with a Vampire is one I really hoped I could get into but it just wasn’t for me. The story was severely lacking and the absence of fun deaths made this one a tough one to finish. Collectors will want to snag this release but those looking for something fun to watch may way to skip it.
Special Features:
Region Free Blu-ray
SD master from original tape elements
Commentary with director Jeffrey Arsenault
Interview with director Jeffrey Arsenault
Interview with screenwriter Kevin J. Lindenmuth
Interview with actress Cynthia Polakovich
Interview with ‘Basement Vampire’ actor Joe Zaso
Location Manager Nathan Thompson: Date With a Vampire Memories
Buckingham Manor Location Video with Nathan Thompson
Image Gallery
Original Trailer
Bonus Film: Blood Craving (2002)
Blood Craving Commentary with director Jeffrey Arsenault
Blood Craving Interview with director Jeffrey Arsenault
Blood Craving Image Gallery
Blood Craving: Original First Draft Trailers
After Midnight Entertainment: Trailer Reel
Visual Vengeance trailers
Reversible sleeve featuring new Blood Craving art
Folded mini-poster
Optional English subtitles
Limited Edition O-Card by Rick Melton – FIRST PRESSING ONLY AND WHILTE SUPPLIES LAST
