Following the production of Bloodlust: Subspecies III, Charles Band proposed to director Ted Nicolaou with an idea for a spin-off. Band suggested doing a more classical, sophisticated vampire movie that was more urban versus Subspecies being in the country. Nicolaou accepted though it would be years before the film got off the ground following Full Moon’s fallout with Paramount. Around this time, 1994’s Interview with the Vampire, based on Anne Rice’s novel, was a critical and financial hit. This might’ve inspired Band’s decision, as it’s typical of him to chase after a trend while it’s still popular. Regardless, Nicolaou was interested in making a more elegant vampire movie that would be filmed in Romania. It helped that he really enjoyed shooting there, so after an extensive series of auditions, Nicolaou shot his vampire spinoff. Finally, in February 1997, The Vampire Journals was released to a ravenous fanbase.
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Synopsis
In Bucharest, the vampiric Zachary (David Gunn) is hunting down fellow vampire Ash (Johnathan Morris) for a revenge quest. Back in the 1800s, Zachary killed the woman who turned him and his hunting down everyone in her bloodline. He tracks Ash down to Club Muse, a nightclub that he owns alongside its manager Iris (Starr Andreeff). One night, Zach and Ash come across an aspiring pianist named Sofia (Kirsten Cerre) and fall in love with her. Ash sends Iris to invite Sofia to the club with the promise of $1,000 for a live solo performance. Zach warns her not to go, but she does and ends up getting turned by Ash. While she’s being held hostage until agreeing to accept Ash as her master, Zach infiltrates the club to rescue her. But will it be too late to save her before Ash fully turns her into one of his brides?
Review
While not the most original vampire film, The Vampire Journals is easily one of Full Moon’s most well-made movies. Like the Subspecies films, Ted Nicolaou takes full advantage of filming in Bucharest and chooses some fantastic locations. Not only do they use the historic architecture, but the wintertime conditions help the film stand out. Nicolaou makes great use of shadows and harsh lighting to establish mood much as he did in previous films. Adding to the film’s mood is the haunting score by Richard Kosinski, evoking the same emotions as his Subspecies score. Long-time collaborator Adolfo Bartoli uses some creative angles and lighting to help accentuate the film’s more gothic nature. In a way, the style and look are very similar to the Hammer Films of the 1960s and 1970s. Adding to the old school feel is the extensive use of fog and very dim lighting, which are excellent.
Though the cast is comprised mostly of unknowns and character actors, they all do a surprisingly great job. David Gunn makes for a solid, moody lead, though his voiceovers can get somewhat grating, sounding super emotional and archaic. It reminds me of Harrison Ford’s voiceovers in Blade Runner, but at least here Gunn puts some emotion in it. Kirsten Cerre, on top of being adorable, brings some emotional weight with her performance and works well off of Gunn. However, it’s Johnathan Morris’ Ash who stands out as the malevolent vampire, adding some class and an element of tragedy. Even though it’s billed as a Subspecies spinoff, there’s only a one-line mention of Radu and Transylvania. In a way, this works in the film’s favor in that you can enjoy it as a standalone vampire film. Overall, The Vampire Journals is a well-made and solidly entertaining gothic horror film.
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