Abe’s Tomb aka Abe’s Tomb: The Movie is a 2006 [released 2007] American supernatural vampire horror film written, produced, photographed and directed by Carl R. Merritt (his only credit); it stars Lisa Adore, Bonnie Albertini and Ray Basham.

Moore’s Lake: a small town plagued by feral vampires. The local residents only chance to survive rests on an all-powerful ghoul that long ago vowed to seek vengeance upon the town…

Reviews:

“Jeez, the town of Moore’s Lake would have been safe if there was an English language plague since the “stars” of this flick butchered the poor language effectively. Oh, the beauty of Abe’s Tomb! From the bizarre video game punch sounds to the fight scenes that look like a Self Defense for Epileptics class, Abe’s Tomb is an unheralded disasterpiece! David Hayes, Cinema Head Cheese

“The action is poor with the fights unconvincing and the editing of said scenes jerky at times but, you know what, they had a go. This isn’t brilliant, it isn’t going to set the world alight and it needed (beyond anything else) the story tidying up… big time… but they had a go and you can tell there was some heart in it.” Taliesin Meets the Vampires

“If you ignore the weak acting, mediocre writing, tiny budget, cheap effects, and unoriginal plot, it isn’t all that bad.” The Wild Ghost

“My God this was hilarious! I think The Room, Troll 2 and Birdemic: Shock and Terror all just relinquished their “Worst Movie Ever” awards.” The Great MC, YouTube

IMDb

Related: Worst Horror Movies of All-Time

Strange Battle – original title: 荒坟魅影 aka Huang Cun Yuan Ling – is a 2015 Chinese supernatural horror film directed by Zhang Shaojun; it stars Wang Xiaoyi, Huang Bailu and Norman Chui.

Based on a strange incident that supposedly happened in Xiangxi in 1945, Strange Battle lifts the veil of secrecy horrific truth about the arrival of vampire and a poisonous insect.

Main cast:

• Wang Xiaoyi
• Huang Bailu
• Norman Chui – Dream Home
• Zong Liqun
• Xiao Yi
• Zhu Laicheng
• Yu Qiuyao
• Luo Buyi
• Chen Jiajun
• Yang Lin
• Li Ran

Release:

Strange Battle was released in China on 8 January 2016.

At the time of posting here, the film is not currently listed on the IMDb

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‘The domain of the damned’

Forest of the Vampire is a 2016 American supernatural horror film written, produced, photographed, edited and directed by John R. Hand (The Synthetic Man; Frankenstein’s Bloody Nightmare). It stars Caitlyn Moore, Paul Camp and Starla Snowdon.

Four young people on a road trip take a detour and hike into a remote forest, finding a strange local landmark named Enchanted Rock.

The friends soon discover that the forest is under the control of a vampire and his underlings, and now they must fight for survival while finding the source of the vampire’s mysterious powers…

Main cast:

• Caitlyn Moore … Jessica – Franky; Urban Myths; Soulless
• Paul Camp … Baal – Jollenbach
• Starla Snowdon … Neptis
• Ian Pala … Rex
• Joe De Luca … Jim
• Destiny Baldwin … Tina – From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
• Stevie Marceaux … Lisa
• Phoebe Rivas … D.J.
• Richard Tuckwell-Brown … Chance
• April Hand … Camper Mom #1 – Sam
• Kasey Sherwood … Camper Mom #2 – Laurie
• Gary Kent … Man in Store – Bonehill Road; Revenge of the Devil Bat; The Forest; Dracula vs. Frankenstein; The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant; Sinthia: The Devil’s Doll; The Mighty Gorga 

Filming locations:

Austin and Cedar Park, Texas, USA

IMDb

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‘Death is just the beginning.’

Teeth and Blood is a 2015 supernatural horror film written and directed by Al Franklin and Pamela J. Richardson. It stars Danielle Vega, Glenn Plummer, King Kedar, Michelle Van Der Water and Sean Christopher.

A beautiful diva is murdered on the set of horror director Vincent Augustine’s latest film ‘Chapel Blood’.

Somewhere between the crime scene and the coroner’s van, the body mysteriously disappears. Meanwhile, the city’s supply of donated blood is being dangerously depleted.

Suspecting a connection between the events, detectives Mike Hung and Sasha Colfax go undercover at the studio to investigate. Their attempt to crack the case quickly turns into a desperate battle for survival when they uncover an age-old war between rival vampire covens that threatens to consume humanity…

Reviews:

“This is a film of could have been/should have been. The concepts were there but the acting wasn’t, the playing for laughs seemed off (or maybe it just missed my funny bone), the plotting was loose and it needed something it just didn’t have. A shame.” Taliesin Meets the Vampires

“As far as Plummer’s recent genre fare goes, Teeth and Blood is actually a bit above par, if only because Van Der Water, who surprisingly has never landed a bigger part than Tony Todd’s sister in Minotaur, delivers a performance above the level of the material… plus, she’s purrty.” Black Horror Movies

Main cast and characters:

• Glenn Plummer … Vincent Augustine – Monsters in the Woods; The Other Side; Dexter TV series; Vegas Vampires; VooDoo Curse: The Giddeh; Saw II; The Dead Zone TV series;
• Michelle Van Der Water … Det. Sasha Colfax – Minotaur
• Sean Hutchinson … Det. Mike Hung [as Sean Christopher]
• Danielle Vega … Lori Franklin
• King Kedar … Tyrese
• Frantz Turner … Captain Parker
• Marshal Hilton … Mayor Harvey Wright
• Steffinnie Phrommany … Elizabeth Thornrich
• Greg Eagles … Vampire Priest
• Jacqui Holland … Crystal Forester
• Marisha Shine … Starlet
• Keith Everett … Anchorman Bob
• Clint Jung … Old Man
• Matthew Fling … Cinematographer
• Stuart G. Bennett … Lighting Guy

IMDb | Image credits: Black Horror Movies

Evil of Dracula – original title: Chi o suu bara “Bloodsucking Rose” – is a 1974 Japanese supernatural horror film directed by Michio Yamamoto (Lake of Dracula; The Vampire Doll) from a screenplay by Ei Ogawa and Masaru Takesue, based very loosely on Bram Stoker‘s novel Dracula. The Toho production stars Toshio Kurosawa, Mariko Mochizuki, and Kunie Tanaka.

When Professor Shiraki starts his new job at Seimei School for Girls, he is unprepared for the horrors that await him in the classrooms. He arrives to discover the principal’s dead wife kept in the cellar, and his fellow teachers acting oddly towards the pupils.

With help from Shimomura, the school doctor, he begins to piece together the answer to the mystery behind the school and the disappearances there…

On 14 May 2018, Evil of Dracula is being issued in the UK by Arrow Video as part of a ‘Bloodthirsty Trilogy’ Blu-ray set. Extras include:

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation transferred from original film elements
• Uncompressed Mono 1.0 PCM audio
• Newly translated English subtitles
• Kim Newman on The Bloodthirsty Trilogy, a new video appraisal by the critic and writer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
• Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese film expert Jasper Sharp

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“Nudity and extra gore are added here including a nasty bit of “facial surgery”. While several elements are revisited from the previous movies, the back story is the most expansive of the two and also adapts ideas straight out of Stoker’s novel. It’s not as accomplished as the previous two entries, but well worth a look for vampire lovers and Japanese cinema aficionados.” Cool Ass Cinema

“The film is a joyously seamless piece of genre entertainment, largely free of the tonal hiccups that made Vampire Doll less so. Yamamoto — along with Manabe and co-writer Ei Ogawa — clearly learned from his experience as the series went on, and his resulting confidence and familiarity with the territory all ends up on the screen to our benefit.” Die, Danger, Die, Die, Kill!

” …the ‘isolated individual in an isolated location’ scenario, the occasionally slightly campy feel, the mix of suspenseful scenes and jolt-inducing ‘boo!’ moments, the vampire’s noticeable pallor, odd moments of unpleasantness, the spooky atmosphere, etc. But the ante is upped somewhat by the employment of a much faster pace and the involvement of more supporting characters.” Lee Broughton, DVD Savant

“There are some interesting touches here; the backstory involving the torture of a Christian (at a time in Japanese history when that faith was not allowed) is unusual, the use of a white rose with sharp thorns (and which turns red at one point) is a good touch, the vampires bite their victims on the breast rather than on the neck, and, this being Japan, there is no use of the usual Christian symbols to ward off vampires.” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“In comparison to Lust for a Vampire, Evil of Dracula is much more sedate. Lust was overflowing with busty teenage girls in a ready state of undress but here Yamamoto has excised almost all suggestion of any sexual element. In this sense, Evil of Dracula comes much closer to the original repressions of Stoker’s Dracula, where the chief vampire, like Dracula, serves to turn the female victims into dangerous forces who are occasionally imbued with sensual interest.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“Even if one doesn’t care to consider whether there’s any symbolic meaning to the story, there are a few visual pleasures to enjoy for their own sake. The trio of schoolgirls that fight each other for the attention of Shiraki, also have the habit of pricking themselves with thorns from a white rose thoughtfully provided by the vampire principal.” Coffee Coffee and More Coffee

“Though it drags a little at first, Evil of Dracula builds to an exciting conclusion and features some genuinely unsettling scenes, both creepy (a hand rising from a coffin behind the oblivious Shiraki) and gory: a face-removal scene (shades of Les yeux sans visage?) which is truly nasty […] The vampire’s eventual demise is also pretty horrific.” MJ Simpson, Cult films and the people who make them

Main cast and characters:

• Toshio Kurosawa … Professor Shiraki
• Mariko Mochizuki … Kumi Saijô
• Kunie Tanaka … Dr. Shimomura
• Shin Kishida … The Principal
• Katsuhiko Sasaki … Professor Yoshi
• Mio Ôta … Yukiko Mitamura
• Mika Katsuragi … Principal’s Wife
• Keiko Aramaki … Kyôko Hayashi
• Yûnosuke Itô … Takakura / Detective
• Yasuko Agawa … Keiko Nonomiya, Student in Blue Sheer Negligee [as Tomoe Mari]

IMDb | Image credits: Coffee Coffee and More Coffee | Cool Ass Cinema

‘The battle between good and

Way of the Vampire – aka Bram Stoker’s Way of the Vampire – is a 2005 American horror film directed by Sarah Nean Bruce and Eduardo Durão from a screenplay Karrie Melendrez, Michael David Stewart and Sherri Strain. It stars Rhett Giles, Andreas Beckett and Paul Logan.

Dr. Abraham Van Helsing is granted immortality by the Catholic Church until he can hunt down the last vampire prince…

Reviews:

” …clearly intended to cash in on Stephen Sommers’ 2004 big-budget spectacular, Van Helsing, which in itself isn’t a particularly memorable film. Compared to this stinker, though, Van Helsing looks like one of the Universal classics it was trying to emulate. A poorly acted, horribly paced mess of a movie…” Dave Becker, 2,500 Movies Challenge

“All in all, the movie is just what it is: a low-budget effort at joining the league of the Blade movies. It fails, but I give it points for trying. It’s a reasonably entertaining and not altogether poorly made movie.” Absolute Horror

IMDb

Family Blood is a 2018 American horror vampire film directed by Sonny Mallhi (Anguish) from a screenplay co-written with Nick Savvides (Black Cab; Ward 3). The Divide/Conquer production stars Vinessa Shaw, James Ransone, and Colin Ford.

Ellie (Vinessa Shaw), a recovering drug addict, has just moved to a new city with her two teenage children. She has struggled to stay sober in the past and is determined to make it work this time, finding a stable job and regularly attending her meetings.

Unfortunately, new friends, a new job, and the chance of a new life can’t keep Ellie from slipping once again. Her life changes when she meets Christopher (James Ransone) – a different kind of addict – which forces her daughter and son to accept a new version of Ellie…

Family Blood will be released via Netflix on March 31, 2018.

Main cast and characters:

• Vinessa Shaw … Ellie – Clinical; The Hills Have Eyes (2006); Hocus Pocus
• James Ransone … Christopher – Sinister and Sinister II; Fun Size Horror: Volume Two; Prom Night (2008)
• Colin Ford … Kyle – Supernatural TV series
• Ajiona Alexus … Meegan
• Ciaran Brown … Eddie

IMDb

Sunset Society is a 2018 American horror vampire film directed by Rolfe Kanefsky (Party Bus to Hell; The Black Room; There’s Nothing Out There; et al) and actress Phoebe Dollar (Rat Scratch Fever; Orgy of the Damned; Hell’s Highway). The latter also co-stars, alongside Lemmy Kilmister (Hardware) and Ron Jeremy (One-Eyed Monster; They Bite).

Ace (Lemmy from Motörhead) is the head vampire in charge who likes to keep the fun going while keeping the profile low. However, due to a few rebels in his midst, humans are starting to catch on to his vampire ways.

In an attempt to keep a lid on his organization, Ace enlists the help of Frankie (Ron Jeremy), Sophia (Phoebe Dollar), and Mr. Cross (Robert Donavan) to stop the leak of information. An innocent woman is turned into a vampire without permission and she is starting to cause problems.

A streetwalker has recorded a DVD of real vampire activity on the Sunset Strip and is now selling the disc on the street to the highest bidder. And Dagger, a disgruntled vampire, wants to try to live as a human again no matter what the cost…

Sunset Society is released on Blu-ray in North America on July 24, 2018, by Cleopatra Entertainment. A special limited edition Blu-ray/DVD/CD/7 Inch single package is also being issued.

IMDb

Vampegeddon is a 2009 American vampire horror film directed by Jeffrey Alan Miller from a screenplay by David C. Hayes (Roller Boogie Massacre; Shower of Blood; Blood Orgy of the Damned; et al); it stars Jacqueline Smith, Katherine Von Forelle, and Josh Bingenheimer.

Chased out of the old world, the dark vampire Lord Giovanni flees to the American southwest where he sets up a new brood. Longshank, Britain’s premier vampire slayer follows him here, and in a final confrontation in the Arizona desert, both are killed.

A hundred years later, Melissa, a gorgeous goth lesbian college student, is obsessed with becoming a vampire and escaping her terrible home life.

Along with her four friends, Ted, Liz, Mona, and Kent, she regularly conducts ceremonies where she tries to commune with dark forces. When she buys an old, evil book at a creepy garage sale she finally has the key she has been searching for.

Following her dreams of Giovanni and a map from the book, the friends hike out to “Massacre Lane” and finally summon up some real vampires…

Reviews:

“They tell unfunny jokes (when the vampires don’t show up in the desert, Mel says “this place sucks”) and speak in dubbed speech that sounds like they took turns reciting dialogue into a computer mic, reading it off the page whilst half asleep. There’s also the horrible soundtrack, whether some nu-metal whatever or songs that sound like Lit or Len.” Thomas Duke, Cinema Gonzo

” …the vampires do nothing but hiss continually apart from speaking in some awful Belgianesque accent. The kids are all late 20′s and look older, and for some reason, the women keep getting their oversized jubblies out and believe me this is not a pretty sight.” Andy Deen, UK Horror Scene

The non-special effects are limited to monster make-up that makes the vampires look like Uncle Fester. It comes across as a student film and should’ve never been released to video — yes, the filmmaking is that bad. The only positives are one or two curvy girls and a great underground metal soundtrack by Glendale, Arizona’s Corvus…” Wuchak

Cast and characters:

• Jacqueline Smith … Liz
• Katherine Von Forelle … Melissa
• Josh Bingenheimer … Ted – Predatory Instinct; The Prometheus Project; The Death Factory Bloodletting
• Jimmy Flowers … Kent
• Sugar Cox … Mona
• Shane Dean … Giovanni
• Patrick Vaillancourt … Richard Longshank
• David C. Hayes … Mr. Rizzowski
• Rick Dyer … Igor
• Danny Marianino … Hooter
• Michael C. Alvarez … Scumbag
• Liana Hubbard … Vampire Slut 1
• Jenna Contreras … Vampire Slut 2
• Chynna Lyons … Vampire Slut 3
• Crystal Sommer … Vampire Slut 4

Filming locations:

Arizona, USA

IMDb

‘Even immortals have their beginnings.’

Dracul is a 2018 novel by Dacre Stoker – Bram Stoker’s great grandnephew – and J.D. Barker (Forsaken; The Fourth Monkey). The novel will be available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book on October 2, 2018, via American publisher G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Set in 1868, the new novel is a prequel to the original Dracula novel by Bram Stoker. In 2009, Dacre Stoker co-authored Dracula: The Un-Dead, with Ian Holt.

Paramount Pictures has already optioned a film adaptation of Dracul with Andy Muschietti (IT and IT: Part 2; Mama) apparently interested in directing.

Press release:

The prequel to Dracula, penned by a Stoker descendant and a bestselling writer, Dracul is a supernatural historical thriller in which a young Bram Stoker must confront an indescribable evil.

It is 1868, and a 22-year-old Bram Stoker has locked himself inside a desolate tower to face off against a vile and ungodly beast, armed with mirrors and crucifixes and holy water and a gun, kept company by a bottle of plum brandy, praying to survive a single night, the longest of his life. Desperate to leave a record of what he has witnessed, Bram scribbles out the events that led him here – a childhood illness, a haunting nanny, stories once thought to be fables now proven true.

A riveting novel of Gothic suspense, Dracul reveals not only Dracula’s true origin, but Bram Stoker’s – and the tale of the enigmatic woman who connects them.”

Source: Broke Horror Fan

‘They’re beautiful. They’re sexy. And hungry for human blood!’

Vampire Sisters is a 2004 American horror film directed by Joe Ripple (Jebediah; Stakes) and produced by Don Dohler (director of The Galaxy Invader; Nightbeast; The Alien Factor). The Timewarp Films production stars Darla Albornoz, Leanna Chamish, and Syn DeVil.

“These sexy sirens bring a whole new meaning to “Ladies of the Night” as they lure victim after victim to their VampSisters.com website.

Utilising the web to entice victims to their lair, they seductively work their beauty and their bodies to fulfil an unholy desire to feed on human blood!

Once the kinky fun begins, the sisters bare their fangs and the feeding frenzy begins! After these sensual bloodsuckers are finished, they drag the bodies to a hideous creature they keep locked in their shed. As the missing persons pile up, two undercover vice squad detectives pose as a kinky couple to infiltrate the Vampire Sisters’ home.

A chilling battle between the sisters and the undercover cops leads to a mind-blowing finally climax; Iggy — the creature in the shed — is finally released.” from Brain Damage Films plot synopsis

Reviews:

“The gore effects are limited, mostly confined to splashing blood but there is a scene where a man has his eyes drilled out, or should that be drilled in? The special effects are awful as well, the blood looks far too runny, almost like red water. There are a couple of brief CGI shots and again they’re awful.” B Movie Nation

“It’s an uncomplicated B-movie to be sure. You are promised sexy women attacking idiots that they pull off of their website and that is exactly what you get. Over and over again. Horny victim knocks on the front door, the vampire ladies do some teasing, and then the blood starts flowing.” Dr. Gore’s Movie Reviews

“Everything about the movie is slipshod, from the “acting” to the dialogue to the direction; the film is a sinkhole of suckage […] Vampire Sisters is endlessly repetitive, with the trio eating a victim and inviting another almost immediately afterwards…” David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

IMDb | Image credits: The Dwrayger Dungeon

There’s No Such Thing as Vampires is a 2019 American comedy horror film directed by Logan Thomas from a screenplay co-written with Aric Cushing.

The creature design and effects were created by Eric Fox at Morb-X studios.

A group of teenagers encounter vampires in a remote outpost…

Cast and characters:

• Meg Foster … Sister Frank – 31; Jeepers Creepers 3; Haunted: 333; Shrunken Heads; They Live; The Wind; The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Welcome to Arrow Beach; et al
• Raphael Sbarge … Detective Warren – Bates Motel; iZombie; Dexter; Bones; The Hidden II; Carnosaur; Monsters TV series; Werewolf TV series
• Josh Plasse … Joshua
• Emma Holzer … Ariel
• Maria Olsen … Sigfreda
• Judy Tenuta … Barbecue Becky – Deadly Crush
• Matthew Dennis Lewis … Cameron
• Tom McLaren … Detective Sykes
• Katherine Rodriguez … May
• Chiquita Fuller … Detective Lowery
• Matt Perfetuo … The Twins
• David A. Jørgensen … Oyvind
• James Adam Tucker … Officer Davis
• Mark Reininga … Officer Riley
• Mike Perfetuo … The Twins

IMDb

‘Terror waits for you in every room in’

The House That Dripped Blood is a 1970 British horror anthology film directed by Peter Duffell and produced by Amicus Productions. It stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Nyree Dawn Porter, Denholm Elliott, and Jon Pertwee.

The film is a collection of four short stories, all originally written and subsequently scripted by Robert Bloch, linked by the protagonist of each story’s association with the eponymous building.

Scream Factory is releasing The House That Dripped Blood on Blu-ray on May 8, 2018. The special features are:

• New audio commentary by film historian/author Troy Howarth
• New interview with second assistant director Mike Higgins
• Audio commentary with director Peter Duffell and author Jonathan Rigby
• A-Rated Horror Film – Vintage featurette with director Peter Duffell and actors Geoffrey Bayldon, Ingrid Pitt, and Chloe Franks
• Theatrical trailers: English and Spanish
• Radio spots
• Amicus radio spots collection
• Still gallery

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.com

Shortly after renting an old country house, film star Paul Henderson mysteriously disappears and Inspector Holloway (John Bennett) from Scotland Yard is called to investigate.

Inquiring at the local police station, Holloway is told some of the house’s history. He then contacts the estate agent (John Bryans) renting the house, who elaborates further by telling Holloway about its previous tenants…

‘Method for Murder’ (originally published in Fury #7, July 1962)

A hack writer of horror stories (Denholm Elliott) moves into the house with his wife (Joanna Dunham) and is haunted by visions of Dominic (Tom Adams), the murderous, psychopathic central character of his latest novel.

‘Waxworks’ (originally published in Weird Tales Vol. 33 #1, January 1939)

A retired stockbroker (Peter Cushing) and his friend (Joss Ackland) become fixated with a macabre waxwork museumthat appears to contain a model of a lady they both knew.

‘Sweets to the Sweet’ (originally published in Weird Tales Vol. 39 #10, March 1947)

A private teacher (Nyree Dawn Porter) is perturbed by the cold and severe way a widower (Christopher Lee) treats his young daughter (Chloe Franks), even forbidding her to have a doll. The teacher feels like a helpless bystander, but his daughter is not everything that she seems.

‘The Cloak’ (Unknown, May 1939)

Temperamental horror film actor Paul Henderson (Jon Pertwee) moves into the house while starring in a vampire film being shot nearby. He buys a black cloak from a peculiar shopkeeper (Geoffrey Bayldon) to use as his film character’s costume. The cloak seems to instil in its wearer strange powers, something Paul’s co-star (Ingrid Pitt) quickly discovers…

Reviews:

“The end result may leave those weaned on rough-and-tumble horror fare nonplussed but fans of old-fashioned spookiness will find The House That Dripped Blood an enjoyable exercise in old-school horror storytelling.” Donald Guarisco, AllMovie

“This Amicus production is one the very best, thanks to a talented all-star cast, astute direction from first timer Peter Duffell and a very knowing and clever screenplay by Robert Bloch (Psycho) that takes familiar horror conventions and gives them creative new spins.” Justin McKinney], The Bloody Pit of Horror

” …in-jokes and references to the genre are abound, and the film is constructed with colorful flair, as well as atmospheric scares and style rather than gory shock effects, and the music by Michael Dress is hauntingly unique. The cast of mostly British TV veterans, is superb, handling the fun material so well…” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

” …it’s campy at times, creepy at times, and rocks a decidedly EC Comics vibe with all of its twist endings and mad people. More than anything, though, it’s a real celebration of “horror.” Characters are tied to the genre in various ways, and there are shout outs to Poe, Hoffman, Universal monsters…” Stacie Ponder, Final Girl

“Perhaps as a debuting director, Duffell lacks the polish that Freddie Francis, the most prolific director of Amicus’s anthologies, brought. The stories are, as always, variable. The wraparound premise is much weaker than is usually the case with Amicus’s anthologies, while even the title seems more lurid than usual.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“It’s got a great cast as always and there’s something for every horror fan with different sub-genres being tackled. Unfortunately it just lacks the extra scare factor to take it as far as it needed to go. It’s chilling as opposed to thrilling and there’s a real lack of true scares with black humour the order of the day.” Andrew Smith, Popcorn Pictures

” …too flimsy in structure to truly compel and unnerve, and Amicus’ slapdash production doesn’t help much. Duffell’s direction is mostly tamed and hemmed in by the low budget and barely contiguous narrative, sporting only occasional flurries of strong imagery.” Roderick Heath, This Island Rod

“Three of the episodes are rough-and-ready but vigorous Grand Guignol fun […]  The fourth is something else again, a marvellous mood piece of chilling intensity about a lonely, angelic child (the remarkable Chloë Franks) who compensates rather nastily…” Time Out Film Guide

” …while it isn’t quite as good as Asylum it proves that Bloch’s work makes for a decent batch of stories (save the last one), gives us two horror icons in small roles and plays better than a good share of the anthology flicks of the time (such as Tales That Witness Madness).” The Video Graveyard

“The House That Dripped Blood is one of Amicus’ classier anthologies, strongly acted and imaginatively staged by Peter Duffell [who] gives the proceedings a discreetly self-reflective tone from the outset. Trawling the interior of the fateful house, the camera comes to rest on a skull perched astride a copy of Lotte Eisner’s book The Haunted Screen at the very moment that Duffell’s director credit pops up.” Jonathan Rigby, English Gothic, 2004 (third edition)

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

“By far and away the best of Amicus’s compendium horror films, directed with flair by Peter Duffell and working both as straightforward horror film and, in The Cloak, as a witty and effective send-up of the genre.” Alan Frank, The Horror Film Handbook, 1982

” …neatly made and generally pleasing despite a low level of originality in the writing.” Leslie Halliwell, Halliwell’s Film Guide, 1981

” …tried to create interest in itself through the ironist’s device of self-deprecation, flavoured in turn by the rather specialized aura of camp. But because it does not completely relinquish its commitment to horror, its self-mockery is only partially sustained, and the film ends up with an unsure tone and a shaky sense of audience.” Wall Street Journal

Cast and characters:

‘Framework’

• John Bennett as Detective Inspector Holloway
• John Bryans as A.J. Stoker
• John Malcolm as Sergeant Martin

‘Method For Murder’

• Denholm Elliott as Charles Hillyer
• Joanna Dunham as Alice Hillyer
• Tom Adams as Richard/Dominic
• Robert Lang as Dr. Andrews

‘Waxworks’

• Peter Cushing as Philip Grayson
• Joss Ackland as Neville Rogers
• Wolfe Morris as Waxworks Proprietor

‘Sweets to the Sweet’

• Christopher Lee as John Reid
• Nyree Dawn Porter as Ann Norton
• Chloe Franks as Jane Reid
• Hugh Manning as Mark
• Carleton Hobbs as Dr. Bailey

‘The Cloak’

• Jon Pertwee as Paul Henderson
• Ingrid Pitt as Carla Lynde
• Geoffrey Bayldon as Theo von Hartmann
• Jonathan Lynn as Mr. Petrich

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

Filming locations:

• Community Hall, Weybridge, Surrey, England, UK (waxworks/antiques shop)
• Filmed from 29 June 1970 at Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK (the titular house was Yew Tree House, a lodge on the back-lot that was subsequently demolished in the early 1970s)

Trivia:

The BBFC apparently initially awarded the film with an ‘A’ certificate until Amicus were asked by distributors to request an ‘X’ instead, fearing that its intended audience would be put off by such a youth-friendly rating.

Wikipedia | IMDb

Image credits: This Island Rod | The Video Graveyard | Wrong Side of the Art!

Wellington Paranormal is a 2018 New Zealand comedy horror mockumentary television series starring Mike Minogue, Karen O’Leary, Jemaine Clement, Maaka Pohatu and Taika Waititi.

New Zealand’s capital is a hotbed of supernatural activity… so Officers Minogue and O’Leary, who featured in the vampire documentary What We Do in he Shadows, take to the streets to investigate all manner of paranormal phenomena…

The series will premiere on New Zealand’s TVNZ channel on July 11, 2018.

What We Do in the Shadows – New Zealand, 2014

Ferat Vampire aka Upír z Feratu (the name is a pun on Upír Nosferatu, or Nosferatu the Vampire) is a 1981 Czechoslovak horror feature film directed by Juraj Herz (The Cremator).

Doctor Marek (Jiří Menzel) is shocked when his beloved nurse, Mima (Dagmar Veškrnová), signs a contract with foreign car manufacturer Ferat to work as a rally-driver. Rumours abound that the Ferat sports car runs not on petrol, but on human blood.

Reviews: 

“Highlights include the hand-drawn opening credits, the brooding industrial soundtrack and a delightfully gory dream sequence. Herz admits that the best scenes were all destroyed by the censors.” Film Walrus Reviews

“Akin to the paranoid thrillers that littered the cinematic landscape of the 1970s, with, of course, a touch of David Cronenberg thrown in there for good measure, Ferat Vampire is many things: A horror film with science fiction overtones. A satire of mindless consumerism. But it’s also an attack on driving. Think about it. Driving is one the most unnatural activities the human body partakes in during the modern era.”  House of Self Indulgence

” …this is about the corporation, embodied in Madam Ferat, and how it sucks its employees dry, how it manipulates the press and how it cares about nothing but getting its own way. […] This was a fascinating, highly politicised film. It used the vampire as metaphor more than anything else.” Andy Boylan, Taliesin Meets the Vampires

Cast and characters:

Jiří Menzel … Doctor Marek
Dagmar Veškrnová … Mima
Jana Břežková … Luisa / Klára
Petr Čepek … Kříž
Jan Schmid … Doctor Kaplan
Zdenka Procházková … Madame Ferat

Trivia:

The Ferat rally car used in the film was a prototype for an unrealised sports model Škoda 110 Super Sport produced by Škoda Auto, now generally referred to as the Škoda Super Sport ‘Ferat Vampir RSR’ in homage to the film.

Wikipedia | Image credits: Taliesin Meets the Vampires

Wolfman’s Got Nards is a 2018 American documentary film directed by Andre Gower from a script co-written with producer Henry McComas about comedy horror movie The Monster Squad (1987, directed by Fred Dekker from a screenplay by Shane Black). Gower played young Sean in the original movie.

Gower told Entertainment Weekly: “I was thinking about all of the amazing stories that these fans have told me and our fellow cast mates over the last decade of this resurgence. Those stories never ceased, or slowed down, or stopped. They just kept on growing, and getting deeper and more fascinating. I started to realize that there’s something really special there, that this movie had a really deep impact on a lot of people…”

Producer Henry McComas told EW: “I grew up on The Monster Squad. My brother is about nine years older than me, so I would inherit VHS tapes that he had. We had some sort of VHS [of Monster Squad], probably ripped probably from an HBO stream. The first time I watched it, it was this weird experience where it was like, these kids are on bicycles like me, but they’re fighting these monsters that only were something I knew from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.”

Wolfman’s Got Nards has its world premiere at Cinepocalypse in Chicago and will be shown in London at the Arrow Video FrightFest.

‘Family vacation. It will suck the life out of you.’

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is a 2018 American 3D computer-animated comedy horror film directed by Genndy Tartakovsky from a screenplay co-written with Michael McCullers.

The voice cast features Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key, Molly Shannon, Fran Drescher, and Mel Brooks reprising their roles as well as new additions such as Kathryn Hahn and Jim Gaffigan.

Mavis surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury monster cruise ship so he can take a vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. The rest of Drac’s Pack cannot resist going along, and once they leave port, romance zings Drac when he meets the mysterious ship captain, Ericka.

Now it’s Mavis’ turn to play the overprotective parent, keeping her dad and Ericka apart. Little do they know that his ‘too good to be true’ love interest is actually a descendant of Van Helsing, arch nemesis to Dracula and all monsters!”

Cast and characters:

• Adam Sandler as Count Dracula: The 540-year-old lord of the vampires and founder of Hotel Transylvania. Dracula is the son of Vlad, husband of the late Martha, father of Mavis, father-in-law of Johnny, maternal grandfather of Dennis, and Ericka’s love interest.
• Andy Samberg as Jonathan “Johnny” Loughran: A 29-year-old human, who is Mavis’s husband and Dennis’ father.
• Selena Gomez as Mavis: The 126-year-old daughter of Dracula and the late Martha, and the granddaughter of Vlad. She is the wife of Johnny, and the couple have a child named Dennis.
• Kevin James as Frankenstein: The monster famously created from reanimated dead tissue, by Dr. Frankenstein. His friends call him “Frank”.
• David Spade as Griffin, the Invisible Man
• Steve Buscemi as Wayne: A werewolf who’s overwhelmed by his large number of children.
• Keegan-Michael Key as Murray: An ancient mummy.
• Molly Shannon as Wanda: Wayne’s werewolf wife.
• Fran Drescher as Eunice: Frankenstein’s wife.
• Kathryn Hahn as Ericka Van Helsing: The ship’s captain and cruise director. She is secretly continuing her great-grandfather’s wishes, in eliminating monsters and is Dracula’s love interest.
• Jim Gaffigan as Abraham Van Helsing: Ericka’s great-grandfather who is a legendary monster hunter and Dracula’s archenemy.
• Mel Brooks as Vlad: An ancient, more experienced and traditional vampire, who is Dracula’s father, the grandfather of Mavis, the grandfather-in-law of Johnny, and the great-grandfather of Dennis.
• Asher Blinkoff as Dennis Loughran: Mavis and Johnny’s 5-year-old son who is a human/vampire hybrid, inheriting a combination of traits from his parents. He has a crush on his best friend, Winnie.
• Sadie Sandler as Winnie: The werewolf daughter of Wayne and Wanda. Winnie is Dennis’s best friend, and she has a crush on him.
• Genndy Tartakovsky as Blobby: A green blob monster. He was previously voiced by Jonny Solomon in Hotel Transylvania 2.
• Chrissy Teigen as Crystal: An invisible woman who is Griffin’s new girlfriend.
• Joe Jonas as Kraken: A giant sea monster.
• Alison Hammond as Frankenginger
• Chris Parnell as Stan: A Fish-man, Parnell previously voiced the Fly in the first two films.
• Joe Whyte as Tinkles: Dennis’ giant pet puppy.
• Sarah Vowell as Lynne: Frank’s Sister In Law and Enuice’s Sister.

Release:

The film, produced by Sony Pictures Animation and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 13, 2018 and is scheduled to be released in the United States on July 13, 2018.

A video game adaptation, titled Hotel Transylvania 3: Monsters Overboard, will be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows on July 13, 2018.

Trivia:

The movie’s budget was reportedly $65 million.

Wikipedia | Official website

Related:

Hotel Transylvania

Hotel Transylvania 2

Dracula’s Fiancée – aka La fiancée de Dracula – is a 1999 French horror feature film written and directed by Jean Rollin. (Grapes of Death; The Iron Rose; Requiem for a Vampire; The Nude Vampire; et al). The movie stars Jacques Orth, Thomas Smith and Sandrine Thoquet. Brigitte Lahaie has a cameo role.

While searching for the earthly remains of Count Dracula, a professor an his young assistant are thrown into a surreal parallel universe of darkness and decay when they encounter supernatural creatures- a jester and his vampire lover, a she-wolf, sorcerers and a sensuous baby-eating ogress! Ultimately, the professor’s quest leads him to confrontation with the beautiful but evil Isabelle who has the power to decide his fate…

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“What’s most likeable about it, though, is the inimitable seventies vibe: it’s not just a budgetary thing, but the atmosphere Rollin conjures up with effective use of costume design, cinematography, editing and cheap, hyper-crimson blood – in spite of the film’s obvious failings – is commendable.” Digital Retribution

“Rollin fans may find it all just a bit too busy at times; so much is crammed in that the film doesn’t have that same sense of languid drowsiness as older works, and it’s always moving hurriedly from one bizarre set-piece to the next. Nevertheless, this is much better than one would have expected from the now rather elderly statesman of the fantastique.” Horrorview

” …while the story produces an occasional romantic frisson, this isn’t meant to be a particularly terrifying film. The low budget shooting is more of an inconvenience than usual in Rollin’s films; the glossy sheen present in even his earliest, unpolished efforts has been dulled somewhat by flat, 1990s-style cinematography. However, his eye for unusual and psychologically piercing visuals remains intact…” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital

“Dracula’s Fiancée feels like the work of a director who’s very much aware of his reputation. Rolling doesn’t shy away from expectations but rather embraces them to an absurd degree: not only does the film proceed with dream logic, it does so at a rapid clip that’s constantly introducing characters that could have popped up at any point in Rollin’s filmography.” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

Running time and aspect ratio:

91 minutes | 1.85: 1

Latest release:

Having previously been available on DVD via Redemption and Shriek Show, Dracula’s Fiancée is released on Blu-ray in the UK by Black House on October 15, 2018.

Image credits: Minuit Sang

New and future releases

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Lips of Blood – France, 1975

Requiem for a Vampire – France, 1971

The Shiver of the Vampires – France, 1971

The Nude Vampire – France, 1969

Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros Years is a 2018 American documentary film written and directed by Marcus Hearn.

“Just when you thought you knew everything about the Hammer House of Horror, along comes this terrific and insightful documentary covering those underrated Warner Bros. co-productions like Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, Dracula A.D. 1972, The Satanic Rites of Dracula, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Crescendo and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires.

With rare production stills, unseen footage, access to previously unpublished archives and a guide to the original locations, the key actors, directors (Peter Sasdy, Joe Dante) and historians (Christopher Frayling, Jonathan Rigby, Denis Meikle) reveal all about this beloved British horror brand’s least explored period.”

Reviews:

“Hammer has become such an institution that many film fans probably think of it as having existed from time immemorial, but this appealing piece proves that, as with many business successes, it was a kind of odd combination of serendipity and sweat equity that built Hammer into the legend it became during the Warner Brothers years.” Jeffrey Kauffman, Blu-ray.com

“Chock full of interesting anecdotes, it covers a slew of Hammer productions that have long gotten short shrift from the very company that owns them. The program moves at a brisk pace with nary a dull moment. Hearn’s craft at writing and interviewing is evident in the way conversations are seamlessly blended for full impact.” Chris Workman, Rock! Shock! Pop!

Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros Years is being shown in London at the Arrow Video FrightFest on 26 August 2018.

Running time:

101 minutes

‘One desperate dangerous chance to save the world …find the vampire’s coffins’

The Invasion of the Vampires – aka La invasión de los vampiros – is a 1961 Mexican science fiction supernatural horror feature film written and directed by Miguel Morayta (Capulina vs. the Monsters; Doctor Satan; The Bloody Vampire). The movie stars Erna Martha Bauman, Rafael del Río, Carlos Agosti and Tito Junco.

After a number of deaths in a village, Doctor Ulises Albarrán discovers that Count Frankenhausen and his daughter Brunhilda are vampires…

Reviews:

“The opening scene of La Invasion de los Vampiros sets a wonderfully chilling, Gothic tone which carries through. It’s a very effective, creepy movie.” Brad Bennis

“Transgressing all the genre’s conventions, the vampires who come alive on their master’s demise wander about with stakes still firmly implanted in their hearts, providing a ludicrous climax to the mixed-up script.” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

“In addition to man vs. monster, it’s also religion vs. science in yet another example of Mexican fantasy cinema using imagination to make up for what they lack in financing. The spook-tacular finale with an army of staked vampires rising from their coffins for a village nightcap is the major highlight…” Brian Bankston, Cool Ass Cinema

“The black and white photography is good, bringing out the atmosphere and shadows of the cheap sets, although the camera-work is too static and lifeless for the film to be a technical masterpiece. As for special effects, all we see are a few (de)materialisations, as well as some huge cheesy rubber bats…” Leofwine Draca

Cast and characters:

• Erna Martha Bauman … Brunhilda Frankenhausen
• Rafael del Río … Doctor Ulises Albarrán
• Tito Junco … Marqués Gonzalo Guzmán de la Serna
• Fernando Soto [as Fernando Soto ‘Mantequilla’] … Crescencio
• Bertha Moss … Frau Hildegarda
• Carlos Agostí … Count Frankenhausen
• Enrique Lucero … Lázaro
• David Reynoso … Don Máximo, alcalde
• Enrique García Álvarez … Father Victor
• José Chávez … Pueblerino

Release:

The film was imported and re-dubbed into English for US release by K. Gordon Murray in 1963.