Mikes Film Talk

Clarke M Smith kindly allows us the chance to revisit his 1995 film Bloodline. This Throwback Thursday Review looks at the half-hour short all about turning into a vampire. Bloodline suffers from a video filmed base, but it impresses nonetheless. The story is good and the FX are kept to a minimum without harming the plot line at all.

The Bloodline Story

A woman is having odd dreams. In the real world, a “mysterious” figure calls to her. As her dreams become darker, she fears insanity. Perhaps she’s isn’t mentally disturbed. She may be turning into a vampire.

The Cast

Joi Campbell is Kim.

Peter Beam is Anders.

John Biase is Dr Wilson.

Greg Page is Arthur.

Clark M Smith is Scott.

Let’s Talk Bloodline

Co directors/ co writers Beam and Smith take a page out of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the count’s taking of Mina Harker. They have updated it to modern day. (Well, modern as of 1995.) It works wonderfully.

Stoker’s blood sucking count never ages, both metaphorically and in terms of life cycle. This retelling of the tale, with allusions to Renfield, is spot on storywise. Kim speaking to a psychiatrist about her dreams and the idea that she is turning into a bloodsucker is an excellent touch. Poor Mina Harker did not have that avenue open to her.

Filming of Bloodlines suffers from dark frames. Necessary, perhaps, due to the storyline; but… Relying on what feels like “natural” light causes visibility to drop a good bit. As other films made around this time, the sound is also a tad dodgy.

It All Works

Bloodlines works. For 30 minutes we are privy to Kim’s “problems” dealing with this strange chap who accosts her in the night. That this fellow is a vampire goes without saying, he has a familiar, a la Renfield, for a start. Then there are those teeth. Dead giveaways. *Although at one point his “fangs” change in the long shots to what looks like “normal” gnashers. This happens when Kim and her new “special” friend are talking on a park bench*

The Verdict

This is a solid 3 star effort. It entertains and is evocative of a lot of re-hashing of the old Dracula myth. It is less Christopher Lee’s Hammer vampire and more Bela Lugosi, sans the accent. Regardless, it is an enjoyable bit of film and worth the half hour spent watching it. It is available, upscaled, on YouTube.