Udo-Kier Movie Reviews


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VHS movie reviews for "Udo-Kier" sorted by average review score:

Ace Ventura Collection
Released in VHS Tape by Warner Studios (12 August, 1997)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Tom Shadyac
Starring: Jim Carrey and Courteney Cox
Average review score:

it,s too funny video and perfect also.....!!! ;0)
i like this film and special if JIM CARRY work in it

Mighty Fine!
I don't know how I can match the other intelligent reviews for this movie but I'll try! This movie is so darn funny. Jim Carrey makes you laugh sooo hard it's almost annoying. Of course, I'm such a fan of Carrey that if he crapped in a box and called it a movie I'd love it!

jim carrey sux?
I dont think so buddy! sux is not the word for it, it stinks is!Ha-Ha!!


Andy Warhol - The Complete Picture
Released in VHS Tape by Bfs Entertainment/Mu (29 April, 2003)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Average review score:

Finally a new DVD on Warhol
I was excited to see a new DVD was to be released about Andy Warhol a month ago. I bought this right away when it was finally released only to find out it is a documentary that was created in Canada that was broadcast on US television about 8 months ago. I had taped this when it aired so I was a bit disappointed to learn they are one in the same although it's nice to have it on DVD instead of tape. This is a great DVD and covers some new angles and material not found in 'Portrait of an Artist' or 'Superstar'. It's interesting to see some new interviews with members of the Warhola family. To see how they have aged since 'Portrait of an Artist' just proves it's about time something new was released. I highly recommend this DVD if you did not already watch it on television or if you are an avid fan of Andy like myself. Well worth the price of admission alone:-) Enjoy!


Blood for Dracula
Released in VHS Tape by Triboro Entertainmen (11 June, 1996)
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Starring: Udo Kier
Average review score:

a campy sexcapade
This movie is a must see for any Dracula fan. It starts out with Dracula played by a young Udo Kier(Ace ventura,Blade)sitting in frount of a mirror. yes you read corectly a mirror! He is going to serch for a wergin(not vergin). He and his "side kick " meet a family with four daughters two of witch are quite easy. (needless to say they are not wergins!) With a communist farm hand who wants to kill all the rich people this movie is a fun addition to any cult movie party!! unrated..udo kier


Zentropa
Released in VHS Tape by Miramax (10 September, 1996)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Lars von Trier
Starring: Jean-Marc Barr, Barbara Sukowa, and Udo Kier
Average review score:

A milestone in cinema, a gravestone for the human condition
Zentropa is simply the greatest film since "Citizen Kane." An American works as a sleeping-car conductor on a German railroad in late 1945. Viewers should note carefully the course of a dinner conversation early on in the film where neutrality is condemned by a priest: this is the theme of the film, with a profound relevance to today's political events. Try as he might, the American's attempts to be a understanding "nice guy" serve only to tighten the noose. Yet to be passionate and follow one's beliefs wherever they lead is shown to lead to disaster as well. We are doomed to go through the night of mass murder and war if we are to see the light of day.

The cinematography, utterly commensurate with the claustrophobic theme, brilliant in its conception, an encyclopedia of noire technique; most of the acting; and the conclusion, rivetingly harrowing as any in cinema--all come together in a magnificent work of art that belongs on the shelf of anyone who understands the power of cinema to speak to the heart and mind co-equally.

This is how movies are made...
"Zentropa" (or "Europa" as it is called in Europe) marks the end of Lars von Trier's (the director) Europe-trilogy, which started in 1986 with "The Element of Crime" followed by "Epedemic". "Zentropa" is a real film-noir in Hitchkock style. The movie, like the rest of the Europe-trilogy, was a co-production between Lars von Trier and Niels Vørsel; both great screenwriters.

The thing which is so special about "Zentropa" are: 1) It is made without ANY digital effects. 2) It is shoot in B/W. 3) All importent elements in the movie have colour (a thing Spielberg stole from Trier, when he made "Schientlers List"). 4) It has a great story. 5) It is a Trier film.

The cinematography is great, so is the acting; especially Max von S. is great. Also notice that Lars von Trier himself has a small role.

If you want to know more about this film, you should read the book "Lars von Triers elements". If you are just looking for some saturdaynight entertaintment...this is not what you want. However if you want so see a quality movie in world class, this is a modern classic... Don't miss it.

Follow the river...as days go by.
"You are not free not to choose". Kessler's efforts to remain in gray area makes him the only sinner in a railroad-hypnotic view of Germany right after WWII.


The Kingdom
Released in VHS Tape by Hallmark Home Entertainment (21 August, 2001)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Directors: Morten Arnfred and Lars von Trier
Starring: Morten Arnfred, Lars von Trier, Ernst-Hugo Järegård, Kirsten Rolffes, and Ghita Nørby
The Kingdom defies categorization. This cult Danish miniseries plays like a nightmarish cross between Twin Peaks and Chicago Hope as directed by David Cronenberg, and even that hardly captures the giddy absurdity of Lars von Trier's soap-opera-cum-horror-tale. The setting is a modern hospital built on a medieval graveyard, but the most terrifying ghosts belong not to ancient history but rather to the hospital's own dark past. An egotistical, self-righteous visiting Swedish doctor, who abhors the Danes and screams his outrage in nightly rants from the hospital roof, presides over this ensemble of eccentrics; but he's hardly the strangest this hospital has to offer. ER has nothing on this delirious madhouse, where haunted ambulances, a Masonic cult, a devil cabal, demons, ghosts, and a most mysterious pregnancy lurk in the fringes of more earthly (though equally bizarre) melodramas. Shooting in video with a bobbing handheld camera, von Trier creates an otherworldly atmosphere with the dimly lit corridors and bland, drained color schemes, set to an eerily sparse soundtrack of echoing hospital sounds and electronic wailings. The mix of deadpan hysteria and spooky ghost story concludes with the most outrageous cliffhanger put on film (to be continued in The Kingdom II). (The home video also includes closing comments by a smiling von Trier himself, unseen in the theatrical version.) Simply put, you've never seen anything quite like this. --Sean Axmaker
Average review score:

"DANISH SCUM!" -- ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Stig Helmer
Lars Von Trier, like David Lynch, is an accomplished film director who plays with television narrative -- and succeeds. Just as Twin Peaks stymied North American couch potatoes, The Kingdom is a wild combination of soap opera, supernatural horror, morbid humor and a quirky cast of characters (best character: Stig Helmer, the Swedish doctor who hates all things Danish). Collecting the first four (or is it five?) episodes and presenting it as an extended film allows even the most televisionphobic filmgoer to enjoy its offerings. I've read how The Kingdom II has showed in American arthouse theatres, but so far it hasn't reached Canada -- I'm anxious to see the next chapter(s) in the theatre or on video.

Where, oh where can I find "Riget II"?
"Riget" or "The Kingdom" is probably the most interesting movie I have ever seen. And I don't mean that in that "Ah, yes, you're new clay pot is, uh, interesting" kind of interesting. I mean it in the original form of the word meaning something to the effect of "This ain't like nothing I ever seen!" ER on Acid? Yeah, kinda. Søren Pilmark does kind of look like Anthony Edwards, especially if you add the "on acid." Like another reviewer, I wasn't thrilled with the Dishwasher Chorus duo, though I can see where their framing effect is helpful. Other than that this was dead on terrific. If you are trying to decide if you should buy a foriegn miniseries (as I was) then shrug and tell yourself It's only $ and go for it. I totally enjoyed this movie.

But don't be surprised if you find yourself wandering the web looking for the 1997 sequel. And just so you know, the official site for "Riget II" is in Danish. And the translation sites don't really help that much. Which is a real shame, cause the site looks like lots of fun, very reminiscent of the movie.

Wish I could give it a 6
Sit back and enjoy the ride. It's weird, sometimes silly, but thoroughly captivating.

I hate to bring up a boring old theme, but we in North America rarely come up with works of such subtlety. I have been watching 6 Feet Under and the comparison is stark. In Kingdom, the characters are flawed, interesting, and likeable. In 6 Feet Under, they are flawed, uninteresting, and unlikeable.

It is scary to think that an American re-make of this is in the works. But, you never know...remember Twin Peaks (almost 20 years ago now!)?


Invincible
Released in VHS Tape by New Line Home Entertainment (03 June, 2003)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Werner Herzog
Starring: Tim Roth and Jouko Ahola
Only Werner Herzog could turn the factual story of Invincible into a timeless allegorical fable. This is unmistakably a Herzog film--the director's first narrative feature in a decade--exposing evil in the stage show hosted by the cynical occultist Hanussen (Tim Roth), whose Berlin nightclub entertains Nazi officers on the eve of Hitler's rise to power. This arena of pre-Holocaust amusement is ill-prepared for the disruptive influence of Zishe (Jouko Ahola), a burly Polish blacksmith recruited to play a strongman in Hanussen's act. When Zishe announces his Jewishness to the crowd, thus attracting a Jewish audience to Hanussen's Aryan enclave, his simple act of bravery represents a pivotal affront to Nazi pride, with entirely unexpected results. Finnish body-builder Ahola is Herzog's daring experiment--a nonactor (and it shows) whose likable nature is starkly contrasted with Roth's manipulative malevolence. As Zishe so innocently demonstrates, resistance may be hazardous, but it's not always futile. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

WHENCE SPRINGS HEROISM?
Is evil embedded in the human condition? Are some people born evil? Or is it always a matter of free will? And from whence springs selfless heroism?

Werner Herzog's INVINCIBLE is about Samson-like Zishe Breitbart (Jouka Ahola), a simple country blacksmith who is recruited to play the part of a strongman in fake clairvoyant Erik Jan Hanussen's (Tim Roth) popular Berlin nightclub act during the 1930s. Hitler's on the brink of power, and Hanussen caters to the Nazi's who frequent his performances. When Zishe -- on stage -- unexpectedly reveals himself to be a Polish Jew, he begins attracting a Jewish crowd that penetrates the Nazi audience. This affront to the Nazi's is great for the club's business but brings unexpected consequences to both Zishe and Hanussen. Detailing any more of the surprises in this hero's journey would dilute the movie experience. "Invincible," Herzog's first non-documentary in over a decade, displays his signature artistry, eccentricity and passion. And underlying everything is a powerful moral imperative about the contagion of resistance. I was riveted.

Herzog is "Invincible"
Ten years is worth the wait for a great masterpiece by Werner Herzog. "Invincible" is his first film in ten years, and Herzog does not disappoint. Like any of his former films, they are all epic and grand in scale. His vision is truly eye-catching. Encompassing all that, he creates a movie about the Holocaust in a way it has never been explored before. Every minute passes on and the audience does not know what to expect. The performances are superb from Tim Roth and Jouko Aloha. Aloha is not a great actor, but in this role he is. Tim Roth's performance is haunting and chilling. While Aloha is the antithesis of Roth's cahracter. It is extraordinary to see their chemistry on stage between a German and a Jewish. One who is physically weak, while the other is...the strongest man in the world. Besides the performance, Herzog just captivates you with its vision. I mean, analyze the picture in this page...pay attention to the shadow and its effect. Herzog is one of the greatest living directors and will hold that title in his coffin. This is certainly one or maybe the best picture of the year. Give him ten years and he can make you forget about the movies made during those time period. Or lets just say, those movies are "Invincible."

Where are the oscars?
Now someone tell me...Why does this film get lost between the cracks and movies like The Pianist and Schindler's List don't? For me this movie touched upon issues I have never seen in a movie about this era. Everyone should view this film. It is a beautiful well made fable with terrific acting, cinematography and a heartbreaking score by Hans Zimmer. One of Herzog's best and most accessible films.


Prince Valiant
Released in VHS Tape by Twentieth Century Fox (21 July, 1998)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Anthony Hickox
Starring: Stephen Moyer, Katherine Heigl, and Thomas Kretschmann
Average review score:

GOOD FAMILY ACTION MOVIE
READING SOME OF THE REVIEWS- I THINK THEY MISSED THE FACT THAT.. PRINCE VALLANT FIRST APPEARED TO MANY READERS IN MANY SUNDAY PAPERS IN THE COMIC SECTION. THIS WOULD EXPLAIN SOME OF THE ANIMATED SCENES. ALL IN ALL, I WOULD SAY THAT IT WAS VERY WELL DONE AND DONE LIKE IT WAS IN THE COMICS.

Wait for the DVD
I loved this movie, not least because my dad used to read the comic strip to my brother and me when we were very young. It's a captivating fantasy, and the movie is light-hearted and beautifully done. Still, I'd suggest waiting for the DVD, mostly because $80 for VHS these days is absurd.

2 thumbs and 8 fingers up!
I absolutely LOVED it! I was never really into the comic strips, and i haven't read the book, but i can definately assure you that i will be now! i wanna find out what happens to Prince Valiant in his new adventures. ^_^


Blade
Released in VHS Tape by New Line Studios (02 September, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Stephen Norrington
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, and N'Bushe Wright
The recipe for Blade is quite simple; you take one part Batman, one part horror flick, and two parts kung fu and frost it all over with some truly campy acting. What do you get? An action flick that will reaffirm your belief that the superhero action genre did not die in the fluorescent hands of Joel Schumacher. Blade is the story of a ruthless and supreme vampire slayer (Wesley Snipes) who makes other contemporary slayers (Buffy et al.) look like amateurs. Armed with a samurai sword made of silver and guns that shoot silver bullets, he lives to hunt and kill "Sucker Heads." Pitted against our hero is a cast of villains led by Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff), a crafty and charismatic vampire who believes that his people should be ruling the world, and that the human race is merely the food source they prey on. Born half-human and half-vampire after his mother had been attacked by a blood-sucker, Blade is brought to life by a very buff-looking Snipes in his best action performance to date. Apparent throughout the film is the fluid grace and admirable skill that Snipes brings to the many breathtaking action sequences that lift this movie into a league of its own. The influence of Hong Kong action cinema is clear, and you may even notice vague impressions of Japanese anime sprinkled innovatively throughout. Dorff holds his own against Snipes as the menacing nemesis Frost, and the grizzly Kris Kristofferson brings a tough, cynical edge to his role as Whistler, Blade's mentor and friend. Ample credit should also go to director Stephen Norrington and screenwriter David S. Goyer, who prove it is possible to adapt comic book characters to the big screen without making them look absurd. Indeed, quite the reverse happens here: Blade comes vividly to life from the moment you first see him, in an outstanding opening sequence that sets the tone for the action-packed film that follows. From that moment onward you are pulled into the world of Blade and his perpetual battle against the vampire race. --Jeremy Storey
Average review score:

Techno-Vampo Cool
I've never read any of the "Blade" comics, so I'm reviewing this film with absolutely nothing in print to compare it to. This is a solid action film that raises the bar for other comic hero movies. Snipes is superb as "Blade" and Dorff handles the role of "Deacon Frost" exceptionally well. It's a very dark film that has a continuous techno vibe to it. The fight scenes in this film are excellent and, much like "Mortal Kombat," driven by techno music. Unlike "Mortal Kombat," this movie isn't campy. The writers and director seem to have taken "Blade" and given him an honest, well-meaning portrayal. As stated before, I don't know how the comic is, but "Blade" seems to have been taken a lot more seriously than most superhero movies. It's much more serious than the first "Batman" movie and and ten times as sophisticated as the sequels.
As an action film, this movie more than suffices. If you enjoy the violent action of "Daredevil," you'll definitely like this film. It isn't as fun as "Spiderman," but that's because this character is more about business and doesn't have time to wisecrack like the Webslinger.

"Blade" will hold it's own against any of the Marvel movie adaptations, but I'm afraid the character is sort of like "Daredevil" in that he isn't as well known as Spiderman or the Incredible Hulk and therefore suffers for this reason at the box office. Don't get me wrong, I know that "Blades I & II" did exceptionally well profit-wise, but the character will never garner profits such as "Spiderman" simply because he isn't as recognizable as the wall-crawler. As a matter of fact, there are probably more obscure X-men out there who are better known than "Blade."

In closing I can only say this: "Blade" is an excellent action flick that pleases the eye and ear. It's a dead(or undead, if you please) serious movie that moves at a quick pace and satifies not only comic and action fans, but vampire fans as well.

A New Breed of Vampire Flick
The familiar stereotypes of the vampire overlord, the female victim and the dedicated hunter are firmly in place, but with a modern, cyber twist. Based on the successful Marvel Comics series, 'Blade' is kung fu cool meets 'The Matrix' - the real world is a different place to what you thought. 

Blade is a half-vampire who hunts the undead to avenge the death of his mother, who was bitten while pregnant, thus giving him "all of our strengths, non of our weaknesses". Referred to as "the daywalker" by the creatures he hunts, he is aided by Whistler, a semi-alcoholic, laconic sidekick who lost his family to vampires and Karen Jenson, a haematologist. Snipes plays Blade as a tortured, granite-faced warrior with a spirituality the audience is supposed to compare to that of Samurai. Complete with deadpan one-liners, he stalks and stakes with gusto, never quite revealing any wimpy emotion. 

The uber-villian of the piece is the designer-shirted Deacon Frost, played with menacing cool by former brat-pack actor, Stephen Dorff. Frost has discovered an ancient ritual that will resurrect 'La Magra' - the Blood God, who is capable of triggering a "vampire apocalypse". This ritual also happens to require the blood of the daywalker, setting the scene for a climatic showdown between the hunter and the overlord. 

Surrounded by a cadre of underlings, the most three dimensional of whom being Quinn, a playful heavy with puppy dog enthusiasm, Frost is far from the traditional vampire. In Blade's world, vampires are not creatures that skulk in cemeteries impersonating Bela Lugosi on a bad day - they are powerful figures in business and politics with vast financial resources. They have Swiss bank accounts, ultra-modern penthouse apartments and complete control over the authorities due to a back-alley treaty with the government. 

Frost represents a threat to the established way of vampire life enforced by the House of Erebus - a ruling cabal of twelve elders who live by the maxim 'we do things quietly and the humans will leave us alone'. By conjuring La Magra, Frost hopes to enslave mankind. 

'Blade' is a film that is very much a triumph of style over substance. The action sequences, especially the final confrontation between Blade and Frost, are spectacular, although the disintegration of vampire corpses does become a little wearisome. 

The initial scenes in the vampire nightclub have a body count rivalling that of the goriest shoot-em up computer games. Everyone looks good, whether it's Frost's trendy haircut, or Blade's cyber-warrior cool, complete with tribal tattoos. The array of weaponry and gadgets is impressive, special mentions going to Blade's titanium katana and Karen's 'vampire mace' comprising of garlic and silver nitrate. 

The plot is hardly Shakespearean, racing from one sword-twirling slaughter to another, but is redeemed by some eerie flashback moments. The sarcastic, sometimes snappy dialogue oozes street cred and provides a nice foil to the action sequences. 

Characterisation is a problem, with most of the cast either cardboard cutout 'goodies' or 'baddies'. An exception to this is Blade. Although the villain has evil written through him like a stick of rock, the hero is not as lily white as the usual hunter - Blade has to constantly battle his vampire side. 

Karen Jenson initially looks promising as a doctor with the potential to cure Blade's thirst, but quickly lapses into the victim role with occasional bursts of heroism. One obvious oversight in the film is the twelve 'pure bloods' of the House of Erebus - they are woefully underused. 

Overall, 'Blade' is a frenetically paced cyber thriller for a new generation of vampire fans. Despite its faults, it is a welcome addition to a genre that was in danger of collapsing beneath the weight of cliché. Leave your brain in a jar by the door, enjoy the action and be prepared for a desire to don kevlar body armour and learn kung fu.

Helen C. Murphy. Resident Author. BloodLust-uk.com

The First Comic Book Adaptation to Get It Right
I know that some people will point to "Superman" and "Batman" as good comic book adaptations; that they are, but the subsequent attempts fell flat on their face. I believe that "Blade" paved the way for the current "comic book adaptation renaissance" that we're enjoying right now (apart from the Hulk, anyway.)

For starters, Blade stays far away from the entire "secret identity/pulling cats out of trees" cliches that are normally associated with superheroes. Blade is dirty, Blade is nasty, and Blade isn't afraid to kill; in short, the makes the movie much better suited for modern audiences.

Another thing I like about "Blade" is that it keeps the character's origin as a backstory; it's explained, yes, but does not make up the bulk of the action. This prevents long-time Marvel readers from being bored and gives more time to devote to the action.

I've dinged the DVD a star for a couple of reasons; first, the special effects aren't very good in some places (like when Frost regenerates his hand.) I know the movie was made on a shoe-string, so maybe I'm being a bit unfair, but I still feel that they could have done a little better. Also, you have to sit through commentary during the deleated scenes, which I would have preferred to have been a seperate option (at least they got rid of the original ending, though; that, in itself, would have made Blade a much worse movie.)

Great movie for vampire/horror/action movie fans.


Blade
Released in VHS Tape by New Line Studios (02 September, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Stephen Norrington
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, and N'Bushe Wright
The recipe for Blade is quite simple; you take one part Batman, one part horror flick, and two parts kung fu and frost it all over with some truly campy acting. What do you get? An action flick that will reaffirm your belief that the superhero action genre did not die in the fluorescent hands of Joel Schumacher. Blade is the story of a ruthless and supreme vampire slayer (Wesley Snipes) who makes other contemporary slayers (Buffy et al.) look like amateurs. Armed with a samurai sword made of silver and guns that shoot silver bullets, he lives to hunt and kill "Sucker Heads." Pitted against our hero is a cast of villains led by Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff), a crafty and charismatic vampire who believes that his people should be ruling the world, and that the human race is merely the food source they prey on. Born half-human and half-vampire after his mother had been attacked by a blood-sucker, Blade is brought to life by a very buff-looking Snipes in his best action performance to date. Apparent throughout the film is the fluid grace and admirable skill that Snipes brings to the many breathtaking action sequences that lift this movie into a league of its own. The influence of Hong Kong action cinema is clear, and you may even notice vague impressions of Japanese anime sprinkled innovatively throughout. Dorff holds his own against Snipes as the menacing nemesis Frost, and the grizzly Kris Kristofferson brings a tough, cynical edge to his role as Whistler, Blade's mentor and friend. Ample credit should also go to director Stephen Norrington and screenwriter David S. Goyer, who prove it is possible to adapt comic book characters to the big screen without making them look absurd. Indeed, quite the reverse happens here: Blade comes vividly to life from the moment you first see him, in an outstanding opening sequence that sets the tone for the action-packed film that follows. From that moment onward you are pulled into the world of Blade and his perpetual battle against the vampire race. --Jeremy Storey
Average review score:

Techno-Vampo Cool
I've never read any of the "Blade" comics, so I'm reviewing this film with absolutely nothing in print to compare it to. This is a solid action film that raises the bar for other comic hero movies. Snipes is superb as "Blade" and Dorff handles the role of "Deacon Frost" exceptionally well. It's a very dark film that has a continuous techno vibe to it. The fight scenes in this film are excellent and, much like "Mortal Kombat," driven by techno music. Unlike "Mortal Kombat," this movie isn't campy. The writers and director seem to have taken "Blade" and given him an honest, well-meaning portrayal. As stated before, I don't know how the comic is, but "Blade" seems to have been taken a lot more seriously than most superhero movies. It's much more serious than the first "Batman" movie and and ten times as sophisticated as the sequels.
As an action film, this movie more than suffices. If you enjoy the violent action of "Daredevil," you'll definitely like this film. It isn't as fun as "Spiderman," but that's because this character is more about business and doesn't have time to wisecrack like the Webslinger.

"Blade" will hold it's own against any of the Marvel movie adaptations, but I'm afraid the character is sort of like "Daredevil" in that he isn't as well known as Spiderman or the Incredible Hulk and therefore suffers for this reason at the box office. Don't get me wrong, I know that "Blades I & II" did exceptionally well profit-wise, but the character will never garner profits such as "Spiderman" simply because he isn't as recognizable as the wall-crawler. As a matter of fact, there are probably more obscure X-men out there who are better known than "Blade."

In closing I can only say this: "Blade" is an excellent action flick that pleases the eye and ear. It's a dead(or undead, if you please) serious movie that moves at a quick pace and satifies not only comic and action fans, but vampire fans as well.

A New Breed of Vampire Flick
The familiar stereotypes of the vampire overlord, the female victim and the dedicated hunter are firmly in place, but with a modern, cyber twist. Based on the successful Marvel Comics series, 'Blade' is kung fu cool meets 'The Matrix' - the real world is a different place to what you thought. 

Blade is a half-vampire who hunts the undead to avenge the death of his mother, who was bitten while pregnant, thus giving him "all of our strengths, non of our weaknesses". Referred to as "the daywalker" by the creatures he hunts, he is aided by Whistler, a semi-alcoholic, laconic sidekick who lost his family to vampires and Karen Jenson, a haematologist. Snipes plays Blade as a tortured, granite-faced warrior with a spirituality the audience is supposed to compare to that of Samurai. Complete with deadpan one-liners, he stalks and stakes with gusto, never quite revealing any wimpy emotion. 

The uber-villian of the piece is the designer-shirted Deacon Frost, played with menacing cool by former brat-pack actor, Stephen Dorff. Frost has discovered an ancient ritual that will resurrect 'La Magra' - the Blood God, who is capable of triggering a "vampire apocalypse". This ritual also happens to require the blood of the daywalker, setting the scene for a climatic showdown between the hunter and the overlord. 

Surrounded by a cadre of underlings, the most three dimensional of whom being Quinn, a playful heavy with puppy dog enthusiasm, Frost is far from the traditional vampire. In Blade's world, vampires are not creatures that skulk in cemeteries impersonating Bela Lugosi on a bad day - they are powerful figures in business and politics with vast financial resources. They have Swiss bank accounts, ultra-modern penthouse apartments and complete control over the authorities due to a back-alley treaty with the government. 

Frost represents a threat to the established way of vampire life enforced by the House of Erebus - a ruling cabal of twelve elders who live by the maxim 'we do things quietly and the humans will leave us alone'. By conjuring La Magra, Frost hopes to enslave mankind. 

'Blade' is a film that is very much a triumph of style over substance. The action sequences, especially the final confrontation between Blade and Frost, are spectacular, although the disintegration of vampire corpses does become a little wearisome. 

The initial scenes in the vampire nightclub have a body count rivalling that of the goriest shoot-em up computer games. Everyone looks good, whether it's Frost's trendy haircut, or Blade's cyber-warrior cool, complete with tribal tattoos. The array of weaponry and gadgets is impressive, special mentions going to Blade's titanium katana and Karen's 'vampire mace' comprising of garlic and silver nitrate. 

The plot is hardly Shakespearean, racing from one sword-twirling slaughter to another, but is redeemed by some eerie flashback moments. The sarcastic, sometimes snappy dialogue oozes street cred and provides a nice foil to the action sequences. 

Characterisation is a problem, with most of the cast either cardboard cutout 'goodies' or 'baddies'. An exception to this is Blade. Although the villain has evil written through him like a stick of rock, the hero is not as lily white as the usual hunter - Blade has to constantly battle his vampire side. 

Karen Jenson initially looks promising as a doctor with the potential to cure Blade's thirst, but quickly lapses into the victim role with occasional bursts of heroism. One obvious oversight in the film is the twelve 'pure bloods' of the House of Erebus - they are woefully underused. 

Overall, 'Blade' is a frenetically paced cyber thriller for a new generation of vampire fans. Despite its faults, it is a welcome addition to a genre that was in danger of collapsing beneath the weight of cliché. Leave your brain in a jar by the door, enjoy the action and be prepared for a desire to don kevlar body armour and learn kung fu.

Helen C. Murphy. Resident Author. BloodLust-uk.com

The First Comic Book Adaptation to Get It Right
I know that some people will point to "Superman" and "Batman" as good comic book adaptations; that they are, but the subsequent attempts fell flat on their face. I believe that "Blade" paved the way for the current "comic book adaptation renaissance" that we're enjoying right now (apart from the Hulk, anyway.)

For starters, Blade stays far away from the entire "secret identity/pulling cats out of trees" cliches that are normally associated with superheroes. Blade is dirty, Blade is nasty, and Blade isn't afraid to kill; in short, the makes the movie much better suited for modern audiences.

Another thing I like about "Blade" is that it keeps the character's origin as a backstory; it's explained, yes, but does not make up the bulk of the action. This prevents long-time Marvel readers from being bored and gives more time to devote to the action.

I've dinged the DVD a star for a couple of reasons; first, the special effects aren't very good in some places (like when Frost regenerates his hand.) I know the movie was made on a shoe-string, so maybe I'm being a bit unfair, but I still feel that they could have done a little better. Also, you have to sit through commentary during the deleated scenes, which I would have preferred to have been a seperate option (at least they got rid of the original ending, though; that, in itself, would have made Blade a much worse movie.)

Great movie for vampire/horror/action movie fans.


Blade (Widescreen Edition)
Released in VHS Tape by New Line Studios (01 June, 1999)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Stephen Norrington
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, and N'Bushe Wright
The recipe for Blade is quite simple; you take one part Batman, one part horror flick, and two parts kung fu and frost it all over with some truly campy acting. What do you get? An action flick that will reaffirm your belief that the superhero action genre did not die in the fluorescent hands of Joel Schumacher. Blade is the story of a ruthless and supreme vampire slayer (Wesley Snipes) who makes other contemporary slayers (Buffy et al.) look like amateurs. Armed with a samurai sword made of silver and guns that shoot silver bullets, he lives to hunt and kill "Sucker Heads." Pitted against our hero is a cast of villains led by Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff), a crafty and charismatic vampire who believes that his people should be ruling the world, and that the human race is merely the food source they prey on. Born half-human and half-vampire after his mother had been attacked by a blood-sucker, Blade is brought to life by a very buff-looking Snipes in his best action performance to date. Apparent throughout the film is the fluid grace and admirable skill that Snipes brings to the many breathtaking action sequences that lift this movie into a league of its own. The influence of Hong Kong action cinema is clear, and you may even notice vague impressions of Japanese anime sprinkled innovatively throughout. Dorff holds his own against Snipes as the menacing nemesis Frost, and the grizzly Kris Kristofferson brings a tough, cynical edge to his role as Whistler, Blade's mentor and friend. Ample credit should also go to director Stephen Norrington and screenwriter David S. Goyer, who prove it is possible to adapt comic book characters to the big screen without making them look absurd. Indeed, quite the reverse happens here: Blade comes vividly to life from the moment you first see him, in an outstanding opening sequence that sets the tone for the action-packed film that follows. From that moment onward you are pulled into the world of Blade and his perpetual battle against the vampire race. --Jeremy Storey
Average review score:

Techno-Vampo Cool
I've never read any of the "Blade" comics, so I'm reviewing this film with absolutely nothing in print to compare it to. This is a solid action film that raises the bar for other comic hero movies. Snipes is superb as "Blade" and Dorff handles the role of "Deacon Frost" exceptionally well. It's a very dark film that has a continuous techno vibe to it. The fight scenes in this film are excellent and, much like "Mortal Kombat," driven by techno music. Unlike "Mortal Kombat," this movie isn't campy. The writers and director seem to have taken "Blade" and given him an honest, well-meaning portrayal. As stated before, I don't know how the comic is, but "Blade" seems to have been taken a lot more seriously than most superhero movies. It's much more serious than the first "Batman" movie and and ten times as sophisticated as the sequels.
As an action film, this movie more than suffices. If you enjoy the violent action of "Daredevil," you'll definitely like this film. It isn't as fun as "Spiderman," but that's because this character is more about business and doesn't have time to wisecrack like the Webslinger.

"Blade" will hold it's own against any of the Marvel movie adaptations, but I'm afraid the character is sort of like "Daredevil" in that he isn't as well known as Spiderman or the Incredible Hulk and therefore suffers for this reason at the box office. Don't get me wrong, I know that "Blades I & II" did exceptionally well profit-wise, but the character will never garner profits such as "Spiderman" simply because he isn't as recognizable as the wall-crawler. As a matter of fact, there are probably more obscure X-men out there who are better known than "Blade."

In closing I can only say this: "Blade" is an excellent action flick that pleases the eye and ear. It's a dead(or undead, if you please) serious movie that moves at a quick pace and satifies not only comic and action fans, but vampire fans as well.

A New Breed of Vampire Flick
The familiar stereotypes of the vampire overlord, the female victim and the dedicated hunter are firmly in place, but with a modern, cyber twist. Based on the successful Marvel Comics series, 'Blade' is kung fu cool meets 'The Matrix' - the real world is a different place to what you thought. 

Blade is a half-vampire who hunts the undead to avenge the death of his mother, who was bitten while pregnant, thus giving him "all of our strengths, non of our weaknesses". Referred to as "the daywalker" by the creatures he hunts, he is aided by Whistler, a semi-alcoholic, laconic sidekick who lost his family to vampires and Karen Jenson, a haematologist. Snipes plays Blade as a tortured, granite-faced warrior with a spirituality the audience is supposed to compare to that of Samurai. Complete with deadpan one-liners, he stalks and stakes with gusto, never quite revealing any wimpy emotion. 

The uber-villian of the piece is the designer-shirted Deacon Frost, played with menacing cool by former brat-pack actor, Stephen Dorff. Frost has discovered an ancient ritual that will resurrect 'La Magra' - the Blood God, who is capable of triggering a "vampire apocalypse". This ritual also happens to require the blood of the daywalker, setting the scene for a climatic showdown between the hunter and the overlord. 

Surrounded by a cadre of underlings, the most three dimensional of whom being Quinn, a playful heavy with puppy dog enthusiasm, Frost is far from the traditional vampire. In Blade's world, vampires are not creatures that skulk in cemeteries impersonating Bela Lugosi on a bad day - they are powerful figures in business and politics with vast financial resources. They have Swiss bank accounts, ultra-modern penthouse apartments and complete control over the authorities due to a back-alley treaty with the government. 

Frost represents a threat to the established way of vampire life enforced by the House of Erebus - a ruling cabal of twelve elders who live by the maxim 'we do things quietly and the humans will leave us alone'. By conjuring La Magra, Frost hopes to enslave mankind. 

'Blade' is a film that is very much a triumph of style over substance. The action sequences, especially the final confrontation between Blade and Frost, are spectacular, although the disintegration of vampire corpses does become a little wearisome. 

The initial scenes in the vampire nightclub have a body count rivalling that of the goriest shoot-em up computer games. Everyone looks good, whether it's Frost's trendy haircut, or Blade's cyber-warrior cool, complete with tribal tattoos. The array of weaponry and gadgets is impressive, special mentions going to Blade's titanium katana and Karen's 'vampire mace' comprising of garlic and silver nitrate. 

The plot is hardly Shakespearean, racing from one sword-twirling slaughter to another, but is redeemed by some eerie flashback moments. The sarcastic, sometimes snappy dialogue oozes street cred and provides a nice foil to the action sequences. 

Characterisation is a problem, with most of the cast either cardboard cutout 'goodies' or 'baddies'. An exception to this is Blade. Although the villain has evil written through him like a stick of rock, the hero is not as lily white as the usual hunter - Blade has to constantly battle his vampire side. 

Karen Jenson initially looks promising as a doctor with the potential to cure Blade's thirst, but quickly lapses into the victim role with occasional bursts of heroism. One obvious oversight in the film is the twelve 'pure bloods' of the House of Erebus - they are woefully underused. 

Overall, 'Blade' is a frenetically paced cyber thriller for a new generation of vampire fans. Despite its faults, it is a welcome addition to a genre that was in danger of collapsing beneath the weight of cliché. Leave your brain in a jar by the door, enjoy the action and be prepared for a desire to don kevlar body armour and learn kung fu.

Helen C. Murphy. Resident Author. BloodLust-uk.com

The First Comic Book Adaptation to Get It Right
I know that some people will point to "Superman" and "Batman" as good comic book adaptations; that they are, but the subsequent attempts fell flat on their face. I believe that "Blade" paved the way for the current "comic book adaptation renaissance" that we're enjoying right now (apart from the Hulk, anyway.)

For starters, Blade stays far away from the entire "secret identity/pulling cats out of trees" cliches that are normally associated with superheroes. Blade is dirty, Blade is nasty, and Blade isn't afraid to kill; in short, the makes the movie much better suited for modern audiences.

Another thing I like about "Blade" is that it keeps the character's origin as a backstory; it's explained, yes, but does not make up the bulk of the action. This prevents long-time Marvel readers from being bored and gives more time to devote to the action.

I've dinged the DVD a star for a couple of reasons; first, the special effects aren't very good in some places (like when Frost regenerates his hand.) I know the movie was made on a shoe-string, so maybe I'm being a bit unfair, but I still feel that they could have done a little better. Also, you have to sit through commentary during the deleated scenes, which I would have preferred to have been a seperate option (at least they got rid of the original ending, though; that, in itself, would have made Blade a much worse movie.)

Great movie for vampire/horror/action movie fans.


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