VAMPIRE IN BROOKLYN

US, 1995, 102 minutes, Colour.
Eddie Murphy, Angela Bassett.
Directed by Wes Craven.

Wes Craven, the originator of the Nightmare on Elm Street series and director of many horror stories, and comedian, Eddie Murphy, seem a most unlikely duo. But here they are with Eddie Murphy doing some serious acting as Maximilian, a vampire trying to find his soul-mate in Brooklyn (and doing some funny routines and alternate characters as well) and with Wes Craven providing some serious horror sequences amid the comedy. Strangely enough, it does come together well enough by the end though you wonder along the way. It is an unexpected career choice for Eddie Murphy.

1. Eddie Murphy's presence and style and his comedy? Wes Craven and his long tradition of horror films and nightmares? Audience expectations? A satisfying blend?

2. The Brooklyn settings, vampires and the night settings, the contrast with the days? The stylising of Brooklyn locations, the ship coming into the warehouse and the smashing? The streets, the apartments, restaurants, police precincts?

3. The special effects for vampire atmosphere and vampire behaviour?

4. The character of Max, Eddie Murphy's voice-over, the history of the vampires - the touches of irony, race jokes? The search of the vampire in the US?

5. The impact of the opening and the ship's arrival, breaking through everything, Silas and Julius and their watching TV? The introduction of Black Harlem-style jive? The brutality of the deaths, the police investigation, Silas and his search, Julius and his being taken over by Max and becoming his ghoul?

6. Eddie Murphy as Max, appearance, hairstyle, accent? His mission in America? On the ship, the encounter with Julius and saving him from the Mob? The brutality (comic) of the initial deaths of the Mob men? His visit to the bar, his searching for information, the encounters? The eccentric Max in Brooklyn streets? The glimpse of Rita, his pursuit of Rita, the encounters with the police? His being able to move into other bodies? His becoming the preacher - and the humour of the tour de force of his preaching and explaining that evil is good, the response to the inverse morality, his exposing of the behaviour of those in the audience? His being transformed into Guido and his adopting the Italian style, the confrontation of the Mob? His arrest? The charming of Rita, the offer of the meals, taking her to Julius's transformed room? The paintings, the crucifix death of Nikki? Attempts at seduction of Rita? Fighting for his life? Love for Rita, the clashes with her, Justice and his coming to the rescue? The confrontation, his seeming defeat of Justice, Rita killing him? His mantle going to Julius (as well as the limousine)?

7. The comedy style of Eddie Murphy, the repartee, the swearing, the race jokes? Eddie Murphy transforming into a serious actor as the film went on, the serious vampire traditions and conventions?

8. The initial comedy and the transferring of the film to the vampire tradition, night life, the quest, the violence, the love and the final confrontation? How well did the film blend the two strands?

9. Rita and her background, part vampire? Her mother and her death and its effect on her? Not knowing her father? The nightmares and the coffin? The police investigation at the ship, discovering the coffin? The tension of her working with Justice? On the job, the investigations? The clashes with Justice? Her paintings and her dreams? The professor and his information about the Caribbean? Investigation of the murders? The friendship with Nikki? Max and the jealousy, her suspicions of Justice? The meal, her being bitten, the beginning of the transformation process, facing from the mirror? Her coffin? Justice and his rescue? The fight, her wanting to save her life, destroying Max? A happy future?

10. Justice, the genial policeman, at work, the investigation, the head of the department, the clashes with Rita, the friendship with Nikki, the jealousy, the mystery, the final fight, the happy ending?

11. Julius, his owing money to the Mob, being saved by Max, agreeing to become his ghoul? Being the chauffeur, literally falling bodily apart? His role as a servant? The discussions with Silas? Julius and Eva and her rejecting him because of his sexual inadequacy, her giving information about him to Justice? The transformed room, the final fight, his survival? Silas as his chauffeur and his being transformed to the new vampire in Brooklyn?

12. The presentation of the police, the head of the department, investigations - conventional police investigation movie?

13. The picture of the Mob, the confrontation with Julius, Max saving him and killing them, the bosses at the restaurant, Guido and his patter? The joke about Italians in Brooklyn?

14. Jokes, race, wry observations about race relationships?

15. The plotline familiar from the vampire films, the characters and behaviour, the crises? How well does this film go into the tradition of vampire films (almost despite the black American comedy)?