Scarecrow-88
Any film that has David Carradine as Count Dracula and Bruce Campbell as a dorky, rather inept Van Helsing descendant is gonna grab my attention. From what I understand Anthony Hickox's(Waxwork;Hellraiser III)vampire western, Sundown-The Vampire in Retreat, rather lingered in obscurity which is rather surprising since it is such an interesting, colorful, sprawling, ambitious hybrid of genres. And, the film is packed full of terrific names in the cast! For an avid horror and western fan such as myself, Hickox's film was quite a treat and I could just feel the enthusiasm behind the direction although his influences are very visible. The score is rousing and quite orchestral, despite the fact that this film is actually set in modern 1990 with family man, David Harrison(Jim Metzler), wife Sarah(Morgan Brittany)and daughters driving into an American Western town of Purgatory to help assist an old college "pal", Shane(Maxwell Caulfield)adjust a machine which might have the ability to create synthetic blood. This machine was purchased by the mysterious millionaire, Jozek Mardulak(David Carradine), who is the authority over the town which consists completely of vampires who have taken a vow to not harm humans unless absolutely necessary. Interesting enough, Mardulak seeks favor from God for the murderous, blood-sucking deeds from his past with a township also guilty for those innocents who perished thanks to their thirst. But, under Mardulak's nose is his lieutenant, Ethan Jefferson(John Ireland)plotting to overthrow the great leader so that his race can hunt humans again. Shane joins forces with Jefferson and has plans of his own..in a major sub-plot, it is revealed that Shane and David's wife slept together and that daughter Julie could in fact be his. Shane desires to "turn" Sarah and Julie if just for spite because he's an egotistical, arrogant, smug punk who doesn't like playing second fiddle to anybody. The problem for David is that he can not defend his honor properly because Shane has superior powers thanks to his vampiric abilities. And, also, Jefferson plans to kill all the regular citizens of Purgatory if they do not comply with demands for joining the hunt. Shane has developed a wood-tipped bullet which, when fired into the heart, splinters on impact killing the vampire. Having built an army of vampires by hunting human outsiders willing to join him, Jefferson plans an onslaught which threatens all the work Mardulak has contributed to conforming his race. A nerdy descendant of Van Helsing, Robert(Bruce Campbell, operating his shtick without restriction;very cartoony and animated offering quite a nervous and over-his-head, but impossibly brave hero;quite an alternative to his Evil Dead series persona)kidnaps a vampire diner waitress in Purgatory, Sandy(..the yummy beauty Deborah Foreman who steps away from her usual adorable cuteness;quite a sexy and alluring presentation, but she had tapped into this kind of deliciousness in Hickox's previous horror flick, Waxwork)threatening to sprinkle holy water on her if she doesn't take him to Mardulak's home. Lots of stuff going on, that's for sure. There's even time to show a frightened young couple, who witnessed their friend's beheading at the hands of hillbilly vampire, Mort(the great M Emmet Walsh)imprisoned next to him by the sheriff because they know too much with the town wanting to feast from them. The vampires survive off of the artificial blood Shane's machine, produced from David's schematics, and heavy UV cream.This was my first viewing of the film and as much a buff as I am, I shamefully admit to just finding out about this rather recently. I thought the film is quick paced enough to look over it's flaws, although there were times when certain performances were a bit cringe-worthy, particularly Metzler as the heroic father whose dramatic scenes with Brittany(..who is cute, but doesn't exactly blow you away with her performance, either)regarding Shane are overwrought. Caulfield nails his part as the a$$hole of the film, behind the possible destruction of a family and only joining forces with Jefferson as a way to get his "property", Sarah and Julie. Campbell and Foreman have nice chemistry together in their sweet, budding romance. But, Carradine as Dracula, masquerading as Mardulak is money and seeing him opposite old Hollywood veteran Ireland in a gunfight was sheer bliss for me. We definitely see the spaghetti western influence here..I am pretty sure Hickox just dreamed of directing such a scenario. The vampire effects are surprisingly good, but many will probably wince at the bat creations(..there are different effects used such as animated and clay forms of vampires in bat-form). Rarely is their any fanging on screen, which was the greatest drag for this vampire cinema lover. It was a lot of fun seeing M Emmett Walsh steal entire scenes so easily and Buck Flower as a town vampire switching allegiances to Jefferson's clan(..his confrontation with Foreman is a doozy and his fate regarding an open umbrella is priceless). Ireland once again, no matter his age, finding that menace was also a pleasure and he knew how to really bare those fangs so fiendishly.Fabulous use of Moab, Utah locations shot in widescreen and the wonderful sense of irony in the plot being that these vampires, in their attempt to go straight choose such a hot place as their refuge from humankind.
lbons
Funny movie with some named actors about a group of vampires attempting to go straight. The vampires have decided to give up human blood and have moved on to artificial blood, kind of a blood suckin nutrashake. This coupled with SPF 1000 allows the vampires to lead a "normal" life.However not all is well in vampire town as some of the vampires want to return to the old ways. the movie ends with a battle between the humans who stumbled onto the vampire town, the good vampires, and the vampires who want to return to the old ways. A good movie if you like fake blood and plastic fangsoverall a funny "horror " movie
