''Embrace of the Vampire'' is a 1995 American

erotic thriller The erotic thriller is a film subgenre defined as a thriller with a thematic basis in illicit romance or erotic fantasy. Though exact definitions of the erotic thriller can vary, it is generally agreed "bodily danger and pleasure must remain in ...

vampire film Vampire films have been a staple in world cinema since the era of silent films, so much so that the depiction of vampires in popular culture is strongly based upon their depiction in films throughout the years. The most popular cinematic adaptati ...

directed by

Anne Goursaud Anne Goursaud is a French filmmaker known for her work editing Francis Ford Coppola films like '' Bram Stoker's Dracula'' and '' The Outsiders''. She has also directed '' Poison Ivy II'' and ''Embrace of the Vampire''. Selected filmography As ...

. It stars

Alyssa Milano Alyssa Jayne Milano (born December 19, 1972) is an American actress. She has played Samantha Micelli in '' Who's the Boss?'', Jennifer Mancini in ''Melrose Place'', Phoebe Halliwell in ''Charmed'', Billie Cunningham in ''My Name Is Earl'', Savan ...

as Charlotte, a chaste girl who is haunted by a vampire played by

Martin Kemp Martin John Kemp (born 10 October 1961) is an English musician and actor, best known as the bassist in the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his role as Steve Owen in ''EastEnders''. He is the younger brother of Gary Kemp, who is also a ...

Plot

Charlotte is a "

chaste Chaste refers to practicing chastity. Chaste may also refer to: * Aymar Chaste (1514–1603), Catholic French admiral * Chaste (Marvel Comics), a fictional Marvel Comics martial arts enclave * Chaste (canton) - see List of townships in Quebec T ...

" good girl, who is having erotic dreams where she meets her dream lover who is a dark, handsome

vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...

– who was himself bitten by

nymph A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label=Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ty ...

vampires long ago, losing the love of his life, and who sees Charlotte as the reincarnation of his long lost lover, a princess. Charlotte's dreams interfere with her relationship with her real-life boyfriend, who is not quite as fascinating as the vampire dream boy. The vampire gives Charlotte an

Ankh Progressive ankylosis protein homolog (ANK ilosis H omolog) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''ANKH'' gene. This gene encodes a multipass transmembrane protein that is expressed in joints and other tissues and controls pyrophosphate ...

that alters her behaviour when she wears it. Charlotte is drawn towards the vampire's world but she is disturbed by her longings. There is the usual struggle between such opposing entities, as Charlotte sees that not only does she have to choose between her boyfriend and her mysterious night-time visitor, but also between light and dark, and good and evil. Charlotte is being influenced by the vampire and starts behaving wantonly, going to a sexy party wearing nothing but ankle boots and a short, low-cut dress from her friend Nicole's wardrobe. She has her drink spiked and after briefly kissing a student called Milo, they are interrupted by his sassy girlfriend Eliza, the campus slut, who is killed by the vampire banging her head against the Charlotte's door, then licking the blood from the door as Charlotte listens in a state of arousal from the other side of the door. Charlotte drifts in and out of her dream as the vampire tells her to come to him, as he believes there is nothing left for her here (on earth) and he only has hours to exist unless he can get Charlotte to love him. After some dream scenes, Charlotte is in the tower with the vampire. Chris (her boyfriend) is there, but the vampire pushes Chris away, and is about to put the bite on her when she utters Chris's name; he initially tells her not to think of Chris and instead think of himself and her as a couple. Then, after Charlotte calls out Chris's name again, the vampire angrily warns her that she cannot take Chris's love to the eternal life he was offering her, and disappears. Charlotte and Chris wake up in the morning and kiss, and the vampire perishes while lying in his room.

Cast

as Charlotte Wells *

as The Vampire * Harrison Pruett as Chris *

Jordan Ladd Jordan Elizabeth Ladd is an American actress. The daughter of actress Cheryl Ladd and producer David Ladd, she initially worked with her mother in several made-for-television films, before making her big screen debut at 19, in the vampire film ...

as Eliza *

Rachel True Rachel India True (born November 15, 1966) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in such films as '' The Craft'' (1996), '' Nowhere'' (1997), and ''Half Baked'' (1998). True is also known for her role as Mona Thorne on the UPN ...

as Nicole *

Charlotte Lewis Charlotte Lewis (born 7 August 1967) is an English actress. Early life Lewis attended Bishop Douglass School in Finchley. Her mother is Irish-English, while her father—a doctor whom she never met—is half-Chilean and half-Iraqi. Career Le ...

as Sarah *

Jennifer Tilly Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan; September 16, 1958) is an American–Canadian actress and poker player. Known for her distinctive voice and comedic timing, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, two MTV Movie Awards and three Sat ...

as Marika *

Rebecca Ferratti Rebecca Ferratti (née Underwood, born November 27, 1961) is an American model. She has worked in over 25 films. She has been a dancer in many music videos and has posed in many magazines, including ''Playboy''. She was Playmate of the Month in ...

as Princess * John Riedlinger as Milo

Production

In an interview published in 2005 Anne Goursaud, director of ''Embrace of the Vampire'', said the film "was made for $500,000 in thirteen days". She estimates that thanks to video sales "it has made maybe $15 million".

References

External links

* * {{Deborah Anderson, state=autocollapse 1995 films 1995 horror films 1995 independent films American erotic horror films American supernatural horror films American independent films 1990s English-language films Films about reincarnation Films shot in Minnesota LGBT-related horror films American vampire films Films about nightmares New Line Cinema films 1995 directorial debut films 1995 LGBT-related films Films directed by Anne Goursaud 1990s American films