Embrace the Darkness

Oh the irony. While Vampires can not date, movies about them can date. And if they're as bad as this (probably not been received well back then either, although it did spawn two sequels), they date even worse. While Kevin Spirtas is known for other movies and might be able to bring some gravitas to the movie (for some), the rest of the cast does stumble around (and on) their lines as if they've never seen or heard about things like scripts.

On the other hand, maybe there wasn't a coherent script to begin with. Wouldn't be surprising this being a soft-core movie (sometimes it does make sense reading the synopsis before watching a movie, solely based on the title) and all. It is produced by Playboy, so you should know what you're letting yourself into ...

The VHS, DVD rents and sales and the cable gave a seccond life to the software films in the 90s.

From the late 80s to the late 90s former TV and even film stars had a revivan in this genre. The most succesful were Shannon Tweed (Mrs Gene Simmons) and Tanya Roberts. In the late 90s they become in their 40s and both retired in order to have a succesful career in realities and sitcom.

And a seccond generación of unknown New starlets from Penthouse, Playboy and even hardcore started.

Unfortunately the budget was usually much lower and the script was worse. So the genre died in the begining of the new millenium. This movie is from that age.

So I was pleasent surprise of the budget, the good script and the very good performance specially of the leading Lady. Unlike other starlet her career started in big budget film of respected directors (ok as a pole dancer, but in Verhoveen, Tarantino and Rodriguez films). So clearly she makes a difference. She is beautiful, charismatic, sexy, sweet, excellent dancer and can act. Making a tour the force change from a ingenue to a vamp.

Its a pitty that after this work the lead actress retired from films. The movie was so succesful that had 2 sequels unfortunately with other actresses.

A very nice soft core sex/vampire film. Kevin Spirtas does a fine job as the master vampire; convincing acting without going overboard (it would have been easy to do so in a film like this). I'm disappointed that Angelia High has not appeared in more movies; I thought she was also quite convincing and looked the part of a female vamp.

A realistic ending.

You've got "Embrace" and "Darkness" in the title, and it's made in the '90s, so what else can it be but a soft-core vampire flick? But unlike a lot of "vampire romance" movies, this one is actually pretty damn sexy. It is NOT a very good movie if you take out all the sex, but taken for what it is -- a softcore vampire flick -- it delivers in spades. Although, I could use a little less of the male vampire playing the piano to soothe away his vampire thirst -- or for whatever nonsense he was playing it. A great fast-forward movie, with plenty of opportunity to press the "play" button, since there's plenty of flesh to be spotted.

It was Angelina High who brought this movie beyond its pedantic writing. When was the last time you saw a short haired lady with fangs? Maybe it was the director's choice but her lovely appearance (and decidedly "un-vampire" attire) made me dispose of some preconceptions and see she and the role for what they were: a better than average job - especially for the genre.