Vampire at Midnight

Didn't start out very well, with the introduction of the cliched, macho cop character (who single-handedly defused a hostage situation)... but grew to be a rather well-made film for the genre. I don't know if it was the xenophobe in me, but hurray for the return of the vampire with the Eastern European accent. (Is it any wonder Bela Lugosi is generally still remembered as the most popular Dracula?) This vampire's hiding behind the profession of hypnotherapy was an excellent idea, hypnotism being one of the powers of vampirism. The villain, however, seemed to be breaking the other rules of vampirism, keeping the viewer on his/her toes... could he have been George Romero's "MARTIN," all grown up? I also enjoyed the presence of the vampire's pretty boy "assistant" ("Raoul"), a novelty characterization we haven't seen until Brad Pitt in "INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE"!

I don't know what our macho cop hero saw in the blond piano-playing heroine, since she was always so depressed and lifeless. Maybe it was the fact that she had a nice body? (One that we later got to see, fortunately, undraped?) The annoying macho cop kind of grew on me as the film wore on, and when I read his other credits on the IMDB, I was totally won over when I noticed he was the actor who played "FLESH GORDON"! (I still have a soft spot, whenever I see him in B-movie potboilers, for Sam "FLASH GORDON" Jones, as well...)

A vampire serial-killer is puzzling the LAPD, leaving bodies drained of blood without a pattern to be followed. When the detective in charge of the investigation is murdered by the vampire, Detective Roger Sutter (Jason Williams) partially assumes also the case. He has crush on his neighbor, the pianist Jenny Carleton (Lesley Milne), and Officer Lucia Giannini (Esther Elise) from his precinct likes him. Jenny is invited to play piano in a party promoted by the hypnotizer Victor Radikoff (Gustav Vintas) that gives motivational speeches and he uses his power to convince her to practice with him. What Jeannie does not know is that Victor is the wanted vampire.

"Vampire at Midnight" is an original vampire movie with an intriguing story. There are "things" that seem to be flaws (bald middle-aged vampire, vampire walking in the sun etc.) but the conclusion clarifies and is very satisfactory. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Ladrão de Almas" ("Thief of Souls")

A well-dressed man takes a woman to an overlook, which she doesn't get to enjoy. She's the ninth victim of "The Vampire Killer," who has taken all of her blood.

The "vampire" is working as a hypnotherapist. The movie avoids definitively answering the question of whether he really is a vampire, or wants people to think he is one, or if he thinks he is one. He does in fact drink blood directly from people, though, and is quite talented at hypnosis.

Some of his clients include a stand-up comic, dancers, a pianist. We're treated to some of their routines, nothing terribly special. Between the vampire's powers, and the popular detective pursuing him, several women take their clothes off.

Not bad, but I just didn't get into it that much. The vampire's accent grated on me a bit. His assistant's yard-long (at least!) mullet was silly, but when aren't they?

Really more a crime drama than an out and out horror film,played very much like an episode of 'Kolcak - the Night Stalker.' Starts well, with the old cliché of 'it can't really be vampire at large, can It?' Then dips in the middle while the story brings all the plot elements together before a rousing finale.

Jason Williams as the hero detective is efficient if somewhat dull but the star turn is Gustav Vintas as the creepy and sinister villain of the piece.

An okay film but not quite what I was expecting from the packaging from 'Palace Horror' video company. Still, it kept the interest and wasn't too bad, just think it stretches the criteria of what a horror film should be.

I went into "Vampire At Midnight" hoping it would be a nice little treat, but I came away thinking that this late-night b-horror, didn't come together. I can see why it's not particularly well known, or even a cult-film. After a promising beginning, it stalls and like others have mentioned, becomes quite bland, a little slow and dull. It was just a little too chilled and relaxed. Still in parts, it does work because of some unorthodox touches and script's witty style. Like the story playing up the idea; is the killer a vampire or not? (He uses a hidden switchblade, not his teeth, but still drinks from their bloody throats).

Jason Williams in the lead role as the homicide detective on the case gives a likable performance for a mundane character. On the other side of the coin, Gustav Vintas' seductively dry performance as the killer is quite exemplary. Going for that European touch, which worked for me, but the vampire traits were rather different then the norm. Old school sensibilities within changing times and surroundings.

I think where it does lose somewhat its momentum, is when the killer takes a liking to the detective's beautiful neighbour (played vibrantly by Lesley Milne) who's an aspiring pianist. It's a bit of a stretch on how the paths cross, but it's obviously there to move the story along and add some suspense, which I don't think is all that effective or interesting. I just think there is something more there, but it only scrapes the surface. Making our killer quite a shallow shell despite Vintas' best. While I'm not much of a fan of where the story headed towards the back-end, I still got to hand it to them about the closing which does pack a killer punch.

For its low-budget, its visuals and lighting are particularly well-made. The L.A backdrop is hypnotic and added to the smokey and seedy atmospherics. Too bad I find some of the scenes repetitive and plodding, which took away its attempts of building tension, leaving the attacks as mean-spirited. The support cast were capable with the likes of Jeanie Moore, Esther Alise and Robert Rando.

"Leave this vampire thing alone".