Quite honestly, at first, I did not know what to make of this film. Upon first viewing, it seemed like an overly-long, over-dramatized, superficial piece of cinematic sludge.
However, upon a second viewing, I've come to appreciate the fiendish wit, and slow building suspense which is comparable to the malevolent Hitchcock-ian style suspense fans will quickly recognize. However, it does lack the subtlety of said director's style but gives you in-your-face evil in its place.
These performances are really quite indicative of America's New England accents, mind-sets, and coastal way of life. Everyone contributed above-average performances, so there is no need to single out anyone other than Colm Feore.
Colm Feore takes on the character of Andre Linoge; the personification of evil itself. As a Being of great power and extreme longevity, his quest for a prodigy is actually quite understandable. However, the way he goes about it, was psychologically sound in execution, and provides him the very end he desired.
He divided. He terrorized. He manifested. He planted the seeds of apathy, and he conquered. Very cleverly written and portrayed with a marvelously Machiavellian execution.
You never even notice that it was actually, Made for TV.
There was one issue, I had with this film. You never discover what Linoge's race is. You are told he is neither a God, nor an Immortal. He has Vampyric teeth, and lives a long, long time, but he is obviously not a Vampyre. He demonstrates some of the elder Vampyric abilities, but I got the feeling there was much more there than mere Vampyrism. It would have been nice to have been told.
I must also add that the DVD version contained about 30 minutes' worth of snips of scenes which the 2-tape VHS edition I had for years did not possess. The DVD version, marked "the Complete Mini-Series" thereby gives the viewer a much greater understanding of the details surrounding the events.
It rates an 8.2/10 on the "TV" scale from...
the Fiend :.
However, upon a second viewing, I've come to appreciate the fiendish wit, and slow building suspense which is comparable to the malevolent Hitchcock-ian style suspense fans will quickly recognize. However, it does lack the subtlety of said director's style but gives you in-your-face evil in its place.
These performances are really quite indicative of America's New England accents, mind-sets, and coastal way of life. Everyone contributed above-average performances, so there is no need to single out anyone other than Colm Feore.
Colm Feore takes on the character of Andre Linoge; the personification of evil itself. As a Being of great power and extreme longevity, his quest for a prodigy is actually quite understandable. However, the way he goes about it, was psychologically sound in execution, and provides him the very end he desired.
He divided. He terrorized. He manifested. He planted the seeds of apathy, and he conquered. Very cleverly written and portrayed with a marvelously Machiavellian execution.
You never even notice that it was actually, Made for TV.
There was one issue, I had with this film. You never discover what Linoge's race is. You are told he is neither a God, nor an Immortal. He has Vampyric teeth, and lives a long, long time, but he is obviously not a Vampyre. He demonstrates some of the elder Vampyric abilities, but I got the feeling there was much more there than mere Vampyrism. It would have been nice to have been told.
I must also add that the DVD version contained about 30 minutes' worth of snips of scenes which the 2-tape VHS edition I had for years did not possess. The DVD version, marked "the Complete Mini-Series" thereby gives the viewer a much greater understanding of the details surrounding the events.
It rates an 8.2/10 on the "TV" scale from...
the Fiend :.