What do you get when you combine vampires, substitute for
blood and Utah? Well here’s a hint: Not
True Blood. No, this is Sundown:
Vampire in Retreat by Director Anthony
Hickox (Waxwork, Waxwork II and
Warlock the Armageddon) and written by John
Burgess. Deep in the heart of…okay
not Dixie but Utah exist a town called Purgatory. A town filled with incredibly pale people
that are covered from the sunshine with parasols and large brimmed hats. This town of vampires has rejected the ways
of the night and preying on the innocent is lead by master vampire Count
Mardulak (John Carradine of Kung-Fu). The town has a processing plant that is
making an artificial blood to curb the need to feed but it breaks down and only
one man can repair or refurbish parts for it.
Enter the Harrison Family. John (Jim Metzler L.A. Confidential and Bad City
Blues) brings wife Sarah (Morgan
Brittany of Love Boat and Dallas) and their two kids to this remote and
isolated town where neither of them is the wiser to this odd little bit of
Americana. Seriously they are so thick
you could clock them in the coconut and it might not register until a day or
two later. On the trail of Count
Mardulak is fearless vampire hunter Robert Van Helsing (Bruce Campbell of Evil Dead, Spiderman and Burn Notice) determined
to end the evil that is a bloodsucker only to be smitten by lovely vampire
Sandy (Deborah Foreman of Valley Girl
and Waxwork) John’s former rival for Sarah’s affection Shane (Maxwell Caulfield of Waxwork II and Empire
Records) who happens to be the town’s chief engineer but he needs John’s
expertise.
The Harrisons’
little girls note the townsfolk seem a bit different and are clued in that
there are two factions of vampires. One
attempting to repent and the other is return to the old ways. The
Count attempts to maintain the peace while his right hand man Ethan Jefferson
(John Ireland of Gunslinger and Waxwork II) tells vampires that they have
nothing to feel guilty about and they should revel in their powers. How
does one solve those differences? Why
with a shoot out of course. This film
combines comedy, horror and western all in one unusual package. My
favorite thing about this film is the three brothers Milt (Bert Remsen of The Bodyguard and McCabe and Mrs. Miller) Merle (Sunshine Parker of Tremors and Roadhouse) Mort (M Emmet Walsh of The Flash, Bladerunner and Chasing 3000)
Bisby. They all run this tiny gas
station and look like they are just a gnat’s wing flap away from brutalizing
humans. Mort knocks the head off of this
coked up jackass for being rude and abusive.
The two campers were really unnecessary characters as a whole.
Admittedly the film
did seem like there was filler thrown in and John Carradine’s performance did
seem a little off (methinks drinking days still), and sure he and Bruce were
hardly in any of the scenes but dammit it was a fun movie. The movie finishes off at 104 minutes and
while it dragged a bit you got the scope of what the director was trying for. I ask you to find me a vampire story with conflict, romance and gunfight worthy of the OK corral and in general, an amazing cast. A lot of tongue in cheek humor combined with
a potential love triangle story line sprinkled with some rivalry and a few odd
gore effects and you have a fairly decent film.
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