Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm

Bloodstorm: Subspecies 4, the 4th installment to the Subspecies series, will be a welcome viewing to fans of the first three subspecies pictures. Anders Hove returns as the drooling Radu, as does Denise Duff as Michelle. The setting again is in Romania and Michelle has been taken under the care of a doctor who promises to cure her of her vampirism. Ted Nicolaou is at the directing helm once again and does a satisfying job creating the dark and chilling ambience needed to carry the film along. He also incorprates the character of Ash from his previous years effort, and much less successful, "Vampire Journals". Hove gives another classic and memorable performance as Radu. The audience, yet again, is bombarded with the images of Radu's messy blood feasting and blood slurping. Denise Duff's return as Michelle is well done and she gives a believeable performance as the "tortured vampire" that we have come to know in so many vampire movies over the last 15 years. Nicolau should be applauded for his attempt in bringing a very competent and entertaining Vampire anthology to the screen. Bloodstorm is must viewing for Subspecies fans, and horror fans, alike.

Subspecies can do no wrong. (V will be the next test). So you think Radu could not have come back this way....HEY....he is the ultimate vampire....The Master....and, like how many times has Dracula (not even half as creepy) and Frankenstein (not nearly as sharp) returned....with even feebler stories. Of course he's back...and thank goodness for the return of Anders Hove and Denice Duff, as they are the foundation of the Subspecies series...and so good at it. This holds up well to the previous 3 Subspecies movies, although there may be a shortage of story-line, I mean if that is what you are watching for. (I didn't miss it too much, but the person watching with me thought it needed more plot.) But there has to be something held back for next time...right? Buy this movie, watch it until it wears out, and buy it again. This is how we get "Subspecies V" made for us.

Over six years ago I happened upon an unknown vampire series called Subspecies. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed them and have missed them ever since. Now, here is a way to revisit Romania and our favorite vampires portrayed by Denice Duff and Anders Hove.

Overall a classic. If you like Full Moon Pictures, a must see. If you've followed the Subspecies movies, ditto. If you are a fan of vampire movies double ditto.

I couldn't believe that Ted Nicolaou could resurrect the evil master vampire Radu one more time and make it work, but he did it! Continuing directly after part 3 left off, Radu goes off to Bucharest to claim his old stronghold from his old fledgling Ash and reclaim his reluctant fledgling Michelle. An awesome movie incorporating Vampire Journals and Subspecies lore. A must see!

I d'know, this one just didn't grab me like the wonderful second and third films of the series. Maybe I'm not quite sure the crossover with Full Moon's other fang epic, "Vampire Journals", worked smoothly, or maybe I'm reacting to the loss of several of the series regulars. But Huff and Hove are again just terrific as Michelle and Radu, with Ion Haiduc reprising the likable role of Lt. Marin (with a twist!); and the creepy Vitalis Institute, where vampires are strapped to tables and experimented on like lab rabbits, is a nasty notion indeed.

The big payoff of this one for fans of the series, though, has to be Radu's unswerving devotion to Michelle, and seeing it *finally* returned by her, however briefly. Michelle desires to be cured of her vampirism but is terrified by the Institute's agonizing treatments, and Radu, hearing her psychic cry for help, instantly shadows to her rescue. The moment in which he appears like an avenging spirit at the Institute's gate and swears, like Mick Jagger's Satan, to "lay your souls to waste" unless his fledgling is released, is simply magnificent. The real gem, though, is Michelle's own response on realizing she was used as bait to lure Radu into a trap. If you're like me and have been agonizing over their relationship through the first three movies, respecting her but aching with sympathy for her spurned paramour, you will just stand and applaud when you see and hear what she does. OK, it doesn't last, but it wouldn't be in character for her if it did; and for that moment I forgave her a lot of her past offenses against one of my all-time favorite vampires.

This ending sure looks final, but check out Ted Nicolaou's comments in the attached "FM Videozone"! There's hope!

(Postscript: by now we know that the term "Subspecies" refers not to vampires but to Radu's little blood-born servitors, who are responsible for several very timely rescues. We only know that, though, because we read the tape boxes/laserdisc sleeves; they're never called that name by anyone in any of the movies, and indeed are scarcely noticed or referred to at all. Wouldn't you think that if they're deemed important enough to name the entire series after, they should've gotten a little more attention by now?...)