Search - Vampires Anonymous on DVD

A happy suprise!

trashcanman | Hanford, CA United States | 04/05/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I thought, judging by the title, that this movie was going to be lame. But, I am a sucker for vampire movies (no pun intended) so I watched it and was pleasantly suprised by the quality. The satire of the infamous "12 step program" is an absolute riot. "Apologize to those you've maimed, killed, or debaucherized." HA! Anyone who enjoys a humorous story with a few major quirks should really check this one out. Michael Madsen is great as a vampire trying to kick his human blood addiction by preying on local livestock instead. Several sheep jokes later ("Beware of the sheep shagger") he falls in love with a local girl. But when he "falls off the wagon" a professional vamp slayer comes looking for him. Good stuff!"

Silly Fun with a dash of Heart

12/09/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I give it 5 for originalty and a 4 for entertainment value. Great role by Michael Madsen as a mafia-like vampires who plays the lead character's "Sponsor." There are titles cards that introduce the "12 Steps" of being in Vampires Anonymous -- very funny."

Refreshingly original take on the Vampire subgenre

M. Celaschi | California | 11/27/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"After giving up his cravings and murdering his own girlfriend, Vic joins Vampires Anonymous to try and kick the habit. He relocates, goes through a 12-step program, and survives off sheep blood. Things get complicated when the locals complain about their dwindling sheep flocks. A would-be cop named Diesel starts investigating the strange occurrences, while a corporate vampire hunter closes in on Vic as well.

Generally, I do not like vampire films because they seem to copy one another and are rarely ever scary. And while this one wasn't scary by any means, it was at least interesting by putting a new spin on an old subgenre. This featured a clever script with many in-jokes. I particularly liked the parallels of Vic's hunger for blood and Diesel's need for alcohol. These urges hold back both characters in different ways. Whether either character can overcome their flaws affects the outcome of the film.

There is a lot of fun to be had here too. Michael Madsen plays Geno, Vic's program partner and confidante. Neil D'Monte plays Juan Rodrigo, a lovelorn vampire, doing a spot-on impression of Antonio Banderas. Small animals are "snack food" at the VA meetings, Vic reads "CosmoVamp" magazine, vampires get silicone poisoning after biting Swedish Bikini girls with breast implants, and while attempting to bleed a sheep, Vic is mistaken for a sheep f*cker by a redneck farmer.

The ending culminates into a cool showdown with Vic, his lady, and the vampire hunter running through a haunted house. It was pretty funny watching them push around the clueless people that mistook them for either employees using fake scare tactics or customers looking for some scares.

The sound and film quality were pretty good. They used several real animals like mice, birds, and sheep. The SFX were good when used. However, this was a comedy, so there was minimal gore. The vampire teeth looked realistic as opposed to the plastic ones I have seen used in other films.

Favorite Quote: Vic to Maggie, "It's because I'm a vampire, isn't it? Are you afraid they won't let you in the sorority? Afraid they'll whisper, There goes the vampire-f*cker?" DVD Extras: Sadly, there were none! Only Scene Selections all by it's lonesome. I suggest a Special Edition re-release featuring commentary and Behind the Scenes footage.

Bottom Line: Refreshingly original take on the Vampire subgenre. Huge on laughs, but lacking in scares.

Rating: 7/10

Molly Celaschi
www.HorrorYearbook.com"

Good choice -- especially for Michael Madsen fans

rick stanton | Tucson, AZ | 12/07/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a diehard Michael Madsen fan, I'm always looking for Michael's latest and when I stumbled on this title, I did a double-take. Madsen in a vampire comedy?Don't expect Nosferatu but this movie is a solid hour and a half entertainment. Overall, the movie is oddball and funny but the real news is Madsen is hilarious playing a character unlike his typical gangster/cop roles. You have to get this movie just to see him in zebra pajamas mugging in a bathroom. Anyway, the movie is cute and charming on its own -- the lead dude who plays the main vampire is excellent -- and I would recommend for this reason alone. But Madsen's role here is what gets the movie an easy 4 stars from me. Wonder why Madsen doesn't mention this movie on this website -- he is a total riot in it."