Horror Movie Review: Vampire Journals (1997)

From Full Moon, written and directed by Ted Nicolaou, Vampire Journals is spin-off of the Subspecies films. One set in the same universe, but not featuring any of the Subspecies characters like Radu and Michelle.

The film was released between Bloodlust: Subspecies III and Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm and focuses on the vampire master Ash (Jonathon Morris) and the vampire slayer Zachery (David Gunn), who also happens to be a vampire.

Now those who (like me) didn’t know this film existed initially, so went ahead and watched Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm, will recognise Ash as he plays a role in that film. This is because he is part of Radu’s bloodline, having been sired by him. However, the cowed and subservient character from that film is a million miles away from the brooding and powerful vampire that we see here in Vampire Journals.

How does he fall? Like all these bloody vampires. He falls in love with a woman who doesn’t particularly want to become a vampire. His obsession with Sofia (Kristen Cerre) means he fails to notice schemers all around him, fails to notice his power wanning, and fails to deal with the dangerous Zachery.

It is the latter who will be his actual undoing, wanting to wipe out Ash’s bloodline as his fledgling Serena (Floriela Grappini) is responsible for turning Zachery and costing him the love of his life. Yes, he’s a bit emo, but his character is threaded into several other stories nicely, and the acting is solid.

Unlike most other vampires, Zachery rejects his vampiric gift and is ashamed of his thirst for blood. It is this that drives him to not just try to kill Ash and all that surround him, but to save Sofia, who ends up in the grasp of the vampire master by being the dumbest character in this film and the Subspecies series overall. Seriously, she has no sense of danger about her, which does make it hard to root for her, even if, again, the acting is solid.

In fact, that applies to most of the cast, who are all very watchable. They’re all bit ‘Anne Rice’ like, especially with vampire look, but it is done well, so who is complaining? Which also applies to the film’s look and sound. The main Subspecies films always looked nice, but this is on a different level. A word like ‘opulent’ comes to mind, but with a bit more sleaze about it.

This translates into a surprising amount of atmosphere, enhancing the gothic horror, and making everything just that little bit ‘velvety’. Seriously, this film looks sexy. At least as sexy as these vampires can, as Nicolaou still wants you to know this is a horror film/franchise. There’s a lot of blood and a lot of decapitations, but alongside that are more interesting effects such as the one that shows us what happens to these vampires when they ‘slumber’. That is a piece of lore that enhances the entire Subspecies franchise overall.

Which sums up this spinoff completely, an enjoyable complimentary effort that proudly stands as one of the most lavish films in the franchise overall. Importantly though, it works as a standalone film too, even if its slower pacing might not be to everyone’s taste.