Kingdom of the Vampire (1991)

KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE is one of many shot-on-video indie horrors that director J.R. Bookwalter made during the 1980s and 1990s. This one has a mildly diverting plot involving a momma's boy who just so happens to have a vampire for his overbearing mother. At one point in the film, she goes mad on Halloween night and munches on a handful of trick or treaters unlucky enough to call at her door. The film looks very cheap and those horrendous shell suits and mullet hairdos don't do much to help that. It's a shame that the poor execution and rough edges spoil what could have been a diverting movie.

KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE is a distinct improvement over Bookwalter's first feature, THE DEAD NEXT DOOR: this time around, he seems to have a much firmer grasp of the techniques of visual storytelling. There are also a couple of outstanding performances in front of the camera worthy of note- in particular, Cherie Patry, who does a great over-the-top turn as Moms, and Tom Stephans, who plays the sheriff. I cite both because their performances lend KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE that little something extra that can only come from seasoned players at the top of their game. Bookwalter's guidance may be surer this time around, but it's his stars who carry the day. Overall, a no-budget movie of merit.

Timid, spineless, reluctant vampire Jeff looks after his overbearing mother (Cherie Petry hamming it up like no one's business), who is incredibly mad at her son for not fully embracing his vampiric ancestry (when she's not sucking the blood out of anything that comes to her house door). One day Jeff meets Nina, a girl who falls for Jeff's wimpy aloof ways for some God knows reason. Of course this draws the ire of dear old mom and sets them all on a road to an inevitable collision.Jeff's incessant whining gets a tad old after awhile and the ending is pretty anti-climatic, but the film did have some charm due to how the movie was played tongue (or rather fang)-in- cheek. Fans of extremely low-budget horror fare might want to check it out, but everyone else who doesn't have that particular acquired taste would do better to steer clear of this one.My Grade: C-

For those bored enough to find this film on IMDb, let me tell you something: stay away from this movie. This is among the many movies that are not worth your time. Maybe if you like really lame, and I mean exceptionally lame, horror movies, then be my guest and watch. I would go into more detail, but 1000 words are not enough to express everything wrong with this movie. I only know how bad it is from multiple viewings. "Why multiple viewings?" you may ask. Well, I own the movie. I own it because I was in it. I played Micheal, the trick-or-treater dressed up like Robot Ninja who gets killed. I'm not saying the movie ruined my life. I'm just trying to warn others from wasting their time and money. But I don't think it's even in print anymore so this entire message may be pointless. Just stay away from the movie. I give the movie a 0 out of 10.