Search - Vampire Blues on DVD

Two Versions of a Kinky Vampire

Joshua Koppel | Chicago, IL United States | 02/13/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A young woman from the States is vacationing in Southern Spain. She takes advantage of the quiet, the sun and the clothing optional beaches. But she has become the target of a beautiful (to some) vampire.As she continues to fall under the sway of the vampire, she meets and is championed by a gypsy wise woman. The two band together and defeat the countess with a different type of stake.This is a strange film with almost no dialogue. As the girl is influenced by the vampire, the lighting is changed by washing color into the whites (first red and later blue) to add a dreamlike quality to the film. Some may feel it makes the film look cheap and amateurish but it works.This is not a Dracula-style vampire film or anything Hammer would have put out. This is more like something Felini or Stoppard would have created.The disk includes an extensive picture gallery as well as the uncut European version (definitely better than the cut version). A good film when you are looking for something more arty."

Very unique take on vampire lore. Interesting

Albert O'Dalby | Milwaukee, WI USA | 04/25/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Here's a DVD that really turns traditional vampire lore on its head. The female vampire vamps around in direct sunlight and enjoys traditional (and some very untraditional) sex with her victims before applying the fatal bite. And that stake in the heart that always annoyed Christopher Lee's Dracula...? Oh, no, that wouldn't do in this film. Vampire Analia Ivars gets staked...but not in the heart! Maybe the staking is director Jesus Franco's nod to vampire lore because the stake is applied where the sun doesn't shine! It's a funny short story shot on video with little budget but with a lot of imagination and gumption. The DVD has some fun extras too. I liked it."

Jess Franco strikes again!

Dennis Bartok | Hollywood/Los Angeles CA USA | 04/21/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The name "Jess Franco" is always a Welcome or a Warning whenever you pick up a videotape or DVD for sale. If you hate the darling of the post-modern/Ramones-horror/trashy-erotic video era, then just stay away. You won't find anything of even minimal redeeming value here. If you are among those who refer to Franco as "The Maestro" or "Tio Jess," then VAMPIRE BLUES is the next DVD you should buy. All of Franco's trademark elements are here. There's great music, unfathomable accents, unusual looking characters, and oodles of inexplicable eroticism. It's inexplicable because you're never sure if it is eroticism or if it's just weird looking people doing things that you've never imagined. You might want to wash your hands (and your eyes) after you've finished watching but you won't regret it. And you'll definitely watch it again.It's nice to see companies like Amazon, Sub Rosa Studios, and One Shot Productions taking a chance on Franco in his later years. He is one odd director who has never given in to mass appeal. He likes what he likes and he shows it to you whether he thinks you'll like it or not. Give him credit for that at least.For those who constantly rag on Franco in terms that range from "world's worst" to "hack," there's really no way that you can change them or open their eyes. They do Franco a big favor by attacking with unrelenting hyperbole and hatred. This only shows just how inspiring and moving his films are. He makes you want to do something after you've watched one of his films. You may want to cheer or you may want to throw your DVD player into a washing machine, but you'll want to do something. That, in a nutshell, is the mark of an inspired mind. Weird? Mad? Incoherent? Yes, maybe all of that. But also definitely inspired. With the marriage of Franco to One Shot Productions (and producer Kevin Collins, in particular), the world may not be safe from Franco features and featurettes for many years to come. For that we should all be thankful.As for the females in the cast: Rachel Sheppard is a budding young Franco starlet who also stars in Blind Target; Lina Romay is past her physical prime - no doubts about that!!! - but she's got her acting chops down pat; and Analia Ivars is a stunner as the evil vampire who literally does get her comeuppance in the "end."The DVD is a clean transfer with some remarkable extras. The music is highlighted and there's some interesting behind the scenes footage as well.Franco fans: get out your dollars! Franco haters: get out your tomatoes - you can throw them at the screen when he appears to sell a spirited tee-shirt to gullible young Rachel."

Vampire Blues are gonna getcha! - A slight correction

Derek Ho | Remsenberg, NY United States | 04/17/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After watching the new Sub Rosa DVD release, I have to add that this is a pretty neat DVD. Jess Franco, for all his kinkiness and flair for the psychedelic has never been presented in a more fitting format. And that's saying something! Having re-reviewed the film, I must add that Analia Ivars is the sexiest vampire I have ever seen in any movie. She ranks right up there with Ingrid Pitt in "Vampire Lovers". Rachel Sheppard is Franco's latest "find" and she ranks right up there with some of the wundergals he discovered in the '70s and the '80s. Lina Romay plays the role of a good girl in this film, a definite change of pace for her. She gets the honor of the plunging in the stake in the memorable final scene. It's one of her best performances ever. And what other film would have the audacity to include a magic t-shirt? Only Franco could think of that. The DVD is clean and crisp. The extras are ample and it's a bargain at any price. There's enough here to make it worth your buck even if you had already purchased the original collector's edition VHS release.Franco should thank his lucky stars that he was able to hook up with America's One Shot Productions because they have definitely saved his career which had finally seemed to be coming to an end in the early '90s after nearly 35 years of exhilerating Euro Shock. What I wanted to point out is that I failed to mention that this is a new DVD release of the film. Don't confuse it with the old Euro disc. This US Vampire Blues release through Sub Rosa Studios far surpasses in quality and quantity of material that of the hard-to-find Spanish release. Forget searching for that Euro disc. This is the one to buy."