''Modern Vampires'' (also known as ''Revenant'') is a 1998 American

black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discu ...

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

written by

Matthew Bright Matthew Bright (born June 8, 1952) is a former film director, writer and actor. His first credits were as writer and actor in Richard Elfman, Richard Elfman's 1980 film ''Forbidden Zone'', portraying the twins Squeezit and René Henderson. The ...

, directed by

Richard Elfman Richard Elfman (born March 6, 1949) is an American actor, musician, director, producer, screenwriter, journalist, author and magazine publisher. Early life Richard Elfman was born in the Watts district of inner-city Los Angeles. His mother, B ...

and starring

Casper Van Dien Casper Robert Van Dien Jr. (born December 18, 1968) is an American actor. He is best known for his lead role as Johnny Rico in the 1997 science-fiction action film ''Starship Troopers''. He has also appeared in a large number of television and ...

Natasha Gregson Wagner Natasha Gregson Wagner ( Gregson; born September 29, 1970) is an American actress. She is the daughter of film producer Richard Gregson and actress Natalie Wood. She has appeared in films including '' Lost Highway'' (1997), ''Two Girls and a Guy ...

Kim Cattrall Kim Victoria Cattrall (; born 21 August 1956) is a British-Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones on HBO's ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004), for which she received five Emmy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Awa ...

Natasha Lyonne Natasha Bianca Lyonne Braunstein ( ; born April 4, 1979) is an American actress, director, writer, and producer. She is known for playing Nicky Nichols on the Netflix comedy-drama series ''Orange Is the New Black'' (2013–2019), for which she ...

Udo Kier Udo Kierspe (born 14 October 1944), known professionally as Udo Kier, is a German actor. Known primarily as a character actor, Kier has appeared in more than 220 films in both leading and supporting roles throughout Europe and the Americas. He h ...

and Rod Steiger. It was released direct to video on October 19, 1999.

Plot

Dallas, a vampire, continuously bites people without permission from The Count. He is especially infuriated after Dallas turns Nico, a young woman and serial killer known as the "Hollywood Slasher" and orders her immediate death. 20 years after his exile, he returns to Los Angeles to pay a visit to his vampire friends: Ulrike, Vincent, Richard and Richard's pregnant wife Panthia. To celebrate Dallas' return, the five decide to spend the night clubbing in one of The Count's many vampire bars. Unfortunately, The Count is also there and he threatens Dallas to leave town. Dr. Van Helsing, leader of Van Helsing's Institute of Vienna, is currently after the band of vampires. However, realizing that he is too old to handle the extermination alone, puts an ad in the newspaper for help. He gets

Crips The Crips is an alliance of street gangs that is based in the coastal regions of Southern California. Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969, mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams, the Crips were initially a single alliance ...

member Time Bomb, who does not believe in vampires but is willing to put a stake through anyone's heart for money. The pair succeed in subduing and killing Vincent. Van Helsing tells Time Bomb that 20 years ago, his son Hans was good friends with Dallas, who promised to save his life from a fatal genetic disorder by turning him into a vampire. After discovering this, Helsing killed Hans and his wife committed suicide out of grief, vowing to destroy Dallas for what he did to his son. Dallas, having grown protective of Nico, drives around looking for her. After sharing a bit of each other's blood, Dallas reveals who he is and explains that the vampire community is out to get her, fearing her recklessness with expose the existence of vampires. After an attack by Van Hellsing and Time Bomb, Dallas takes Nico live with Richard and Panthia, who clean her up and take her shopping for some new clothes. Panthia develops a mother-like complex towards Nico and starts treating her like a daughter. While the four go out one night, Nico befriends a human woman named Rachel. Returning home they find a hysterical Ulrike, who revealing Vincent's death to the others. Knowing that this was Van Helsing's handiwork, Dallas theorizes that he's closing in on them. Having concluded that even two vampire hunters will not be enough against the vampire infestation, Van Helsing and Time Bomb bring in three more Crips members - Soda Pop, L'il Monster, and Trigger. Dallas then decides to take Nico to see her mother's house, as Nico has little memory of her human life. Nico has him kill her verbally and sexually abusive stepfather an exchanges heated words with her neglectful mother, who she claims never loved her. As they leave the trailer park, they are attacked by four of The Count's henchmen but manage to kill them. While driving back, Dallas reveals that he was ordered to kill Van Helsing, but chose not to after befriending Hans. He hoped that by curing Hans he could change his father's attitude towards the vampire community. This failed, leading to Van Helsing became vengeful towards Dallas and killed Hans without mercy. The Count then banished Dallas as punishment for not carrying out his order to kill him. The next night, Nico gets a call from Rachel and invites Nico out to party. Meanwhile, Dallas pays a visit to The Count and begs him to spare Nico, but The Count once again threatens him to bring him Nico. With Nico and Dallas out, Van Helsing and his Crip employees storm the house and kill Richard and Panthia. They tie Ulrike to a bedpost, but she taunts the Crips into having sex with her before Van Helsing finally stakes her too. They are unaware that having sex with a vampire turns a person into a vampire. Suddenly, Nico returns, horrified at the carnage. She attacks Trigger and Rachel is accidentally shot with Nico shooting Trigger in retaliation. Time Bomb subdues Nico as Dallas returns home, coming face to face with Van Helsing. Dallas offers to lead Van Helsing to The Count if he releases Nico. Van Helsing reluctantly agrees as they all head for The Count's house. Unfortunately, The Count's henchmen intercept them and take Nico and Van Helsing to The Count, where he hooks up Nico to a blood-draining machine and places Van Helsing in a box with only his head sticking out. Just as The Count is about to crack open Van Helsing's skull with a hammer, Dallas drives the van through the wall of the club. Dallas and the Crips, now vampires, come out and manage to kill The Count and his henchmen. Afterwards, Nico is set free and Rachel, in order to save her life, has been turned into a vampire. Nico, Rachel, and Dallas decide to move to New York. In the closing scene, a pajama-clad Van Helsing runs down an alley, screaming for forgiveness from his son. As he utters apologies to God and his son Hans, he screams for help, revealing vampire fangs in front of two police officers.

Production

Production began during late June 1997 in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, under the working title of ''Revenant''. A few months later, work on the film was complete.

Differences between R-rated and unrated versions

* The DVD version contains more explicit gore than the edited R-rated VHS release. * In the Spanish DVD version by Manga Films, the title does not appear onscreen during the opening credits.

Reception

The movie has received third place Best International Film award at the Fant-Asia Film Festival in 1997.

References

External links