A Vampire Mockumentary: “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014)

May 13, 2018April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

“What We Do in the Shadows” is a mockumentary film that takes the classic vampire tropes in horror and sheds a little bit of humorous light on them.

I recently watched this film for the first time (can’t believe that I haven’t seen it earlier considering my taste in movies) and I thought this film was amazing.

I am a big fan of the classic horror monsters such as Dracula, Nosferatu, Wolfman, Frankenstein, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon…just to name a few. And I loved that this film really pulled from the different classics.

There is a Dracula-esque character, Nosferatu, and the Victorian vampire (I am thinking like Louis from “Interview with the Vampire“). Not only did the creators pull from classic vampire tropes but new popular ones as well such as the young vampire bad boy and the pitting of vampires vs. werewolves which have become more prevalent in the last ten years.

Image result for nosferatu — “Nosferatu” (1922) source: Flickr

A few key aspects that stood out to me while I was watching the film includes the use of the documentary style (acting as if vampires are real and giving them cultural credit), the relevance of the ending and how it critiques the “usual” endings in horror films and lastly the popular pairing of werewolves and vampires in a single story that has taken off since the infamous “Twilight” phenomena.

Talking about the cultural phenomena of vampires in the form of a documentary fits the trend in horror and suspense films of “found footage”. A popular style that really began to pick up with the “Blair Witch Project” (1999). It is refreshing and at the same time provides the audience with the “behind the scenes” look at vampires, making them more silly and relatable than I think audiences would care to admit.

Image result for Blair witch project — “Blair Witch Project” (1999) Flickr

It was great to watch vampires have to fight about chores and see them deal with the mess of murder. I appreciated the Master/Slave dynamic that was used in this film as well (the old concept of vampires having human slaves that take care of them in the daylight). I get the impression this little detail among others when it comes to the vampire tropes have been neglected in recent years.

Although this mockumentary provides a lot of laughs it doesn’t actively seek to paint vampires in the popular morally-conflicted-“good”-guy-who-kills-people light. There are no blurring of lines, the vampires in this film talk about killing and we see them kill brutally. We get glimpses of their terror (and love for torture) and can imagine just how horrible it would be to come across a vampire. Overall, great movie and I would highly recommend it to anyone that wants a laugh and isn’t repelled by vampires.

Side Notes: The special effects for transforming, flying, and werewolf stuff was not that bad. I was impressed by the quality and effort that was given in making these little details “good”.

Alina’s Rating: 5 out of 5 Bats

“What We Do in the Shadows” is available for free with AMAZON PRIME

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-Alina

A Review that Bites: “Dark Shadows” TV Series(1966-1971)

April 21, 2018April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet2 Comments

For the last couple of months I have been completely obsessed with the classic TV series “Dark Shadows” that originally ran from 1966 to 1971. I was skeptical of “Dark Shadows” at first since I was one of those people that went and saw Tim Burton’s revamped movie that came out in 2012. I remember having my hopes up pretty high that I might like this Burton movie but by the end of the film I was completely let down, rolling my eyes at the over-the-top silliness that I was witnessing. Now I have begun to think that the silliness may have been on purpose.

I decided to start watching the TV series after getting tired of re-watching my favorite shows on Netflix. What a ride! This show is a horror fueled soap opera that has too many plot lines to sum up in one sentence. So far I am on season four which involves some time travel (hahaha) but I plan on finishing the series in the next few weeks.

Main Story Line

In the town of Collinsport, the Collins family is the oldest and probably the wealthiest with a family history that is unsettling and mysterious. The series starts when Barnabas Collins (a family member who was turned into a vampire at the turn of the 19th century) is released from his imprisonment (chained up coffin) with the help of Willie (a criminal of sorts with loose ties to the current Collins family). The first few episodes establish the Collins family, the current family members and characters that are key to the main story line.

Note: An interesting parallel that I noticed in the first season is the “Dracula-esque” vampire elements. Barnabas’s attire, history, and mannerisms all reflect the classic vampire icon Dracula played by Bela Lugosi in 1931. Just goes to show that the vampire’s traditional qualities were really cemented into popular culture.

Image result for bela lugosi dracula — Bela Lugosi as Dracula

Each episode is about 30 minutes long with anywhere from 3-5 minutes of introduction with the standard opening credits including an update from the latest episode. In these short episodes the mysteries of the Collins family and the evil-doings of Barnabas are slowly unraveled.

Acting and Overreacting: The Humor of the Scary Soap Opera Drama

The acting is usually over the top, and the camera work is not the greatest. I often noticed that the camera will jolt left or right suddenly when trying to follow characters moving around the room, or will even go out of focus sometimes. These aspects add to the series cheesy and campy feel, and while at first this drove me nuts now it keeps me laughing and on the lookout to notice these consistent mess ups.

WIKIPEDIA INFO ON DARK SHADOWS SERIES : SEASON BREAKDOWNS AND RECEPTION

Image result for why the camera work sucks in the original Dark shadows series — Character: Angelique Photo Source: pinterest.com

Conclusion: I’m Not Done Yet

Since I am not done with the series yet and I have become aware there are actually a few feature-length films that were released as well I might take my time deciding on a definitive rating. If anything I would say my rating will only be based on the plot structure and coherence of the main story.

If there are any fans of campy horrors films I would definitely recommend this series.

And if you are familiar with this show and you want to start up a convo or want me to talk about some aspect in particular to “Dark Shadows” leave your comments below!

Liked this post? Try these:

Sabrina & Hill House: Perfect for a Spooky Netflix and Chill

A Vampire Mockumentary: “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014)

Halloween Movies (part 1): My Favorite Yearly Re-Watches

Halloween Favorites : ‘Kid’ Movies

October 9, 2017April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Here are a few more of my favorite Halloween movies! These ones are considered more appropriate for younger audiences.

The Little Vampire

The Little Vampire (2000) is a fun one for kids about a boy and his parents that move into a very old mansion in another country that is infested with vampires. These vampires are more along the classical Dracula line, only given a little more human characteristics (manners, children vampires that want to play, vampire parents etc.) making them seem just like a ‘strange’ neighbor family. The story revolves around the boy making friends with a kid vampire whose family is being hunted by a vampire killer. It is a fun family comedy with just enough spooky darkness to be a Halloween favorite.

Hocus Pocus

This is classic that is still extremely popular today. Hocus Pocus (1993) centers around a family that moves to Salem, Massachusettes the hometown of the Sanderson sisters (fictional) who were witches hanged a few hundred years prior. On Halloween night the sisters are resurrected accidentally and then continue to wreak havoc on the Salem, chasing the kids who want to stop them. This movie is amazing in detail, effects, and humor! The comedy is to die for with plenty of laughs for parents and kids.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

A classic Tim Burton film The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) has redefined the genre of Halloween films since its release. This film is about Jack Skellington and his discovery of Christmas and the horror that ensues after. It is a very dark Halloween movie and might frighten some kids. The characters are vivid, disturbing, and often horrifying but endearingly so. Tim Burton is known for his unique style and the gothic impressions of his film, The Nightmare Before Christmas could arguably be considered the best (if not most popular) of his work.

Why I love these movies in particular,

The Little Vampire is fascinating for its interpretation of vampires and vampire children while exploring familial issues. The costumes are very detailed and beautiful while the storyline is remarkably complex for a children’s movie. Hocus Pocus is a hilarious story of three witch sisters who are adults but act like bickering children making them terrifyingly funny. Again, the costumes and details within the sets and characters (‘Billy’ the zombie and Binx ‘the talking cat’) are amazing. The Nightmare Before Christmas was created through clay figurines and stop motion! I personally love how dark this movie is and how scary and sweet the characters are.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my writing! I hope that you will return in the future!

-Alina

Reflection: Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

A Few Favorites: Halloween Movies…

September 30, 2017April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Here are a few of my favorite Halloween movies that I love!

Trick 'r Treat Poster — source: imdb.com

Trick ‘r Treat is a classic! Released in 2007 and featuring an array of actors that many will be able to recognize since they have gained popularity. The movie is made up of a few stories that connect to each other by Halloween, murder, monsters, and children. The tone of the film fluctuates from classic horror elements to cause fear-induced goosebumps and humor for the over-the-top gore, silliness (sometimes), and style of each story. I have a great love for the amazing werewolf (wolves) scene and the origin story behind the bus of kids. I would recommend this movie to anyone that wants to get their full Halloween kicks in one package.

Drag Me to Hell Poster — source: imdb.com

Drag Me To Hell is a Raimi brothers movie. The Sam Raimi is responsible for the classic ‘Evil Dead‘ movies that reshaped and influence horror in the 1980’s. ‘Drag Me To Hell’ is a darkly humored horror film about a woman cursed by a gypsy. The acting is superb by the lead actress Alison Loham. There is darkness, mystery, and scares for every scene that are disgusting and halarious. This movie is for those with a bold taste for scary and grotesque humor when it comes to Horror films making it a perfect go-to for Halloween.

Jeepers Creepers Poster — source: imdb.com

Jeepers Creepers (the first one) came out in 2001. It can be considered a cheesy-horror film but honestly I think it is amazing. A brother and sister find themselves the prey of a creature that is pretty ‘creepy’. I’ve always seen Jeepers Creepers (the creature) as a mix between the Mothman and Jersey Devil urban legends. This movie has a trademark theme and ending which I believe contributed to the massive amount of sequels that were made after (like Final Destination). A good film for those ready to be really ‘creeped’ out and fear the open night sky.

Thank you for reading my writing and reflections!

I plan on posting another list of my favorite Halloween movies soon!

-Alina

Reflection: Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

iZombie: Why the Living Dead matter

July 16, 2017April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

iZombie Poster

(photo source: imdb.com)

iZombie is a series based on the DC comic of the same name originally released in 2010. The TV show began in 2015 and is still running. There are currently four seasons out but I will be covering just the first three. The main premise of the show is about an underground existence of zombies in Seattle, Washington. Their existence was the result of a energy drink (similar to toxic sludge) at a 4th of July boat party turned massacre.

The main character is Olivia, a med student who is newly engaged to Major (Major what? No, his name is Major) after being scratched by a zombie on the boat. Olivia’s (also called ‘Liv’, lol pun on Live) life dramatically changes as her skin and hair loses color and her craving for brains (dowsed in hot sauce) becomes more voracious. Liv becomes a medical examiner, coroner, for the police department allowing her access to fresh brains which she consumes in secret. Her partner, Ravi, also works as a coroner and quickly discovers her eating brains. Ravi’s reaction is the first of many markers in the show that makes it unique for the zombie genre. Ravi is intrigued by Liv’s condition and begins researching the cause for her zombification as well as a cure which is the overall goal for the entire series.

The next character that plays a major role in the series is Clive Babineaux, a detective at the police department. This is where it gets interesting. In this story, after a zombie eats a humans brains they have spontaneous visions belonging to that person. So, after Liv eats the fresh brains she finds in the morgue, suddenly she begins to have visions that relate to the victims death. She is compelled to help solve mysteries relating to homicides and soon teams up with Babineaux who is led to believe she is a psychic with incredible accuracy. The duo begins to solve mysteries, some of which are related to the mysterious energy drink that caused this secret zombie outbreak. Along with Ravi’s help, these three find themselves getting closer to the truth.

Other Key Characters:

Peyton, Liv’s best friend who works for the legal system, learns that Liv is a Zombie.

Major, Liv’s ex-fiance that struggles with a changed Liv and later learning of her Zombification.

Blaine, a ‘Spike-like’ character reminiscent of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show, who is refreshing, evil (at times), and highly manipulative. An admirable adversary for Liv.

These characters are interwoven throughout the story and play out their own particular story lines that contribute to the overall story as a whole.

Key aspects that bring something new to the Zombie genre:

Eating brains gives you visions.

There are zombies already among us, living in secret.

There are zombie-led organizations that influence the lives of humans and zombies.

Zombies are presented as individuals, or together as a minority group under attack by humans. For the most part the zombies try to blend into society in fear that their discovery will lead to their death (‘death-death’ for the living dead: beheading etc).

Although some of these aspects may already be in other comics/movies/tv shows, I believe it is the approach that gives iZombie its uniqueness.

Key aspects about the show that stand out:

There are comic-book qualities to the show, for instance, the memorable intro that is presented as comic book panels, chapter breaks that are marked by a still of the last shot which morphs into comic-like art, and the precise structure of each episode that is form fitting to a comic in a series.

iZombie possesses qualities that can mark it as a meta-show, the show’s ability to be self-reflexive. For example when characters discuss zombie movies/shows within itself while hinting at a critique of iZombie (I noticed this more often in Season 3).

A killer soundtrack, often songs are sung and performed by the character Blaine throughout the series. They are mostly classic rock hits among others but the songs add a little more ‘art’ to the show. Often the songs are sung/played at the end of each episode to gain an emotional effect from the audience while also reflecting what just happened.

Popularity:

iZombie ranks #3 on imdb’s list of “Most Popular ‘Based on Graphic Novel’ Titles”.

This show has high ratings and a lot of admirers for its style and subject matter. I among them find this show to be very well put together and genuinely intriguing to watch. I look forward to watching Season 4, especially after the the end of Season 3 which left me aghast.

(Note: Contrary to professional movie/tv show reviews, I did not include the actors/actresses names after introducing the main characters. I have included the link to imdb.com that possesses all this information. This is just me writing informally.)

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to read my writing!

I hope that you will return in the future!

Any comments/suggestions are welcome!

-Alina