Shout/Scream Factory has been doing a great job of the
double features they’ve been issuing, bringing back many lesser known films
from the past. While many are collector’s dreams the majority of the public is
likely to have forgotten some of these films. In truth, some are better left
forgotten while others are finally getting the blu-ray treatment they deserve.
Which brings us to VAMPIRE’S KISS, a movie that I would think even the most
die-hard fan of Nicolas Cage would have to say should have had a stake driven
through it.
In the movie Cage plays Peter Loew, a publishing executive
who treats his employees like dirt while thinking he is above it all. On a
night out Peter picks up a woman he feels mysteriously drawn to. The next day
he begins to worry about just who this woman was, going so far as to believe
that she was a vampire who has infected him. Displaying the most insane
behavior possible, Peter begins to act out the delusion he seems to be feeling.
Spouting vampire teeth that he picks up somewhere, his downward spiral into
madness is played for comic relief rather than actual horror.
The first problem with the movie (among many) is the
terrible English accent Cage decided to employ here. While critics ripped on
Kevin Costner for not using one in his Robin Hood film it seems like he made
the right choice if that accent would have ended up anything like what care
uses here. It’s more insulting to the English people than Austin Power’s
“English teeth”. On top of that the movie wavers back and forth, trying to
decide if there is indeed an actual vampire causing Peter’s problems or is it
all in his head with neither truly satisfying that answer. Add to that Cage’s
extreme use of overacting here and you have what many would call a bad movie.
It did little at the box office, little on video release and went unnoticed or
unclaimed until it was put as part of a double feature here. I can recommend
this for the extreme Cage fans only and even then with some reservations.
HIGH SPIRITS on the other hand is a true joy. I remember
seeing this in the theater when it was released and enjoying it from start to
finish. Directed by Neil Jordan (who also did THE COMPANY OF WOLVES, THE CRYING
GAME, MONA LISA and MICHAEL COLLINS) the movie is a comedic romp in the haunted
halls of a dying castle that might find new life with the number of ghost
hunting and paranormal programs on TV these days.
Peter O’Toole stars as Peter Plunkett, the owner of an old
Irish castle that has seen far better days. In near ruins and about to be
bought out by a land developer to be torn down, Plunkett comes up with the idea
of touting the castle turned hotel into a haunted attraction in hopes turning
around the fortunes of his inheritance. Recruiting the ever loyal staff in his
endeavor, a group of tourist arrive in the hopes of finding the ghost they
believe to be real. The ineptitude of the staff in staging their hauntings
makes for some funny moments that unfortunately result in the guests wanting to
leave.
As fate would have it though there are actual ghosts in the
castle, one of which (Daryl Hannah) is “saved” by guest Steve Guttenberg.
Having been stuck in the castle for centuries after her husband (Liam Neeson)
killed her there, the intervention of Guttenberg could result in her moving on
to the afterlife. The fact that she has fallen in love with him doesn’t help
things, even more so when it turns out that his wife (Beverly D’Angelo) is the
daughter of the man trying to buy the castle.
The movie is played for laughs from the antics of the staff
to the hijinks of the guest who are all there for their own reasons. The father
of the one family that shows is a paranormal researcher out to debunk the
entire charade only to find the real ghosts more than he bargained for. A soon
to be priest (Peter Gallagher) ends up possibly changing his mind when he meets
Meg Tilly. And O’Toole does a tremendous job as the desperate hotel owner
willing to do anything to keep the family castle and discovering there is more
history in it than he bargained for not to mention more love of the location
for familial reasons than he thought he possessed.
While the movie isn’t the deeply dramatic film that Jordan
is known for, he does display a knack for bringing laughs to the screen. Not
only that but even though the center piece for the ghosts involves a murder and
the lack of a soul’s ability to transcend this world, the combination of comedy
and romance here work well together. At times the film may seem a bit fast
paced but in my opinion that works. I’ve never understood why for decades film
makers were able to tell a story in 70-90 minutes and yet today directors feel
the need to create 3 hours opuses. With this film Jordan tells the story and
does it well in only 99 minutes.
Both movies are offered in a clean, crisp clarity associated
with blu-ray product, something that even the worst prints can’t make appear
good if the original film was shot poorly. Here they both look great. Not only
that at least one of the movies offers a nice evening’s entertainment while the
other does little more than take up space on a DVD disc. In any event kudos to
Shout/Scream Factory for allowing these movies to live another life.
Click here to order.
No comments:
Post a Comment