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When Dallas King’s Indie film Swap (2024) Aims to Change the Rules of Vampirism….

When some vampires want something from humans, offering a Swap won’t come easy. Or can human conviction win when locked up in a pleasure palace?

Swap Movie Poster Rad (James Eastwood) is a person with high morals. When he and his beautiful girlfriend get invited to a château located away from the City of Angels, little does he know the next two days may well be out of Rocky Horror! That’s because Janet, er Kayla’s bestie (Jessica Lelia Greene) asked this couple over for an evening they’ll never forget. Glory (Erin Anne Gray) says it’s okay; she was never pure even when the two met and he knew. And their night is debauchery as its most Greco-Roman. I was curious because vampires are involved!

But even in Anne Rice’s world, what’s presented suggests these creatures of the night have to find willing participants. This film by Dallas King feels like a work in progress, as not everything is fleshed out. The only one good constant is where the unwilling hero struggles with whether he should accept a deal with the devil, and that’s to trade partners and become of their kind. There’s no FX to enhance the terror and I hoped for some moments of some classic vampirism and got none.

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In Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp- What’s Next After “Alls Fair in Love and War?” It Doesn’t Look LIke Hate.

If you’re unable to catch Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp- at Fantasia Film Festival 2024, please mark your calenders as it’ll get screenings Aug 28th across North America.

KIZUMONOGATARI movie poster Anyone who hasn’t seen Kizumonogatari, read the Monogatari book series or seen the Bakemonogatari anime, that’s okay! Neither of them really follow the order of the other, and tegarding the former, all three films have been compiled into one huge introduction of this franchise. After watching this neo-gothic wonder known as Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp- (傷物語こよみヴァンプ), I feel inclinced to get caught up!

Here, Koyomi Araragi (Hiroshi Kamiya) is in a heap of trouble. After meeting Tsubasa Hanekawa (Yui Horie), he loses his humanity! At first, I thought he would lose his virginity because the defining moments offers some classic fanservice along with pop culture references; but the first conversation they have is about the ghosts and vampires said to lurk nearby. I knew that sets up the fact he would become a druge! In layman terms, he’s a vampire’s servent. But when he tells his creator, Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade (Maaya Sakamoto), he doesn’t want to remain a vampire, finding a way out will be difficult.

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Just Who Stalks Whom Makes Abigail All The More Scarier. But Is Daddy Dearest Deadlier?

Universal Studios is finally on the right track for reigniting interest in their classic monster franchises with films like Abigail. Now the question is, can they keep the momentum of decent hits going?

Available on VOD (All Platforms)
Spoiler Alert

Universal Studios Abigail is a return to form after a crazy last year of horror movies that have been hit-and-miss. Here, wannabe kidnappers grab a young teen and while tasked to watch over her until the ransom is met, little do they know just how much of a monster she is! Anyone who has seen the trailers knows a lot more about what’s going on than they do. Had they been familiar with Anne Rice’s book Interview with a Vampire, they’d know just how scary Claudia can get, but they’re none the wiser.

Instead, all they know is that she’s the daughter of a powerful gangster. She lives a rather privileged lifestyle, enjoying ballet and playing with her dolls. However, once when we see her offer a sinister grin, and only one member of this gang even offers a sense of guilt, what I got to see is scarier than Alien! Alisha Weir is awesome in the role, injecting enough innocence and pathos to make anyone cautious.

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Alice and the Vampire Queen is Less About The Lost Souls Who Come Seeking Help

Some indie films can get weirdly familiar, and in this one, it’s not about what’s through the looking glass in Alice and the Vampire Queen.

Available to Stream on YouTube

The concept behind Alice and the Vampire Queen sounds like something one is better off reading instead of witnessing it as a film. Here, Writer-director Dan Lantz fashions a world that’s very suited to exist as an RPG scenario in White Wolf’s Worlds of Darkness. This game organises the various undead and monster factions into groups, and some operate shops to cater to their kind; mortal patrons are often unaware, and when they get caught up in their imagination, what results can either be pleasant or painful.

And when the matriarch pines for something tasty, sometimes “recruiting” outside their circle is required. Here, the title character gets a deep look through the looking glass about not only herself, but in what lurks in the night. Nobody respects Alice (Shelby Hightower), and her attitude isn’t exactly sweet. Whatever changed her, and that paranoia defines her. This introduction plays through the rest of the film when she’s “taken.”

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Dracula Book I The Impaler! Back from the Dead with the Help of a Dark Horse.

The first of four planned volumes, Dracula Book I The Impaler explores the legendary Count before his debut in Bram Stoker’s iconic novel—from his first foray into the dark arts to his rise to lord of the undead!

Just how many times Dracula’s story (or Vlad the Impaler) can be retold depends on who is crafting the story. I recall Topps had a take I quite liked back in the day and it’s been reprinted (Amazon link). The latest is Dracula Book I The Impaler, I can’t wait to sink my fangs into this too! I can’t say which one is the best, as they all have their merits, and the latest from writer Matt Wagner, artist Kelley Jones, colourist José Villarrubia, and letterer Rob Steen is sure to please too! The teaser pages I was offered showed just how much more bloodier and scarier it is going to get.

The project marks the first ever collaboration for Wagner and Jones, two legendary comic book creators and longtime friends. The book, which began as a crowdfunding sensation on Kickstarter, will be available in comic shops and bookstores for Halloween 2024.

From the Press Release:

“When Kelley Jones and I decided to launch the first volume of our new collaboration, Dracula Book I The Impaler as a Kickstarter campaign, we always knew we also wanted to offer it via more traditional publishing channels,” said legendary Grendal creator Matt Wagner. “The overwhelming success of our campaign only solidified the need for that option, with both retailers and readers alike begging us for a mass-market edition in addition to the exclusive, hardcover Kickstarter versions. When it came time to partner up with an established publisher for that alternative, there really was no other choice to consider but Dark Horse Comics. Dark Horse and I have enjoyed an incredible collaborative relationship for over 35 years and their reputation for quality material and their support of creators’ rights is a well-deserved hallmark in the comic’s industry. We’re thrilled to team up with them to bring our epic to an even wider audience!”

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When All The World’s A Stage, and Dampyr Needs a Home to Play….

Before anyone dives headfirst to this new cinematic universe which begins with Dampyr, it’s perhaps best to seek out the comic books so more about this Italian world can be understood.

Available to stream on Google Play and Netflix.

Few people know what a Dampir is, and they are technically a mortal with the extended life expectancy of a vampire! In Italy, Mauro Boselli and Maurizio Colombo created a Serbian version, and his name is Harlan Draka. This Dampyr needs to find his place in the world, though, and I’m hoping that what’s planned has enough legs to take off since past adaptations of pulp heroes have never done well in this European market.

Here, this hero played by Wade Briggs is trying to figure his life out as the Balkan war plays out. He is completely unaware of his heritage and even passes the belief in as a flight of fancy, what happens next shows they are dangerous! While part of the story involves supernatural factions vying for control amid mortal conflict, not everyone wants to choose a side. Although this reluctant hero gets involved while rediscovering his past, what goes on isn’t all that surprising. He will have to meet his maker.

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