The way the film handles time travel is interesting, but that's still a goofy, lowbrow comedy, so better to watch with friends or when you just want to switch your brain off. Throwback to the ’80s is still funny, especially when the characters don't realize it immediately even if everyone wears neon-colored ski suits. The Crispin Glover (as a nod to Back to the future?) character's gag is fun too. Having the characters keep their present-day appearance helps highlight the cringe factor of some time-travel movies, where they end up sleeping with teenagers while being mentally in their forties. Special shout-out to the soundtrack too—it’s refreshing to hear bands like Mötley Crüe, Autograph, INXS, Cutting Crew and Poison in a movie. And it's funny to see Sebastian Stan here when you know he will later play Tommy Lee in the Pam & Tommy series.
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Some of the imagery genuinely unsettled me, and I appreciated how the film never pulled its punches when depicting brutal violence among children. The use of Pink Floyd near the end was a perfect atmospheric choice and gave the finale real weight. Once the horror fully emerges, though, the underlying message becomes so telegraphed that it drains a lot of the tension, and the shifts in tone don’t always mesh well. If you want something tighter and more consistent, The Clovehitch Killer is a stronger pick.
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I can tell the person who made this has not only seen the original but liked it!
As for the movie itself, it is very well directed but most of the great scenes that happen are just stuff from other movies.
On one hand, I appreciated seeing a film that combines The Omen, Rosemary's Baby, Suspiria and Possession but the movie itself doesn't feel as original as a result.
That said, I enjoyed the film and I'm looking forward to seeing more from this filmmaker. Also, loved all the zooms. I want them to be back. -
Contemporary critics preferred Fantômas over Les Vampires, and I can see why. Fantômas adapted a very popular series of books, and every episode had amazing stuntwork. The bell tower scene was a real highlight. The writing, however, was too zany and a bit all over the place for my taste. Les Vampires doesn't have that problem and is an improvement upon Fantômas in every possible way.
The first half of this movie serial doesn't rely on jaw-dropping set pieces the way Fantômas was. Instead, it's more plot-driven. It takes it's time building the relationships between the characters, so when the insane moments in the second half happen, it's all the more exciting.
As a result, Les Vampires has real standout characters. Mazamette is a fan favorite for a reason. He is a very funny character who occasionally breaks the fourth wall, and has a nice arc throughout the story.
The villains are also an improvement since the series kept changing them up and they all had unique quirks. Satanas was really great because his large statue and mean face were quite intimidating.
My absolute favorite is Irma Vep, played by Musidora. She is the cutest person who has ever walked this planet. I loved every minute of her performance and I can't wait to see more of her in Judex.
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Some of the camerawork made this feel like a documentary. With jump-cuts, hand-held cameras, and carefree writing/directing, Richard Lester uses techniques inspired by the French New Wave and creates something unique. It moves fast and has a lot of energy.
It's like a plotless AIP beach movie but with much better songs. And no beaches, of course.They managed to capture Beatlemania very well.
