SGM Month of Halloween Horror Movie for Oct. 9

"Subspecies II: Bloodstone" (1993)

Themes: Vampires
Synopsis (from the back of the box): Radu’s fledgling Michelle flees from his castle with the holy relic – the Bloodstone – and struggles with her emerging bloodlust while hiding in the basement of a theater in Bucharest, waiting for her sister to arrive from the States to help her.

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I used to think that Full Moon Studios desperately wanted to be the next New Line Cinema, a/k/a “The House That Freddy Built.” They threw a lot of concepts against the wall to see what stuck – “Puppet Master,” “Trancers,” and “Demonic Toys,” as well as more recent fare like “Killer Bong” and, dear God, “The Gingerdead Man.” Among all of these magnificent films, though, is one series that seemed to chug along just under the radar: “Subspecies.”

The “Subspecies” series is all about the vampires, and the chief antagonist is Radu, a character who bears more than a passing resemblance to Max Schreck’s Nosferatu. Watching Anders Hove’s performance as Radu, in a more current context, conjures recollections of the late Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker in “The Dark Knight Returns,” with its reliance on involuntary twitching, raspy dialogue recitations, and vocal inflections that border on otherworldly. “Subspecies” I sets the tone for the films that followed, but it’s in “Subspecies II” where the heart of the story takes place, in Radu’s quest for possession of the titular Bloodstone.

“Subspecies II,” filmed in the year after “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” exhibits some pretty neat art photography that certainly appears to have been influenced by the latter. Shadows in particular play a very sinister role, especially during the scenes in which Radu pursues Michelle toward and through Budapest. The filming in Romania was an inspired decision, as it lends to a more authentic feel than you may find in more modern films; however, I found myself wishing that the director would have found at least four or five different streets to film on, as much of the film takes place in the same settings.

The acting in this film is most unfortunate. Aside from Radu, which I consider to be pretty amusing in its over-the-top quality, the rest of the characters are played as if they are desperate to stand out against their compatriots. Michelle is really at her best when Denice Duff shuts the fuck up and just runs away from Radu. Michelle’s sister Rebecca, played by Melanie Shatner (yep, William’s daughter), alternates between lovestruck on the cardboard standee that is Kevin Blair and constantly asking Michelle “What’s wrong?” despite not being freaked out by the copious amounts of blood splattered on Michelle’s dress. Radu’s mother is little more than a thankless make-up role that could have been ushered in by anyone. In fact, if there were any other actor worth watching other than Hove, it would have to be Ion Haiduc, ushering in the role of Lt. Marin, the “Subspecies” answer to Abraham Van Helsing.

Expect no faggy “tortured soul” vampire references here; the story is primarily that of a vampire who is more than happy with his station in life, and his main goal in life is to, presumably, live forever, drink blood, and fuck Michelle, and not necessarily in that order. And since the movie makes no illusions about its intentions, it’s way more entertaining than a thousand “Interview With a Vampires,” “True Bloods,” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayers” would ever be.

Rating: 2 1/2 count