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All Teachers Wise and Wonderful
Book
A year on from the end of ALL TEACHERS GREAT AND SMALL, Barbara and Andy Seed are settled into their...
Vampire Circus (1972)
7.0
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Movie
Late-period Hammer horror movie, released on a double-bill with Countess Dracula. When the townsfolk...
Hammer Horror
Rob Zombie recommended White Zombie (1932) in Movies (curated)
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Lifeforce (1985) in Movies
Feb 16, 2021
Contains spoilers, click to show
Lifeforce is a typical English movie, bringing together myth and Sci-Fi with a number of familiar faces and one church being blown up (really, we brits even have to blow up churches in doctor who).
Lifeforce is part Quatermas, part (gender bent) Dracula with inspiration from Alien and various Zombie movies and a space ship that looks like the inspiration for Lexx. Add nudity and you have one hell of a Sci-Fi flick.
Lifeforce actually stands up quite well, most of the practical effects hold up but the alien energy does look like the Ghostbusters containment generator has, once again been shut off.
There is a hint of a backstory to the vampires and where they came from which could have been worked on but perhaps it was meant to be a set up for a sequel/prequel that never happened.
Life force is an exiting story and well worth a watch but there is a lot of nudity if you don't like that sort of thing.
Lifeforce is part Quatermas, part (gender bent) Dracula with inspiration from Alien and various Zombie movies and a space ship that looks like the inspiration for Lexx. Add nudity and you have one hell of a Sci-Fi flick.
Lifeforce actually stands up quite well, most of the practical effects hold up but the alien energy does look like the Ghostbusters containment generator has, once again been shut off.
There is a hint of a backstory to the vampires and where they came from which could have been worked on but perhaps it was meant to be a set up for a sequel/prequel that never happened.
Life force is an exiting story and well worth a watch but there is a lot of nudity if you don't like that sort of thing.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated My Son, the Vampire (1952) in Movies
Oct 21, 2020
Mother Riley Meets Bela Lugosi
My Son, the Vampire as known as Mother Riley Meets The Vampire as known as Vampire Over London is a good movie.
The plot: Irish washerwoman Old Mother Riley (Arthur Lucan) foils a would-be vampire (Bela Lugosi) and his misguided robot.
This was the final film of the Old Mother Riley film series, and did not feature Lucan's ex-wife and business partner Kitty McShane, whom he had divorced in 1951.
In 1963, a recut American version called My Son, the Vampire was released, featuring an introductory segment with a song by American comedian Allan Sherman.
On the suggestion of producer Richard Gordon, Bela Lugosi had travelled to the UK to appear in a stage play of Dracula, which failed. He needed money to return to the US. Gordon persuaded fellow producer George Minter to use Lugosi in a movie in London.
Lugosi was paid $5,000 for his role. The plot was taken from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.
Its a funny horror comedy.
The plot: Irish washerwoman Old Mother Riley (Arthur Lucan) foils a would-be vampire (Bela Lugosi) and his misguided robot.
This was the final film of the Old Mother Riley film series, and did not feature Lucan's ex-wife and business partner Kitty McShane, whom he had divorced in 1951.
In 1963, a recut American version called My Son, the Vampire was released, featuring an introductory segment with a song by American comedian Allan Sherman.
On the suggestion of producer Richard Gordon, Bela Lugosi had travelled to the UK to appear in a stage play of Dracula, which failed. He needed money to return to the US. Gordon persuaded fellow producer George Minter to use Lugosi in a movie in London.
Lugosi was paid $5,000 for his role. The plot was taken from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.
Its a funny horror comedy.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A Dowry of Blood ( Book 1) in Books
Jun 19, 2024
119 of 220
Kindle
A Dowry of Blood ( Book 1)
By S.T. Gibson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . .
Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things.
Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.
Not sure what I was expecting but I really really enjoyed this. Gothic vampire story full of that old feeling. The characters were so intriguing. Well written gave me Angel and spike early days vibes ( if you know you know).
Kindle
A Dowry of Blood ( Book 1)
By S.T. Gibson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . .
Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things.
Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.
Not sure what I was expecting but I really really enjoyed this. Gothic vampire story full of that old feeling. The characters were so intriguing. Well written gave me Angel and spike early days vibes ( if you know you know).
Rhys (240 KP) rated Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe (Deadpool Killogy, #1) in Books
Sep 13, 2018
Fan-fiction in the most delightful way.
A ‘What it says on the tin’ comic including issues 1 through 4 of Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe and, in the edition read (I don’t know if it is in all editions) issues 1 through 4 of something called ‘Classics Killustrated’ in which Deadpool travels through some classic novels: Dracula, Moby Dick, Don Quixote and Little Women to name a few (and the film version of Frankenstein) killing everything that gets in his way. (Also showing where the inspiration for different Marvel characters came from.()
If you are new to comics, or just to Marvel, this may not be a great getting on point, as many characters are dropped into the story with little explanation as to who they are or what they can do (including Namor, who has around 79 years of backstory). However, these characters are really only props for Deadpool’s story, so not knowing who they are may not affect your enjoyment of what is really just a gory outing for the Merc.
Overall an interesting read, though not the greatest piece of Deadpool media in recent years.
If you are new to comics, or just to Marvel, this may not be a great getting on point, as many characters are dropped into the story with little explanation as to who they are or what they can do (including Namor, who has around 79 years of backstory). However, these characters are really only props for Deadpool’s story, so not knowing who they are may not affect your enjoyment of what is really just a gory outing for the Merc.
Overall an interesting read, though not the greatest piece of Deadpool media in recent years.
Sarah (7799 KP) rated Salem's Lot in Books
Sep 14, 2018
King's fantastic take on vampires
Despite being a massive King fan, I've never read Salem's Lot. Its just one of his books that it never occurred to me to read, until i started to collect his entire works and read everything I hadn't read before.
I never knew that this book was about vampires, and whilst this becomes fairly obvious quite early into the book, it was a pleasant surprise. As with most of King's books, this is extremely well written, and has his usual mix of varied and interesting characters, with the writing style split between all of them. There are some good and obvious references to Dracula in this, but its a fantastic modern(ish - 1970s) take on a classic vampire story. And unusually for King, this story isn't an epic novel like some of his others. It doesn't seem to go into as much detail either storywise and characterwise as some of his other bigger novels (The Stand, Needful Things etc), and this is really my only criticism. The story is still detailed and a very good, it just isn't what I'd come to expect from a King novel especially with a plot like this.
I never knew that this book was about vampires, and whilst this becomes fairly obvious quite early into the book, it was a pleasant surprise. As with most of King's books, this is extremely well written, and has his usual mix of varied and interesting characters, with the writing style split between all of them. There are some good and obvious references to Dracula in this, but its a fantastic modern(ish - 1970s) take on a classic vampire story. And unusually for King, this story isn't an epic novel like some of his others. It doesn't seem to go into as much detail either storywise and characterwise as some of his other bigger novels (The Stand, Needful Things etc), and this is really my only criticism. The story is still detailed and a very good, it just isn't what I'd come to expect from a King novel especially with a plot like this.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Castlevania - Season 1 in TV
Mar 20, 2020
The first season of Castlevania could be more accurately described as a 'teaser-season'. It's four episodes acts as a set up for what is to come, introducing us to the key players in the war between man and vampire.
The episodes run for around 25 minutes, meaning that the season has a limited time to establish what it needs to, and it does this pretty effectively. A decent script ensures that the three main protagonists Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage), Sypha (Alejandra Reynoso) and Alucard (James Callis) are all immediately likable, and even gives an incredibly sympathetic villain in Dracula. There's also a nice sense of humour running underneath all of the dramatics.
The animation style shows signs of budget restriction on occasion, but for the most part is easy to take in. A lot of close ups on characters show off some nice detail, long shots of locations look great, as do the combat scenes. To darker colour choices work well with the gothic setting, and the frequent strong violence.
Above all, this short but sweet season leaves the viewer wanting more, which was surely the aim in the first place!
The episodes run for around 25 minutes, meaning that the season has a limited time to establish what it needs to, and it does this pretty effectively. A decent script ensures that the three main protagonists Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage), Sypha (Alejandra Reynoso) and Alucard (James Callis) are all immediately likable, and even gives an incredibly sympathetic villain in Dracula. There's also a nice sense of humour running underneath all of the dramatics.
The animation style shows signs of budget restriction on occasion, but for the most part is easy to take in. A lot of close ups on characters show off some nice detail, long shots of locations look great, as do the combat scenes. To darker colour choices work well with the gothic setting, and the frequent strong violence.
Above all, this short but sweet season leaves the viewer wanting more, which was surely the aim in the first place!
The Lair of the White Worm & The Lady of the Shroud
David Stuart Davies and Bram Stoker
Book
With an Introduction by David Stuart Davies. 'The worst parts were the great masses of flesh of the...