KISS OF THE DAMNED

US, 2012, 97 minutes, Colour.
Josephine de la Baume, Roxanne Mesquida, Milo Ventimiglia, Caitlin Keats, Anna Mouglalis, Michael Rappaport.
Directed by Xan Cassavetes.

This is a contemporary vampire story, United States story. The film was written and directed by Xan Cassavetes, daughter of John Cassaveetes and Gena Rowlands.

The screenplay presupposes that there are communities of vampires within contemporary society, very active in society, in the arts, a special ghetto society that parallels the broader world – they are wealthy, socially active, artists and exhibitors, fashionable clothes, even supporting synthesised blood products.

However, the central character is a vampire, Djuna, who is renting a house and has an Asian- American housekeeper. She watches DVDs and encounters the young man in the. They are instantly (if not credibly) attracted begin a relationship. He is a screenwriter and willingly becomes part of the vampire community (Milo Ventimiglia). The couple attend a number of socials with the vampires. Complications arise when the sister arrives, a troublemaker, promiscuous, vaporising and killing her lovers.

A complication arises when screenwriters agent arrives – but this subplot does not go very far.

In some ways the film seems like an exercise of writing on a particular theme, imagining by vampires as part of contemporary society as well as having to survive within their own laws.

There are some loose ends of subplots taught the end of the film but a happy ending for the couple and, quite dramatic, the troublesome sister having a car crash and then reviving as the sun comes up, struggling for shade and help on the road, despised by the housekeeper.

Principally for those audiences who are keen to see any vampire film.