INNOCENT BLOOD
US, 1992, 112 minutes, Colour.
Anne Parrilaud, Anthony La Paglia, Robert Loggia, Don Rickles.
Directed by John Landis.
Innocent Blood (A French Vampire in America) was directed by John Landis, whose credits include a number of excellent comedies like Trading Places and eccentric exploration of horror myths like An American Werewolf in London. This film is terrible. It is crass in its presentation of the myths, the characters and their behaviour and language, the reliance on horror conventions - with the exploitive touch. Anne Parrilaud (Nikita, Map of the Human Heart) has the potential for charm in the central role but tends to be lost in the crass goings-on. Anthony La Paglia gives a somewhat inert performance as the police investigator. Robert Loggia, a skilled actor, relies on vulgar brutality for his role as the mob chief transformed into a vampire.
What might have been and interesting exploration of the vampire theme in the United States, Pittsburgh, merely becomes an exercise in rather routine material as well as the lowest common denominator of wit.
1. Popularity of vampire films, early '90s? The adaptation of the vampire themes to the modern day, to the United States?
2. John Landis's career in comedy and horror, working of genres? Effectiveness here?
3. The original title, the adapted title for export?
4. Pittsburgh, the city by night, real and stylised? The musical score and Frank Sinatra's range of songs?
5. Marie and her voice-over, her story? No explanation of her background? The ironic and humorous touches? Attacking only bad blood, not innocent blood? The flirtation with Tony and killing him? Caught with Sal, the flirtation, at home, murdering him in the bath? Her injury? The encounter with Joe and his realising who she was? Falling in love, not transforming him? The effects on her of being a vampire, mobility, destruction? The love for Joe? The confrontation and the killings? Her going to die?
6. The Mob, Sal and the headlines, his henchmen, the gang, ugly, brutal foulmouthed? His ruthlessness in murders? His being bitten, going to the morgue, resurrection, the press? Going into the abattoir freezer? Confrontation with Joe revealed as an undercover agent? Picking up Marie, taking her home, his henchmen, the bite? Going to the club, his empire with transformed vampires? His vampirising his henchmen? The confrontation, the car and bus smash, his death?
7. Joe, undercover, seeming to be a Mob man, Tony's death, revealing his identity? Treatment of the police? The encounter with Marie, going to the lawyer's home, the trunk of the car and the handcuffs, the shootout and Marie helping him? Their lovemaking, the final confrontation with Sal, his plea for her not to die?
8. The henchmen and the gallery of Mob characters, their loyalties? Becoming vampires?
9. The police, the pair and the investigation, the dangers, vampire?
10. The crooked lawyer, his hysterical wife, his becoming a vampire - in hospital and dissolving?
11. The nurses and their screaming - poking fun at the horror genre?
12. The sleazy clubs, striptease, Sal's empire?
13. The conventions of the vampire movie - as adapted here? The guest spots for directors like Frank Oz, Sam Remy?
14. The purpose of this kind of spoof - how effective?
