The Addiction (1995)

3 / 5 Aug '10
Tagline: The dark is their sunlight. What makes them different is what keeps them alive.
Directed by: Abel Ferrara
Written by: Nicholas St. John
Actors include: Lili Taylor, Edie Falco, Christopher Walken
Genre: Horror, Drama
Length: 80 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I really expected something different here, heck I usually like Abel Ferrara films and I love the cast members but this didn't work for me. Why? Because I'm not into philosophy and it really seemed like it was trying to cram it out of every orifice. The plot is about a timid young student called Kathleen (Lili Taylor) who is bitten by a vampire. She then goes through heroin like symptoms craving blood and letting herself and her morals deteriorate taking down everyone around her. It's filmed in black and white rather nicely and it feels gritty, I'll give it that. Also they did a pretty cool vampire party sequence that offered up the much needed horror as most of this is a drama of sorts. I didn't absolutely hate it but I felt it was being pretentious and although the concept was intriguing the execution was too dry and dull. Not my kind of movie but it will definitely appeal to some, and I suppose credit for making an intellectual vampire movie.

Availability:  Not on DVD

Body Snatchers (1993)

3 / 5 Jan '10
Tagline: The Invasion Continues
Directed by: Abel Ferrara
Written by: Jack Finney, Raymond Cistheri
Actors include: Gabrielle Anwar, Terry Kinney, Billy Wirth
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi
Length: 87 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I definitely prefer the other two versions of this tale I've seen (the '50s & the '70s) by a huge margin. This feels very '90s and it has "dear diary" overtones to the awful narration. They've also twisted this tale all around to be around a young girl and her family who moved to a new town. One day her little Brother notices that Mom's head deflates? and a new Mom appears and he yells and complains about that not being his Mom. After a while a bunch of townspeople start becoming more zombie like and personality free (oh and not to mention the loud sound they make while pointing which worked awesomely in the other two but here it seems hilarious). The actual effects that went into creating the pods and the regeneration process and stuff are well done and it's the only real reason I can think of to watch this. I really had higher expectations here, especially considering Abel Ferrara was at the helm of this picture. Not recommended unless you need to see every adaptation of this story.

Availability:  On DVD