Cinematic Vampires
This is the 1992 movie precusor to the popular tv series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (of which I am a huge fan and have a page here dedicated to). The movie was also written by Joss Whedon, the man responsible for the television series. The two are widely different, as you will see.
This Buffy is played by Kristy Swanson, and this Buffy seems much more vapid and valley-girlish than the current Buffy portrayal.
The movie focuses on her "normal" life at high school in L.A., and then she meets Merrick. Merrick is Buffy's first watcher, played by Donald Sutherland. Merrick begins to train the dubious Buffy on how to kill the vampires.
The main vampire that Buffy has to face is called the Master, also called Lothos, played by Rutger Hauer, in a role vastly different from anything he's portrayed before. He taunts Buffy in her dreams, and finally in real life. Merrick's job is to train Buffy so that she might one day face the Master and kill him. (We see this plot line early on in the television series also.)
Of course, the Master does have his friends, though they don't help much. Seen below is the Master with his not-so-trusty sidekick Amilyn, played by the notorious Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee Herman). Some may disagree with me, but most of Amilyn's actions are what provides the real comedy in this movie. His death scene is hilarious, choreographed as it is by Lothos playing a dirge on the violin.
The movie also stars Luke Perry (of "Beverly Hills 90210" fame) and an early showing of David Arquette (from Scream).
Of course, in the end, the Master dies and Buffy gets the guy.
In all, the movie pales in comparison with the current television show, but there is a small cult following for the movie itself. It is campy and cheesy, but it is funny. And it certainly provides some serious questions about how creator Joss Whedon can go from the movie Buffy to the tv Buffy.
As on all my other pages, I do not own the copyrights to any of the pictures, or information provided on this page.
