I, Desire (1982)

This film has a strong opening, a murder, then looks like it is going to deteriorate into the usual fifth rate predictable trash, but the consensus is that this somewhat off-beat tale of modern horror is both a superior effort and vastly under-rated. A female vampire posing as a prostitute to procure her, or perhaps that should be its, victims, a cynical detective working his first homicide - which soon becomes a killing spree - a deranged former priest who is not so deranged, and our hero - a righteous man - one who will not be tempted by the sins of the flesh. Yeah, "Desire" delivers the goods.David Balsiger is the law student who having tangoed with the evil one in the hospital where his girlfriend works as a nurse, goes on her trail only to be arrested by an undercover policewoman for soliciting a prostitute. Fortunately, although he doesn't find her, she finds him, but how can a righteous man overpower a fiend who can rip iron security bars from a third floor window and leap out of it with impunity? Who knows, but good will triumph over evil. Or will it? Gripping stuff, even three decades and more on.

This little gem has it all! David Naughton was an excellent casting choice for the lead role, but some of my favorites such as Dorian Harewood and Marilyn Jones (remember the cute little Nurse that Radar meets in Japan on TV's MASH?), the alluring Barbara Stock, and a powerful Brad Dourif performance also contribute to this made-for-TV delight which richly deserves to be released on DVD! (Hint, hint!!) The plot was probably patterned after "The Night Stalker", with a vampire in modern-day urban America coming to the attention of law student and part-time night employee David Balsiger. He and his attractive "girl-next-door type" fiancée Cheryl Gillen make a likable young couple, and Harewood is very convincing as ambitious young Police detective Jerry Van Ness. But defrocked priest Paul (Brad Dourif) has a memorable few minutes in the middle of the movie that really sticks in my mind.The ending of the movie comes as somewhat of a surprise, and is well handled by the cast members. There's a bluesy musical theme supporting all this, and a refreshing ABSENCE of modern potty-mouth language that make so many modern flicks unattractive for adults and unsuitable for children.Keep a lookout for it on TV, and if it's ever released on a "legitimate" DVD, stay out of my way at the counter, or you'll get run over by me when selecting it!

This flick pretty well bridges the gap between a centuries-old concept and a modern environment. I regard this to be a difficult task in our contemporary era of pragmatism, so, this gets an above-average rating from me for its attempt. But I guess that SOME elements of the vampire belief just CAN'T be left in the past, and they, unfortunately, remind me that this IS a fantasy, evoking my idiosyncratic prejudice against that genre. The story is about a squeamish law-student/morgue worker and his nurse/girlfriend, who, in their positions, see some deaths which involve blood loss. As the guy's fascination intensifies, so does his alienation of his shack-up and the cops, who tire of his tries to convince them that his theory is worthy. I think, however, that you will agree that there is nothing unprofessional about this movie, and that you will, therefore, also conclude that this is an adequate investment.

Superior made for television movie that bears a more than passing resemblence to the newer and triter "Def by Temptation". "I Desire" stars David Naughton fresh from his impressive performance in "American Werewolf in London", as David Balsiger, a Los Angeles morgue attendant who notices a series of bodies that cross his station appear to be victims of a vampire. He initially discounts this possibility but as more bodies come in he undertakes a personel investigation into the matter. Eventually his snooping leads him into a near fatal confrontation with a decidedly female fiend. Foolishly, he tells the authorities of his encounter and is promptly dismissed as a crank. His fellow morgue attendants get wind of the story and play some morbid but convincing hoaxes on him. Even his girlfriend doubts him, suggesting he seek professional help. Balsiger is just starting to doubt his sanity when a priest shows up and confirms his suspicions. The priest, who has tracked the killer from its last murder spree in New Orleans tells the young man what they are dealing with is more than a mere vampire. The beast is actually the demonic personification of lustful desire. Taking the form of a beautiful woman the creature poses as a prostitute and uses the art of seduction to corrupt the souls of men. Only a truly righteous man, the priest informs him, can hope to resist the demon's wiles and thus combat it. Armed with this knowledge Balsiger sets forth to battle the beast in an all or nothing showdown of good versus evil. Being a made for television film overt sexuality and gore are thankfully nonexistant. Instead the movie wisely concentrates on characterization and quality plot development.