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VAMPIRE CLAN Rating:   Director: John Webb Producers: Elie Cohn, Keith Whaley Writers: Aaron Pope Director of Photography: Kristian Bernier Cast: Drew Fuller, Alex Breckenridge, Timothy DePriest, Marina Black, Kelly Kruger Visit the IMDB page for full cast and crew |
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Review by: Warren
Curry
7/14/02
Maybe one day I'll grow up and won't be such a sucker for films based on bizarre true crime stories, but I doubt it. Vampire Clan, about the murder of an affluent Florida couple -- which was perpetrated by their youngest daughter's cult-like group of friends-- is a solidly plotted telling of the events that resulted in the grizzly act. Writer Aaron Pope and director John Webb thankfully realize the sensational nature of the material they're working with and are careful to not make the film too excessive. Connoisseurs of this type of fare will be predisposed to appreciating this movie on some level, while others might just be surprised at the amount of thought that obviously went into Vampire Clan.
When high school student Jeni Wendorff (Stacey Hogue) returned home one night in 1996 to find her parents brutally slain, arrest warrants were issued for a group of five teenagers. The teenagers were quickly found and arrested in a Louisiana hotel, and police detectives then tried to ascertain the motive for the deadly act. The film is largely told in flashback, as we hear a recounting of the events from the leader of the group Rod Ferrell (Drew Fuller) and the Wendorff's other daughter, Heather (Kelly Kruger). A manipulative and charismatic presence, Rod believed himself to be an all powerful occult/vampire-type figure, who took under his wing his slow-witted friend Scott (Timothy DePriest), his girlfriend Dana (Marina Black), his ex-girlfriend Charity (Alex Breckenridge), who was pregnant with his child, and the somewhat cautious Heather.
What we learn is that the murders, committed by Rod and Scott, were primarily a product of Rod's delusions of grandeur. Initially at the Wendorff house to steal the family vehicle, Rod basically murdered the couple simply because he could. He convinced himself and his followers that they were making bold advances in taking over the world and that no authority figures had the mental capacity to challenge him.
The flashback narrative is wisely developed, and director Webb never steps on the gas pedal too hard. He lets the film's dramatic momentum build gradually and gets a great performance from Kelly Kruger, as the one member of the clan who begins to question Rod's dominance. I was left with mixed feelings about Fuller's performance as Rod. His character is pretty much dislikable from beginning to end, and he comes off too often as just a nuisance more than some faux deity. He doesn't seem threatening or all too cunning, but just the kind of kid you'd want to smack if he started to get out of line. But therein lies the ambiguity -- Rod probably would've been dealt with in that manner by mature human beings, but his circle of cronies were purely naïve, easily manipulated kids. The supporting actors have minimal roles and do their jobs well enough.
The film's low budget is obvious in the very unreal looking carnage, but the actual handling of the murders is done well. The very first scene takes its cues from more traditional horror movies, setting the tension level high, although it's a false introduction to what's in store (and I mean that in a good way). This film certainly doesn't need any "people jumping out at you from behind a curtain" gimmicks to successfully set its mood.
The one word that comes to mind when thinking
of Vampire Clan is "smart." Because of my tastes,
I may have been easy pickings for this film, but I was still consistently
surprised by how often this movie met and exceeded my expectations.
(Screened at the 2002 Dances With Film Festival)
Go to
the message boards and tell us why the review of this small movie
gets so many damn hits!
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