Les enfants des ténèbres

This movie is by no means at the top of its genre. In fact the genre may have been better off if this movie hadn't been made. That said it is a fun movie (I should mention that I am one of those people that can enjoy a bad movie all the while knowing it's a horrible film). I first saw it on Sci-Fi channel at 3 AM and then a few months later saw it in the same time slot again. I watched it in its entirety straight through and enjoyed both viewings.

The story is by no means completely hole-free; a lot of the plot involves suspending not only disbelief but also a fair bit of common sense. The acting was definitely B-movie grade but not horrible. The cinematography is also a bit lacking, it feels like the director was trying tell too much of the story with his camera angles and lighting (possibly because of the lack of range of emotions most of the actors seem able to display).

All in all I recommend this movie as certainly better than anything else that you are likely to see in its timeslot. It is worth a look if you really like horror movies no matter how bad, or are in the mood for a fun, bad movie.

Trust me when I say that I have seen much worse horror films than this one. This film is not too bad and director Tony Randel is getting better all the time. This movie was produced by the horror movie magazine Fangoria. I've read Fangoria for 17 years and you would think that they would come up with something better than this movie. Oh well, maybe they'll make a better one next time. Not a total waste of time however, if you're a horror fan.

The horror/comedy is such a hard thing to pull off. Few films get that delicate balance just right. These films include Re-animator, Bubba Ho-tep, and Return of the Living Dead. They do not include Children of the Night. I had high hopes for Children of the Night. It was a Fango production that had a few familiar faces and was directed by Tony Randel (Hellraiser II). However, looking back on Randel's filmography I believe he may not be the reason I love Hellraiser II. He's done some clunkers and this is one of them. The story is nothing new: a small town becomes besieged by the undead and it's up to an unlikely band of heroes to stop them. Normally, I like films with that plot but I think that's because I usually care about the heroes. Our heroes here include a virginal teenager (Ami Dolenz), a school teacher (Peter DeLuise), and a wino (Garrett Morris). I'm not really particularly impressed by those characters or the actors who portray them. Karen Black also shows up for no reason. I've never seen a role in which Karen Black wasn't hammy and over the top. That's all fine and dandy, but sometimes that's not what I want to see. Well, with the negatives pointed out, there were some excellent gross-out effects courtesy of KNB effects and, like most vampire flicks, they put their own little spin on vamp lore: underwater graves. I did think that was a nice touch, however, I think I will be sticking with Salem's Lot in the future.

I like bad movies that are entertaining because of their cheesy effects and bad acting. And I have to say, this one is right up there with the best in the vampire genre. Amy Dolenz looks so much like Sarah Michelle Gellar I kept expecting her to go Buffy on the vampire's asses. And Peter Deluise, oh god, at least your career as a producer and director is flying high now. I wonder if they ever showed this movie at some kind of roast for him on the Stargate set. Great stuff. Keep an eye out for both the grandmother and the kid. School play acting at its finest. Oh, and don't miss the cops rant on rednecks. Excellent stuff.

And why was the priest breeding leeches? I guessed I missed that part.

A man helps a teenage girl who claims she just escaped from the clutches of her grandmother who was holding her hostage at her own house. Believing the young girl, he tries to help her out, but soon realizes that just about all of the town's citizens are vampires and that the love of his life (Karen Black) is a vampire as well.

Salem's Lot clone still manages to be original and entertaining. The cast turns in performances that surpass expectations, and the effects are rather creative. Atmospheric, funny, and exciting film is highly underrated and definaitely worth a look.

Rated R; Graphic Violence, Sexual Situations, and Profanity.