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An age-old question answered
Mar. 28th, 2004 10:34 amIf you're anything like me, you've probably found yourself wondering from time to time... Is it possible to make a movie so trashy it can't be redeemed by Sapphic Vampire Action?
Why, yes. Yes, it is.
Okay, I'll grant it was far from the worst vampire film I've ever seen. The basic story idea was quite good, but Ken Russell didn't seem to be sure whether he was making Light Horror-Comedy, Dark Shocking Horror Film, or Hot Vampire Action. It certainly had potential to be any one of those, maybe even two, but he flip-flopped too much and didn't really succeed at any of them.
Now, I haven't read the Bram Stoker novel on which it was based, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and try to guess which bits were Bram's and which were Ken's.
Bram Stoker:
The D'Ampton worm.
Lord D'Ampton, descendent of his famous ancestor.
Lady Sylvia Marsh.
Digging up the skull of the worm.
Past-lives flashbacks, maybe.
Ken Russell:
The 1980s setting.
The Marital Aid of Doom (TM).
The bits of aforementioned flashbacks that dwelled on topless nuns (i.e. most of them.)
The hand grenade. (And where did that come from, anyway?)
Ah well. At least it was amusingly bad.
Edit
Oh, and, 1200 metres at the DRAC yesterday. Go me. Tired but not exhausted afterwards, and only slightly sore today, so the getting-fit bit seems to be doing some good. I could have swam further, but I'm trying to step this up gradually - because I know if I overdo it, I'll have much more trouble motivating myself to get up for the morning swim next time.
Why, yes. Yes, it is.
Okay, I'll grant it was far from the worst vampire film I've ever seen. The basic story idea was quite good, but Ken Russell didn't seem to be sure whether he was making Light Horror-Comedy, Dark Shocking Horror Film, or Hot Vampire Action. It certainly had potential to be any one of those, maybe even two, but he flip-flopped too much and didn't really succeed at any of them.
Now, I haven't read the Bram Stoker novel on which it was based, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and try to guess which bits were Bram's and which were Ken's.
Bram Stoker:
The D'Ampton worm.
Lord D'Ampton, descendent of his famous ancestor.
Lady Sylvia Marsh.
Digging up the skull of the worm.
Past-lives flashbacks, maybe.
Ken Russell:
The 1980s setting.
The Marital Aid of Doom (TM).
The bits of aforementioned flashbacks that dwelled on topless nuns (i.e. most of them.)
The hand grenade. (And where did that come from, anyway?)
Ah well. At least it was amusingly bad.
Edit
Oh, and, 1200 metres at the DRAC yesterday. Go me. Tired but not exhausted afterwards, and only slightly sore today, so the getting-fit bit seems to be doing some good. I could have swam further, but I'm trying to step this up gradually - because I know if I overdo it, I'll have much more trouble motivating myself to get up for the morning swim next time.
