Sundown

The Underrated and misunderstood bruce Campbell does it again and with an excellent cast including david carradine. Has a great story a great slapstick script and was executed well. Its campy and low budget but it's a must see for any comedy buffy. Heard this bombed while earth girls are easy boomed but sorry this us a much better movie. So sit back with a big bowl of extra buttered popcorn and enjoy a good laugh!! Oh and a little western horror thrown in.

This was a pleasant surprise - a charming vampire western that respects the genres (Western fans will love the classic John Ford-esque setting and epic soundtrack!) while maintaining both an action plotline and likeable, understandable characters. Bruce Campbell is hilarious as an over-the-top Van Helsing descendant (who goes thru a most unexpected change!), John Ireland is impressive as the rebel vampire leader and David Carradine is strong and dignified as the Count who keeps an ancient secret identity. Lots of human warmth and sympathy (Carradine's townful of Western vampires, drinking a synthetic blood substitute, yearns to be free of human predation and to someday live on equal terms with mankind) distinguishes this from many other modern vampire flicks; the Count's reaction upon feeling forgiven by God is genuinely moving. Even your non-horror-fan friends will like this one.

Anthony Hickox's second film and much in the same vein as his first in WAXWORK. A nice blending of horror and comedy. This time there is a third genre added in a western.

A group of vampires lead by Jozek Mardulak (David Carradine) are living in the desert in their own community of Purgatory. Here, they are working on creating a synthetic mixture that will act as human blood so they can stop taking human lives. The Harrison family lead by father David (Jim Metzler, who looks like he could be Eric Stolz's dad) and mother Sarah (Morgan Brittany) visit Purgatory so that David can assist in the creation of the mixture. Of course things are never easy in the movies and we are introduced to some good characters like a descendant of the Van Helsings (Bruce Campbell) and Ethan Jefferson (John Ireland) a fellow vampire who wants to start a revolt against this new way of life for the vampires.

A great and super capable cast that also includes Maxwell Caulfield, Deborah Foreman, M. Emmett Walsh and Dana Ashbrook to name a few. Also includes some new and interesting twists to the vampire legend with a great score from Richard Stone that really adds to the viewing of the film.

First off I am little biased about this movie. Anything Bruce Campbell touches is immediately awesome. Second off, Anthony Hickox is one of the most underrated director's of eighties and early nineties horror. Waxwork I and II and Warlock II are great as well as his made-for-television Full Eclipse. I don't understand what happened to him. What's up with all the Dolph Lundgren movies? You are already an established horror director, so why change genres? I'm getting sidetracked. Sundown is for the light-hearted horror fan who enjoys a bit of comedy with their severed heads. And it is funny. Bruce Campbell is great, Maxwell Caulfield is always good, and David Carridine gives a good performance as the vampire leader. Also look for a beardless Buck Flower. The makeup and effects are pretty good. I don't think I've seen better fang effects in a movie. The western elements go great with the vampire theme. It's a nice mix of genres.

Once you see the vampires in sunscreen and sombreros, you will know exactly what kind of movie Anthony Hickox has made with his "Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat". Not only is it totally silly, but it's also pretty unique.

The plot of this vampire western comedy goes something like this: the powerful Count Mardulak (a quietly comic David Carradine) has founded a colony for reformed vampires in an old ghost town called Purgatory. The denizens of Purgatory fight the urge to kill and drink a milky-looking blood substitute ("It isn't even the right color", huffs one vamp). But it turns out that reform doesn't suit all the vampires that well, and things only get more tense when a few humans come to town.

B-movie lovers will likely be charmed by "Sundown", stop-motion bats and all. It certainly strays from horror cliche. Adding to the lighthearted festivities is Bruce Campbell as the artless but well-meaning Van Helsing. Overall, it's a kooky good time for movie fans of a particular mindset.