THE KISS
US, 1988, 93 minutes, Colour.
Joanna Pacula, Meredith Salenger, Jan Rubes.
Directed by Pen Densham.
The Kiss is yet another variation on the vampire theme. Opening in the Belgian Congo in the '60s, it shows a woman possessed by a statue and an evil spirit. 25 years later she wanted to transmit this spirit to her niece. There are the expected interactions between characters, some psychological and psychic horror, some, horrible deaths leading to a rather violent climax. (The special effects were done by Chris Walas, special effects for The Fly and the director of Fly 2).
The film is somewhat reminiscent of the plot of Ken Russell's Lair of the White Worm (by Bram Stoker). It has the touches of the ludicrous - but we are used to seeing this kind of horror film with an American setting. Joanna Pacula (Gorky Park) is the vampire. Meredith Salenger (Journey of Natty Gann) is the victim. Very well made but familiar material by the end of the '80s with the touch of the grotesque.
1. The appeal of this kind of horror film? Nightmare? Psychological horror, psychic? The occult?
2. The prologue in the Congo, the transition to Albany and ordinary environments? Audiences identifying with the American city and characters? Special effects, gruesome, the build-up to the climax? Atmospheric score?
3. The title, the religious object at the beginning, the vampire kiss, Amy as the target of the kiss?
4. The family in the Congo, Hilary taking the cross, Felice and her train journey, the atmospheric beginning with the animals, the mysterious Africans? The travel, the aunt and her statue, the kiss? Her death?
5. The confirmation in 1988, Amy, Hilary and Jack as loving parents, the party, Amy talking with Heather and adolescent sex chat, the priest at the party, the phone call, Hilary waiting for her sister, the grim accident, her death and the funeral?
6. Amy and her age, friendship with Heather, Terry and the cake, going to the mall, talking with Terry? Edgy? Relating to her father, his doing the accounts, going to the grave? The antipathy towards Felice? Her touching her, Felice at home, the health food? Heather and the accident? Terry and his trying to help? The clash with her father about the sex? Talking with Brenda, watching the TV, eating, the sex advice? Terry and his looking in Felice's room, the phone call? Going to the church, the talk with the priest, the confrontation with Felice? In bed, the ritual? Wakened? Her father helping her? The confrontation, Brenda at the pool, the grim climax, getting out of the pool, saved?
7. Felice at the funeral, at the grave, the bond with Jack, pleasant, touching Amy, looking intensely? Sorting out Hilary's clothes with Jack, the continued clashes with Amy? The encounter, sexuality, her birthmark? Health food? Her career as a model? The cut and the splashing of the blood? Leaving the home? Her room, Terry seeing her, her rituals, going to the church, the killings - Terry, the priest on fire? The weird animals? The blood? Confrontation with Jack, having Amy on the bed, the ritual, Jack keeping her with the sexuality, the pool, the fight in the pool, her destruction?
8. Jack as pleasant, the marriage, the aftermath, trying to do the accounts, bond with Amy, going to the grave, inviting Felice? Sexual attraction? The animal scratching in the night? Felice and the job offer, his work? The fight with Amy? Relying on Brenda, her getting him home? Trying to keep Felice away from Amy, breaking his arm, the fight?
9. Brenda as neighbour, nurse, friend? Talk and advice? The blood analysis? Helping, in the final fight?
10. Terry as a nice boyfriend, his work, Heather's accident, looking in Felice's room, his death? Heather and her friendship, chat about sex, going to the mall, the accident on the escalator?
11. The atmosphere of horror, machines going berserk, atmospheric deaths, music? Animals, the audience jumping? The antagonism between Amy and Felice? Expectations, Felice's room and her ceremonies? Engineering the deaths with the objects from the victims?. The dramatic and violent climax?
12. The purpose of this kind of horror entertainment? Visualising nightmares?
