This month’s installment of Deep Cuts Rising features a variety of horror movies, with most selections reflecting a specific day or event in December.
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings feature vengeful Christmas ghosts, home intruders, and more.
The Dumb Waiter (1979)
Image: Geraldine James as Sally in the1979 short film The Dumb Waiter.
Directed by Robert Bierman.
December 28 is National Short Film Day, and no genre thrives in this format as much as horror. And while story often has to be sacrificed or compromised when something is as brief as The Dumb Waiter, Robert Bierman compensates with an unwavering sense of dread. The Vampire’s Kiss director adeptly condenses the plot and action of a standard ’70s long-feature into this tense and well-shot 18-minute clip.
The story...
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings feature vengeful Christmas ghosts, home intruders, and more.
The Dumb Waiter (1979)
Image: Geraldine James as Sally in the1979 short film The Dumb Waiter.
Directed by Robert Bierman.
December 28 is National Short Film Day, and no genre thrives in this format as much as horror. And while story often has to be sacrificed or compromised when something is as brief as The Dumb Waiter, Robert Bierman compensates with an unwavering sense of dread. The Vampire’s Kiss director adeptly condenses the plot and action of a standard ’70s long-feature into this tense and well-shot 18-minute clip.
The story...
- 11/30/2023
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Vampire’s Kiss episode of Wtf Happened to This Horror Movie? was Written by Ric Solomon, Narrated by Travis Hopson, Edited by Jaime Vasquez, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
Nicolas Cage has brought us some truly unhinged performances. From Castor Troy in Face/Off, to his supporting role as Eddie in Deadfall, and even Edward Malus, a woman-punching policeman in the 2006 remake of The Wicker Man. There is no stopping his extreme method acting. But where did it all come from? In 1989, Nicolas’ seedling was born in the horror comedy Vampire’s Kiss (get it Here). Back in the 80’s, some would say that his performance was too chaotic and horrendous. If you were to ask a millennial’s opinion today, they would tell you it’s one of the greatest films ever made. This film might have begun Cage’s method acting, but...
Nicolas Cage has brought us some truly unhinged performances. From Castor Troy in Face/Off, to his supporting role as Eddie in Deadfall, and even Edward Malus, a woman-punching policeman in the 2006 remake of The Wicker Man. There is no stopping his extreme method acting. But where did it all come from? In 1989, Nicolas’ seedling was born in the horror comedy Vampire’s Kiss (get it Here). Back in the 80’s, some would say that his performance was too chaotic and horrendous. If you were to ask a millennial’s opinion today, they would tell you it’s one of the greatest films ever made. This film might have begun Cage’s method acting, but...
- 7/19/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
There are countless reasons why “Vampire’s Kiss” is a memorable entry in Nicolas Cage’s filmography. For one, Robert Bierman’s 1988 horror satire is the film that saw Cage give one of the most iconic monologues of his career when he famously recited the entire alphabet in a fit of rage. It’s also a reminder that there was a time when a story about publishing executives looking for a misplaced piece of paperwork (with a side plot about vampires) could be a viable movie. And, of course, it’s the film where Cage ate a real cockroach on screen.
As Cage’s well-deserved reputation as an actor who gives everything to each role has grown over the years, so has the mystique around the “Vampire’s Kiss” cockroach scene. But the star isn’t nearly as proud of the gag as you might think.
Speaking to Yahoo Entertainment to promote their new vampire comedy “Renfield,...
As Cage’s well-deserved reputation as an actor who gives everything to each role has grown over the years, so has the mystique around the “Vampire’s Kiss” cockroach scene. But the star isn’t nearly as proud of the gag as you might think.
Speaking to Yahoo Entertainment to promote their new vampire comedy “Renfield,...
- 4/16/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Nicolas Cage’s turn as Count Dracula in Renfield, flying into theaters April 14 from Universal, isn’t the first time the actor has sunk his teeth into exploring the undead.
Thirty-four years ago, he starred in the indie flick Vampire’s Kiss as Peter Loew, a New York literary agent convinced that his lover Rachel (Jennifer Beals) has transformed him into a vampire. With a script from Joseph Minion (After Hours), director Robert Bierman’s feature initially had Dennis Quaid attached as the lead until he dropped out to shoot Innerspace. The film’s team remembers Cage calling repeatedly to pitch himself.
“We just didn’t see Nicolas in the part,” producer Barbara Zitwer admits to THR. Ultimately, Cage landed the gig and continued to surprise with his acting choices, including his insistence that Peter eat a live cockroach instead of a raw egg yolk as scripted. “I had a complete breakdown,...
Thirty-four years ago, he starred in the indie flick Vampire’s Kiss as Peter Loew, a New York literary agent convinced that his lover Rachel (Jennifer Beals) has transformed him into a vampire. With a script from Joseph Minion (After Hours), director Robert Bierman’s feature initially had Dennis Quaid attached as the lead until he dropped out to shoot Innerspace. The film’s team remembers Cage calling repeatedly to pitch himself.
“We just didn’t see Nicolas in the part,” producer Barbara Zitwer admits to THR. Ultimately, Cage landed the gig and continued to surprise with his acting choices, including his insistence that Peter eat a live cockroach instead of a raw egg yolk as scripted. “I had a complete breakdown,...
- 4/15/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In Chris McKay's upcoming film "Renfield," the title character (Nicholas Hoult) find himself falling in love and finding a new life for himself, even though he is still, after many decades, the chief henchman of Count Dracula (Nicolas Cage). A trailer has already been released, and it appears to be a sad-sack comedy about the pressures of working for a horrible boss. The horrible boss only happens to be a blood-drinking lord of the night.
Cage, perhaps one of the gamest actors to have ever lived, appears to be having a ball as Dracula, gnashing and mugging with the best of them. Cage has referred to his own acting style as "nouveau shamanic," describing a process of shaman-like evocation, but interpreted through a modern sensibility. It sounds highfalutin, but it's merely a florid phrase to describe something very specific. Cage's acting style allows him to play moody, subdued roles effectively,...
Cage, perhaps one of the gamest actors to have ever lived, appears to be having a ball as Dracula, gnashing and mugging with the best of them. Cage has referred to his own acting style as "nouveau shamanic," describing a process of shaman-like evocation, but interpreted through a modern sensibility. It sounds highfalutin, but it's merely a florid phrase to describe something very specific. Cage's acting style allows him to play moody, subdued roles effectively,...
- 3/1/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Though their “’80s Horror” lineup would constitute enough of a Halloween push, the Criterion Channel enter October all guns blazing. The month’s lineup also includes a 19-movie vampire series running from 1931’s Dracula (English and Spanish both) to 2014’s A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, the collection in-between including Herzog’s Nosferatu, Near Dark, and Let the Right One In. Last year’s “Universal Horror” collection returns, a 17-title Ishirō Honda retrospective has been set, and a few genre titles stand alone: Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte, The House of the Devil, and Island of Lost Souls.
Streaming premieres include restorations of Tsai Ming-liang’s Vive L’amour and Ed Lachman’s Lou Reed / John Cale concert film Songs for Drella; October’s Criterion editions are Samuel Fuller’s Forty Guns, Bill Duke’s Deep Cover, Haxan, and My Own Private Idaho. Meanwhile, Ari Aster has curated an “Adventures...
Streaming premieres include restorations of Tsai Ming-liang’s Vive L’amour and Ed Lachman’s Lou Reed / John Cale concert film Songs for Drella; October’s Criterion editions are Samuel Fuller’s Forty Guns, Bill Duke’s Deep Cover, Haxan, and My Own Private Idaho. Meanwhile, Ari Aster has curated an “Adventures...
- 9/26/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Kathryn Bigelow’s vampire movie Near Dark – the best vampire movie released in 1987 – has been famously hard to find on streaming over the years, but we’ve learned that it’ll soon be available to stream once again this Halloween season thanks to the Criterion Channel!
Beginning October 1, Criterion’s streaming service will have the “80s Horror Collection” up for grabs, a 30-film collection that includes Near Dark among several other horror classics.
The collection includes films from Dario Argento, Kathryn Bigelow, John Carpenter, Larry Cohen, David Cronenberg, Tobe Hooper, Michael Mann, Ken Russell, Paul Schrader, and more.
The full “80s Horror Collection” lineup includes…
Inferno, Dario Argento, 1980 The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne, Walerian Borowczyk, 1981 Dead & Buried, Gary Sherman, 1981 The House by the Cemetery, Lucio Fulci, 1981 The Funhouse, Tobe Hooper, 1981 Strange Behavior, Michael Laughlin, 1981 Wolfen, Michael Wadleigh, 1981 Scanners, David Cronenberg, 1981 Road Games, Richard Franklin, 1981 The Fan,...
Beginning October 1, Criterion’s streaming service will have the “80s Horror Collection” up for grabs, a 30-film collection that includes Near Dark among several other horror classics.
The collection includes films from Dario Argento, Kathryn Bigelow, John Carpenter, Larry Cohen, David Cronenberg, Tobe Hooper, Michael Mann, Ken Russell, Paul Schrader, and more.
The full “80s Horror Collection” lineup includes…
Inferno, Dario Argento, 1980 The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne, Walerian Borowczyk, 1981 Dead & Buried, Gary Sherman, 1981 The House by the Cemetery, Lucio Fulci, 1981 The Funhouse, Tobe Hooper, 1981 Strange Behavior, Michael Laughlin, 1981 Wolfen, Michael Wadleigh, 1981 Scanners, David Cronenberg, 1981 Road Games, Richard Franklin, 1981 The Fan,...
- 9/23/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
If you’re a horror fan with a subscription to the Criterion Channel, you’ve got a hell of a month to look forward to. The streaming service will kick off the Halloween season with a collection of thirty of the best ’80s horror movies out there. With movies from Dario Argento, John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, Tobe Hooper, and more, there’s something for everyone, from Amy Holden Jones’ sleazy slasher The Slumber Party Massacre to Kathryn Bigelow’s cult classic vampire thriller Near Dark.
Mark your calendars: '80s Horror—our 30-film collection featuring films by Dario Argento, Kathryn Bigelow, John Carpenter, Larry Cohen, David Cronenberg, Tobe Hooper, Michael Mann, Ken Russell, Paul Schrader, and more—is coming to the @criterionchannl on October 1! pic.twitter.com/QIIyFaEO20
— Criterion Collection (@Criterion) September 22, 2022 Related The Best 80s Vampire Movies
This collection of ’80s horror was curated by Clyde Folley and will...
Mark your calendars: '80s Horror—our 30-film collection featuring films by Dario Argento, Kathryn Bigelow, John Carpenter, Larry Cohen, David Cronenberg, Tobe Hooper, Michael Mann, Ken Russell, Paul Schrader, and more—is coming to the @criterionchannl on October 1! pic.twitter.com/QIIyFaEO20
— Criterion Collection (@Criterion) September 22, 2022 Related The Best 80s Vampire Movies
This collection of ’80s horror was curated by Clyde Folley and will...
- 9/23/2022
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
One of my great memories from the, put one way, debatable year of 2020 was Criterion Channel’s “’70s Horror,” a program that did what it said on the tin while offering discoveries aplenty—Texas Chain Saw next to Let’s Scare Jessica to Death, Deathdream given equal prominence as The Wicker Man. It is of course a delight to see they’re picking up their own baton with next month’s “’80s Horror,” which again runs a canon-to-obscurity gamut. Scanners, Near Dark, and Prince of Darkness will of course appear, but I’d just as soon direct people to Wolfen, Society, and The Keep—which made my jaw drop just a bit, given how averse Michael Mann seems towards any exhibition of it.
Criterion have released a nifty trailer encapsulating the spooks and scares to come. Find it below, as well as the full list of titles and more on the Criterion Channel.
Criterion have released a nifty trailer encapsulating the spooks and scares to come. Find it below, as well as the full list of titles and more on the Criterion Channel.
- 9/22/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Ad Nauseam: Newsprint Nightmares from the ’70s and ’80s
1984 Publishing, October 5, 2021
Michael Gingold (Author), Joe Dante (Foreword)
Ballyhoo, the art of selling the public something they don’t want, has never changed—but like the devil it has assumed many disguises. In the 19th century small towns were inundated with colorful broadsides, barn-sized murals promoting the arrival of the circus or a traveling vaudeville show. The 20th century made do with the daily newspaper’s theater section—all in black and white but jam-packed with exciting possibilities. Today we have Twitter and your neighbor’s cousin’s friend on Facebook. That’s not exactly progress.
The movie advertisements of a not-too-distant yesterday were called ad mats. They permeated the entertainment sections of the dailies, crammed together side by side like post-war housing developments. They were in close competition for our undivided attention so the artwork was designed to attract—and shock—the most jaundiced soul.
1984 Publishing, October 5, 2021
Michael Gingold (Author), Joe Dante (Foreword)
Ballyhoo, the art of selling the public something they don’t want, has never changed—but like the devil it has assumed many disguises. In the 19th century small towns were inundated with colorful broadsides, barn-sized murals promoting the arrival of the circus or a traveling vaudeville show. The 20th century made do with the daily newspaper’s theater section—all in black and white but jam-packed with exciting possibilities. Today we have Twitter and your neighbor’s cousin’s friend on Facebook. That’s not exactly progress.
The movie advertisements of a not-too-distant yesterday were called ad mats. They permeated the entertainment sections of the dailies, crammed together side by side like post-war housing developments. They were in close competition for our undivided attention so the artwork was designed to attract—and shock—the most jaundiced soul.
- 10/19/2021
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
From a crazy early Nic Cage role to a lesser-known film starring Robert De Niro, here's our pick of 25 underappreciated films from 1989...
Ah, 1989. The year the Berlin Wall came down and Yugoslavia won the Eurovision Song Contest. It was also a big year for film, with Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade topping the box office and Batman dominating the summer with its inescapable marketing blitz.
Outside the top 10 highest-grossing list, which included Back To The Future II, Dead Poets Society and Honey I Shrunk The Kids, 1989 also included a plethora of less commonly-appreciated films. Some were big in their native countries but only received a limited release in the Us and UK. Others were poorly received but have since been reassessed as cult items.
From comedies to thrillers, here's our pick of 25 underappreciated films from the end of the 80s...
25. An Innocent Man
Disney, through its Touchstone banner, had high hopes for this thriller,...
Ah, 1989. The year the Berlin Wall came down and Yugoslavia won the Eurovision Song Contest. It was also a big year for film, with Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade topping the box office and Batman dominating the summer with its inescapable marketing blitz.
Outside the top 10 highest-grossing list, which included Back To The Future II, Dead Poets Society and Honey I Shrunk The Kids, 1989 also included a plethora of less commonly-appreciated films. Some were big in their native countries but only received a limited release in the Us and UK. Others were poorly received but have since been reassessed as cult items.
From comedies to thrillers, here's our pick of 25 underappreciated films from the end of the 80s...
25. An Innocent Man
Disney, through its Touchstone banner, had high hopes for this thriller,...
- 4/28/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Nicolas Cage‘s latest film, Outcast, opened last week on VOD (our review), but while his once great and occasionally still mesmerizing career has become something of a scattershot punchline over the past decade the man’s early years are a fantastically fun mix of memorable roles and movies. One example is the 1988 film, Vampire’s Kiss. Of course, I say this as someone who’s never seen the movie until this past weekend because it always appeared to be some sort of broad, over the top comedy. The marketing certainly seemed desperate to play up that angle, but having now actually seen the film it’s clear there’s far more to it than a zany performance by Cage. To be clear though, he’s pretty damn incredible here as a highly unlikable character on a fast descent from obnoxious prick to insane prick. There’s just a hint of pathos to his character but never...
- 2/9/2015
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Love can be complicated, especially when a relationship has supernatural elements. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, Scream Factory is about to release two Blu-ray double features that celebrate love in various forms: the obsessive nature of Nicolas Cage’s Peter Loew in Vampire’s Kiss, the ghost/human coupling in High Spirits, the desperate seeking of companionship in Love at First Bite, and the wide-eyed puppy love of Jim Carrey’s Mark Kendall in Once Bitten.
These double bill Blu-rays are due out from Scream Factory on February 10th, and we have a batch of clips and trailers from the films that tease the pleasures and pains of paranormal romance and supernatural seduction.
High Spirits: “Daryl Hannah, Peter O’Toole, Steve Guttenberg, Beverly D’Angelo, Jennifer Tilly, Peter Gallagher and Liam Neeson star in this hilariously haunting comedy! When a castle-turned-hotel owned by Peter Plunkett (O...
These double bill Blu-rays are due out from Scream Factory on February 10th, and we have a batch of clips and trailers from the films that tease the pleasures and pains of paranormal romance and supernatural seduction.
High Spirits: “Daryl Hannah, Peter O’Toole, Steve Guttenberg, Beverly D’Angelo, Jennifer Tilly, Peter Gallagher and Liam Neeson star in this hilariously haunting comedy! When a castle-turned-hotel owned by Peter Plunkett (O...
- 2/5/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
With the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival in full swing, we sent out a questionnaire to filmmakers with films in competition in which they tell us all the significant details of how their films came to be created. Among the questions asked was the inspiration behind each of their films, leading to a wide variety of answers that range from documentaries ("Salesman," "War Room") to foreign films ("Breathless," "La Dolce Vita"), from big-budget studio blockbusters ("Jaws," "Die Hard") to micro-budget indies ("El Mariachi," "Halloween"), from stark high-brow dramas ("Network," "Mean Streets") to lovably goofy comedies ("Caddyshack," "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"). Here are some of the most eclectic selections from the 2014 Tribeca filmmakers: Onur Tukel ("Summer of Blood"): There are four movies that inspired "Summer of Blood." Robert Bierman's "Vampire's Kiss," Mary Harron's "American Psycho," Larry Fessenden's "Habit," and Rick Alverson's "The Comedy." For the record, my favorite horror.
- 4/22/2014
- by Ziyad Saadi
- Indiewire
Summer is here, and with the temperature rising, there is no better way to beat the heat than to head to a movie theater. And with the multiplexes packed to the brim with the blockbusters of the season, the Film Society of Lincoln Center has an excellent alternative this summer if you're looking for something different. Staring this Friday, June 15th and running all the way to August 30th will be Midnight Movies, which, as the title suggests, will be bringing you a fantastic lineup of cult film classics every Friday night. And we've got some tickets to give away.
We've got two pairs of tickets for each of the following screenings: Michael Anderson's "Logan's Run" on June 15th; "Lost Highway" on July 6th; Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" on July 13th and Robert Bierman's "Vampire's Kiss" on August 23rd. How can you win? Obviously, you must live...
We've got two pairs of tickets for each of the following screenings: Michael Anderson's "Logan's Run" on June 15th; "Lost Highway" on July 6th; Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" on July 13th and Robert Bierman's "Vampire's Kiss" on August 23rd. How can you win? Obviously, you must live...
- 6/12/2012
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
If you're a New Yorker who stays up late, this news is for you. The Film Society of Lincoln Center has announced the lineup of its new Midnight Movies series running every Friday night in June, July, and August. Most are horror films, but even those that aren't deserve attention.
The voracious maw and mysterious subversives of horror and sci-fi are let out after dark in what's sure to be the most terrifying program of the summer. Here's the full schedule; for more info visit the official Film Society of Lincoln Center website.
Star Wars Uncut
Casey Pugh, 2012
Fri Jun 1: 11:59 pm
Galactic Premiere!
For this crowdsourced, shot-by-shot fan-film remake of George Lucas’ Episode IV – A New Hope, 473 volunteers reshot or animated their assigned 15-second sections as they saw fit. The result is one of the Internet’s true cinematic wonders.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Tobe Hooper, 1974
Fri...
The voracious maw and mysterious subversives of horror and sci-fi are let out after dark in what's sure to be the most terrifying program of the summer. Here's the full schedule; for more info visit the official Film Society of Lincoln Center website.
Star Wars Uncut
Casey Pugh, 2012
Fri Jun 1: 11:59 pm
Galactic Premiere!
For this crowdsourced, shot-by-shot fan-film remake of George Lucas’ Episode IV – A New Hope, 473 volunteers reshot or animated their assigned 15-second sections as they saw fit. The result is one of the Internet’s true cinematic wonders.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Tobe Hooper, 1974
Fri...
- 5/5/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
*Update* – Here’s a few more movies that came out on the first:
Tron: Legacy (2010) – Jeff Bridges King Kong (1976) – Jeff Bridges Super Troopers (2002) The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2010) – Gemma Arterton I’m a Cyborg, but That’s Ok (2006) – Chan-wook Park (dir.) New Movies on Netflix Instant Watch – Saturday October 1st Midnight Cowboy (R | 1969)
Flickchart Ranking: #476
Times Ranked: 41896
Win Percentage: 42%
How Many Top-20′: 117 Users
________________________________________________
Directed By: John Schlesinger
Starring: Dustin Hoffman • Jon Voight • Sylvia Miles • John McGiver • Brenda Vaccaro
Genres: Buddy Film • Drama • Prostitution Film • Urban Drama
• • • • • • • •
Zelig (PG | 1983)
Flickchart Ranking: #764
Times Ranked: 10515
Win Percentage: 47%
How Many Top-20′: 10 Users
________________________________________________
Directed By: Woody Allen
Other Woody Allen movies available to stream include:
Interiors (1978) – Diane Keaton Stardust Memories (1980) – Charlotte Rampling
• • • • • • • •
To Live and Die in La (R | 1985)
Flickchart Ranking: #1183
Times Ranked: 6337
Win Percentage: 46%
How Many Top-20′: 0 Users
________________________________________________
Directed By: William Friedkin
Starring: William Petersen • Willem Dafoe • John Pankow • Debra Feuer...
Tron: Legacy (2010) – Jeff Bridges King Kong (1976) – Jeff Bridges Super Troopers (2002) The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2010) – Gemma Arterton I’m a Cyborg, but That’s Ok (2006) – Chan-wook Park (dir.) New Movies on Netflix Instant Watch – Saturday October 1st Midnight Cowboy (R | 1969)
Flickchart Ranking: #476
Times Ranked: 41896
Win Percentage: 42%
How Many Top-20′: 117 Users
________________________________________________
Directed By: John Schlesinger
Starring: Dustin Hoffman • Jon Voight • Sylvia Miles • John McGiver • Brenda Vaccaro
Genres: Buddy Film • Drama • Prostitution Film • Urban Drama
• • • • • • • •
Zelig (PG | 1983)
Flickchart Ranking: #764
Times Ranked: 10515
Win Percentage: 47%
How Many Top-20′: 10 Users
________________________________________________
Directed By: Woody Allen
Other Woody Allen movies available to stream include:
Interiors (1978) – Diane Keaton Stardust Memories (1980) – Charlotte Rampling
• • • • • • • •
To Live and Die in La (R | 1985)
Flickchart Ranking: #1183
Times Ranked: 6337
Win Percentage: 46%
How Many Top-20′: 0 Users
________________________________________________
Directed By: William Friedkin
Starring: William Petersen • Willem Dafoe • John Pankow • Debra Feuer...
- 9/26/2011
- by Daniel Rohr
- Flickchart
Dread hit the red carpet premiere of Summit Entertainment’s Drive Angry 3D (releasing wide this Friday, February the 25th) last night at the Arclight in Hollywood, CA, and brought back some ocular candy and video from the event (see our interview with star Nic Cage below) as well as interviews with the flick’s principal cast and crew.
The film, co-written by Todd Farmer and Patrick Lussier (and directed by the latter), revolves around ‘Milton’ (Cage), a hardened felon who, in a chance for redemption, breaks out of hell (literally) in order to save his granddaughter from the vicious cult that murdered his own daughter. Joining him in this dubious escapade is actress Amber Heard as a waitress who donates her ex-boyfriend’s cherry-red muscle car and skills in an effort to thwart the cult and their leader, ‘Jonah King’ (actor Billy Burke). Rounding out the cast are William Fichtner...
The film, co-written by Todd Farmer and Patrick Lussier (and directed by the latter), revolves around ‘Milton’ (Cage), a hardened felon who, in a chance for redemption, breaks out of hell (literally) in order to save his granddaughter from the vicious cult that murdered his own daughter. Joining him in this dubious escapade is actress Amber Heard as a waitress who donates her ex-boyfriend’s cherry-red muscle car and skills in an effort to thwart the cult and their leader, ‘Jonah King’ (actor Billy Burke). Rounding out the cast are William Fichtner...
- 2/23/2011
- by SeanD.
- DreadCentral.com
Chicago – On a good day, Nicolas Cage can be one of the most exciting and enjoyable actors in the business. Whether he’s angrily reciting the alphabet in Robert Bierman’s 1988 satire “Vampire’s Kiss,” or hallucinating about iguanas in Werner Herzog’s 2009 comic masterpiece “The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,” Cage has proven to be the most fun to watch when granted the opportunity to cut loose.
Unfortunately, Cage’s most profitable films have nearly always been his weakest, thanks to the master of commercial mediocrity, Jerry Bruckheimer. The man is incapable of producing a picture that doesn’t have his dumbed down thumbprint engraved on it. His so-called family entertainments are nothing more than watered down versions of his standard action blockbusters sold to adults, with a few cutesy in-jokes thrown in to give audiences the impression that they’re watching a Disney movie (a Buzz Lightyear alarm clock here,...
Unfortunately, Cage’s most profitable films have nearly always been his weakest, thanks to the master of commercial mediocrity, Jerry Bruckheimer. The man is incapable of producing a picture that doesn’t have his dumbed down thumbprint engraved on it. His so-called family entertainments are nothing more than watered down versions of his standard action blockbusters sold to adults, with a few cutesy in-jokes thrown in to give audiences the impression that they’re watching a Disney movie (a Buzz Lightyear alarm clock here,...
- 12/2/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Welcome back to Junkfood Cinema; perpetually full. This is the weekly column that begs the question, “why don’t they just cut off that Salisbury kid’s fingers?!” Each and every Friday I wheel out the very finest, most choice terrible films and force you to sit there and smile as I sing their praises. Despite what certain recent exposé articles may have espoused, I did not suffer a major head injury trying to recreate the parkour scene from Casino Royale. Therefore I still have the cognitive capacity to understand exactly why these films are bad, but sometimes we partake of things we know are bad for us. To that end, I will pair each film with a junkfood item on which you can gorge while you watch the film and bid adieu to each dying brain cell. Brace yourselves this week kiddos, our foray into the unrefined brings us far too close to Vampire’s Kiss...
- 7/16/2010
- by Brian Salisbury
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
The vampire has been a key figure in folklore, literature, television and cinema. Its popularity, at present, has never been so high. It is easy to see the appeal: immortality and sex. Since death is the fate that awaits us all, a creature that we invent and imbue with an indeterminate lifespan, captivates the collective imagination like no other. Due to sexual liberalism and relaxed censorship of the 1960s, the erotic sensibilities inherent in the mythology were allowed to fruition in cinema. What once was implied, could now be shown in all its sexy glory (see the films of Jean Rollin). Gothic horror and romanticism may be the classic home of the vampire, but in cinema, they have found a new place to spread wider-reaching nightmares.
In recent times, the everlasting monster has been tamed. Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga saw them turn into something akin to vegetarians and teen heart-throbs,...
In recent times, the everlasting monster has been tamed. Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga saw them turn into something akin to vegetarians and teen heart-throbs,...
- 11/11/2009
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
Just for fun... I'm sure that more than a handful of you Fangorian's are fond of a little semi-lost late 80's horror satire called Vampire's Kiss.
Robert Bierman's film -which incidentally makes a fantastic double feature with Mary Harron's American Psycho - features a young, method acting Nicolas Cage as a soul dead corporate slug named Peter Leow who believes his one night stand (Jennifer Beals from Flashdance) was a vampire and that he himself is slowly sharing her bloodsucking fate. As his supernatural psychosis increases, Peter becomes more and more abusive to his poor, put upon secretary Alva (Maria Conchita Alonso) resulting in an uprorious scene where Cage leaps onto his desk and screams "Am I getting Through to youuuuu, Alva!" Check out the trailer here:
The film is berserk and Cage is brilliant. Outside of Wild At Heart and the upcoming Werner Herzog remake of Bad Lieutenant,...
Robert Bierman's film -which incidentally makes a fantastic double feature with Mary Harron's American Psycho - features a young, method acting Nicolas Cage as a soul dead corporate slug named Peter Leow who believes his one night stand (Jennifer Beals from Flashdance) was a vampire and that he himself is slowly sharing her bloodsucking fate. As his supernatural psychosis increases, Peter becomes more and more abusive to his poor, put upon secretary Alva (Maria Conchita Alonso) resulting in an uprorious scene where Cage leaps onto his desk and screams "Am I getting Through to youuuuu, Alva!" Check out the trailer here:
The film is berserk and Cage is brilliant. Outside of Wild At Heart and the upcoming Werner Herzog remake of Bad Lieutenant,...
- 10/26/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Chris Alexander)
- Fangoria
Think of a vampire. Picture it in your mind. The most iconic representations in cinema are no doubt conjured forth: Max Schrek with his long, spindly frame and rat-like visage or Bela Lugosi with his cape, Hungarian drawl and intense stare. Perhaps it is Sir Christopher Lee with his suave countenance, immaculate tailoring and graceful presence. Then again, there is Gary Oldman’s doomed-romantic Count Dracula. And there’s The Lost Boys and the Joss Whedon creation Angel: the lovelorn vampire with a wicked curse. Another very post-modern creature of the night (and day) is Edward Cullen (more likely in this year’s The Twilight Saga: New Moon to steal a girl’s heart than her blood).
Nobody would ever think of Nicolas Cage’s bizarre riff on this legendary creature in Robert Bierman’s film, Vampire’S Kiss. On a technicality, it can be argued the character is not a vampire.
Nobody would ever think of Nicolas Cage’s bizarre riff on this legendary creature in Robert Bierman’s film, Vampire’S Kiss. On a technicality, it can be argued the character is not a vampire.
- 8/26/2009
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
An interesting curiosity, "A Merry War" is an adaptation of a 1936 semiautobiographical George Orwell novel, "Keep the Aspidistra Flying". A low-key comic fable about the conflict between idealism and practicality, this genteel British effort would have made an ideal "Masterpiece Theatre" presentation, but it fails to have much impact on the big screen. Still, it has its decidedly charming and comic moments, not to mention highly winning performances from leads Richard E. Grant and Helena Bonham Carter.
Set in London between the world wars, the story depicts the struggles of Gordon Comstock (Grant), a successful advertising copywriter who is also a struggling poet. When one of his poetry books is favorably reviewed by the London Times, he suddenly decides to quit his well-paying job and bourgeois existence to concentrate on his poetry. The decision doesn't sit well with his girlfriend Rosemary (Bonham Carter), a graphic designer who works at the same agency.
Soon, Gordon is mired in poverty and thoroughly relishing it. When he finally receives a significant paycheck from an American publisher, he promptly begins a drunken spree and winds up in jail. Thrown out of his apartment by his stuffy landlady, he ends up living in a seedy neighborhood in Lambeth, where his process of degradation continues unabated. Looking on in horror is his loving sister Julia (Harriet Walter), a hard-working waitress who is constantly bailing out Gordon financially; his well-heeled friend Erskine (Jim Carter), who alternates between amusement and revulsion at Gordon's antics; and Rosemary, who loves him despite everything.
The old-fashioned story is more than a bit simplistic, especially in its conclusion, but there is fun to be had in watching Gordon's crisis. Anyone who has ever struggled with the conflicting demands of freedom vs. practicality will find something to relate to here, and the film has some amusing and trenchant points to make about the role that money plays in determining our existences.
Grant, given one of his best roles, is great fun as Gordon and doesn't shy away from highlighting the more boorish aspects of his character. And the luminous Bonham Carter's portrayal of Rosemary makes us appreciate and relate to Gordon's plight all the more.
A MERRY WAR
First Look Pictures
Director: Robert Bierman
Screenplay: Alan Plater
Executive producers: Robert Bierman, John Wolstenholme
Producer: Peter Shaw
Director of photography: Giles Nuttgens
Music: Mike Batt
Film editor: Bill Wright
Color/stereo
Cast
Gordon Comstock: Richard E. Grant
Rosemary: Helena Bonham Carter
Erskine: Jim Carter
Julia Comstock: Harriet Walter
Mrs. Trilling: Lill Roughly
Ravelston: Julia Wadham
Running time --101 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Set in London between the world wars, the story depicts the struggles of Gordon Comstock (Grant), a successful advertising copywriter who is also a struggling poet. When one of his poetry books is favorably reviewed by the London Times, he suddenly decides to quit his well-paying job and bourgeois existence to concentrate on his poetry. The decision doesn't sit well with his girlfriend Rosemary (Bonham Carter), a graphic designer who works at the same agency.
Soon, Gordon is mired in poverty and thoroughly relishing it. When he finally receives a significant paycheck from an American publisher, he promptly begins a drunken spree and winds up in jail. Thrown out of his apartment by his stuffy landlady, he ends up living in a seedy neighborhood in Lambeth, where his process of degradation continues unabated. Looking on in horror is his loving sister Julia (Harriet Walter), a hard-working waitress who is constantly bailing out Gordon financially; his well-heeled friend Erskine (Jim Carter), who alternates between amusement and revulsion at Gordon's antics; and Rosemary, who loves him despite everything.
The old-fashioned story is more than a bit simplistic, especially in its conclusion, but there is fun to be had in watching Gordon's crisis. Anyone who has ever struggled with the conflicting demands of freedom vs. practicality will find something to relate to here, and the film has some amusing and trenchant points to make about the role that money plays in determining our existences.
Grant, given one of his best roles, is great fun as Gordon and doesn't shy away from highlighting the more boorish aspects of his character. And the luminous Bonham Carter's portrayal of Rosemary makes us appreciate and relate to Gordon's plight all the more.
A MERRY WAR
First Look Pictures
Director: Robert Bierman
Screenplay: Alan Plater
Executive producers: Robert Bierman, John Wolstenholme
Producer: Peter Shaw
Director of photography: Giles Nuttgens
Music: Mike Batt
Film editor: Bill Wright
Color/stereo
Cast
Gordon Comstock: Richard E. Grant
Rosemary: Helena Bonham Carter
Erskine: Jim Carter
Julia Comstock: Harriet Walter
Mrs. Trilling: Lill Roughly
Ravelston: Julia Wadham
Running time --101 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 8/28/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.