Woodyanders Prissy priest Algernon Ford (an effectively smug and sinister portrayal by Gavin Reed) is really a vampire who's organizing a gala annual feast for his fellow bloodsuckers. Assisted by pathetic hunchback Spool (the pitiable Berwick Kaler) and a trio of grotesque green-skinned vampire women, Ford has grisly plans for two of his luckless lady relatives: pregnant Susan (comely Jackie Skarvellis) gets chosen to be a breeder for vampire babies while lovely Candace (ravishing redhead Emma Jones) will be used as a blood donor. Writer/director Andy Milligan, whose movies are usually hopelessly cheap, static and inept, here shows a surprisingly substantial amount of flair and finesse. The rough, grainy, but still fairly polished cinematography in particular is occasionally impressive. The neatly varied score alternates between lush orchestral film library music and wonky, droning, atonal synthesizer noises. The gloomy British countryside adds considerably to the spooky and decadent Gothic atmosphere. The solid acting from the competent cast rates as another sterling asset: Reed truly excels in the lead, with sturdy support from Skarvellis, Kaler, Jones, Richmond Ross as Susan's brave, likable boyfriend Paul Donati, Susan Heard as Algernon's fetching, reticent wife Alicia, Felicity Sentence as brassy maid Jessie, and Judith Head as fiery vampiress Elizabeth. In addition, this film takes some interesting liberties with the standard vampire lore: These bloodsuckers don't have fangs, can walk around in the sunlight, and take regular blood transfusions to keep themselves strong. The climactic vampires' ball is both pleasingly lavish and appropriately gruesome. Nice dark surprise ending, too. A nifty vampire horror picture.

OllieMugwump A well constructed and quite novel vampire-piece from the late schlock auteur Andy Milligan about an ancient all-English clan of Un-Deads who, true to vampire tradition, feed-off their mortal relations.I understand Milligan based many of his horror films on classic literary works - in this case Stoker's 'Dracula' - hence the real and fictional locations of Highgate Cemetery and 'Carfax Abbey' as well as a trio of vampire gals; whose green make-up looks admittedly silly, but they're used to quite creepy effect. The 16mm hand-held camera also works to the film's advantage (ala 'The Evil Dead').Acting all-round is extremely decent; especially Gavin Reed in the central role of Reverend Ford - he is every bit the prissy English churchman as scheming master vampire.Highlights include; the first appearance of the vampire gals at Highgate ('Hellooooo'), the not-so-good Reverend's wife Alicia (Susan Heard) plunging her knitting-needles into a maid's eyes, the Ford-clan rising to attend the climactic blood-feast, the film's most-mentioned scene where vampire Elizabeth (Judith Heard) is very vocal in her objection to the Rev's plan to move to the U.S.My personal favourite though, is where hunchback servant Spool (Berwick Kaler) is crucified by the green-faced gals for disobedience to which the vampire Reverend deliciously croons "Never cross me again Spool(!)"Recommeded for all fans of traditional, Gothic vampire thrillers.

dbborroughs One of The better Milligan films that actually sort of works if you give it a a few allowances. One of Milligans English films, this movie actually is a good...okay...just...story of a vampires and such trying to get new blood into their family. (that maybe giving too much away, or not since the movie doesn't wholly make sense.) Technically competent which only has to survive the need to keep all of the actors in close huddle and some make up that would be too thick even on stage, this is a decent drama/thriller thats actually one of the few Milligan movies I can recommend on any level. Sure it dances the fine line around being a bad movie (and crosses over into that territory a few times) but its the sort of time killer you may actually watch to the end. Both better and worse than I'm making out this maybe the Milligan movie to start with if you have a yen so long as you understand what you're getting yourself into.

guru_monk An odd one in Milligan's filmography, this was one of the few "real" movies he attempted. By "real" I mean less concerned with stagy, screaming, off-Broadway plots (let's face it, Milligan at his best, at least by the standards of his own movies). This is an eccentric vampire film unlike any other. Very similar to "Guru, the Mad Monk", it is one of the few Milligan films to feature a dominant performance by a lead actor (Gavin Reed, one of the more professional actors Milligan worked with) with no scheming, bitchy females in sight. Not quite as slow as some of Milligan's other British-era films, it moves along at a nice clip, and the final vampire/cannibal feast manages, at moments, to be atmospheric (though the annoying use of inappropriate stock music is a distraction). The internet is interesting, I first saw a Milligan movie when I was 12, "The Rats are Coming, the Werewolves Are Here", and have been, well, interested in Milligan ever since. While I'm sure the recent Millgan biography has introduced more people to him, thanks to the internet I now know that, judging by some of the reactions to his films, there are at least 25 other people on Earth who appreciate Milligan as I do. Kind of neat.