Vamperifica (2011)

   
Directed by: Bruce Ornstein

Written by: Bruce Ornstein & Martin Yurkovic

Starring:

Martin Yurkovic .... Carmen
Dreeama Walker .... Tracey
Creighton James .... Campbell
Bonnie Swencionis .... Emily
Jeff Ward .... Peter Wright
Josh Alexander .... Josh
Darwin Shaw .... Raven

Release Dates: Screamfest Horror Film Festival: October 18, 2011; Fort Lauderdale Internatrional Film Festival: October 21, 2011; Bram Stoker International Film Festival: October 30, 2011 (UK); New Orleans Horror Film Festival: October 30, 2011; Big Apple Film Festival: November 4, 2011

*Images courtesy at: www.vampirifica.com

 

 

 

Rating:

 

A college student named Carmen (Martin Yurkovic) has been picked on most of his life as well as not getting success on being a performer since he is being put down by the main casting director at his school named Josh (Josh Alexander) but is comforted by his close friends Tracey (Dreeama Walker) and Peter Wright (Jeff Ward) trying to give him confidence even if he doesn't have much of a life.
He is also stalked by two people named Campbell (Creighton James) and Emily
(Bonnie Swencionis) in which they change his life forever by being the head vampire due to a family history that he discovers in which he is forced to leave his friends.
Carmen decides to seek revenge against the people who have put him down or were never satisfied with him at all.
Both Tracey and Peter are concerned about him since they never hear from him so they try to find out on what is happening to him leading to some deadly mistakes while they face Campbell and Emily preventing them to ever seeing him again in which this could lead to some deadly incidents.

 

The film is off to a nice start revealing a prologue with vampirific moments as well as a warrior swinging their blade in a slaying ground which looked dark and entertaining. Everything here looked good and serious along with exposing a slaughtered raven. Then the picture snaps to a present day having a total unserious moment with two friends named Carmen and Tracey eating in a diner shooting the shit on situations as this looked well written in while watching alot on what is going on here making you wonder on where the horror will unravel here since it seemed to be mainly a goofy comedy in general. Their discussions look nice and flowing as well as energetic.
There's many hilarious moments with a cocky casting director named Josh bawling out on Carmen on how much of a terrible performer he is which has all of the lines that you can imagine on the worst judgements with anyone in the business that would make you feel crappy on their opinionated attitude towards you as a person.
Carmen is funny griping and getting into ballistic arguments wherever he goes which makes things hilarious as well.
Some scene's seem a bit stale with the two vampires named Campbell and Emily stalking Carmen and a bit too corny too.

Yet there's nice flashback and dream sequences involving Carmen as a child being bullied in elementary school along with his friend Tracey helping him out against them which adds a perfect touch to the story along with a terrific dark sequence exposing a vampire with him. Great smooth speaking coming from Emily towards Carmen on his bed in which this blends in very well and looking darkly done too. Then suddenly he wakes up from this nightmare. There's even a vampire exposing on a mirror reflection in his bathroom which looked good and spooky. I knew then that this was a horror as well as a goofy comedy while spotting all of this.
Then later on in the story there's a bit of a stale moment with Campbell talking to Carmen in a store but this didn't look overly stale just a little bit. This scene definetely offers a good mysterious horror moment and then it gets outrageously funny when Carmen goes ballistic towards him but then he suddenly vanishes making out he's yelling at someone else which offers some good chuckles here.
But the seriouness with Campbell turns kooky after him griping towards Emily which didn't seem to fit in too well by showing his off the wall comedic side.
Yet the moments turn really good and serious when they visit Carmen in his bed biting his neck which has a bit of a gothic feel to all of this as well as a nice flashback moments too exposing the historical moments on these vampires.
The comedy and horror both combine in terrifically when Carmen instructs both Campbell and Emily on his vengeful plans after he becomes one.
There's a perfect setting in a forest with thunder and lightning while we spot a grumpy diner employee waitress Maria heading for home after work giving it a nice spooky feel towards all of this. Also, the moments looked dark and humoress at the same time when he attacks her with nice writing for all of this. Plus there's a nice hallucination on a dead female against a tree that he was feasting on which looked superbly done.
While we keep watching the flick Carmen is more pale than ever sitting in a structure while Tracey tries to talk to him and he is just cold and serious with it all as this was all well done too.
We also spot a real shocking moment with Carmen doing something deadly to a pervert who persued to rape Tracey which makes you squirm a bit.
A nice wicked approach by Carmen speaking coldly towards a supporting character Maria Sanchez with her speaking her nasty words towards him in which this was done in a nice crisply fashion. She does well hollering out when he bites her showing great energy once more on two parties being coached here.
There's some fun dark comedy with Campbell backstage of a theatre killing the lead performer and Carmen stressed about what to do since the show is about to start. A bit later on it looks fun when Carmen really gets into the groove of things on stage as it looked like a performance by the rock group Queen. Definetely great comedic moments while watching all of this.
What was really effective in the story is when Carmen's friend Peter Wright is about to die and he tries to talk to him by changing him into a vampire but he refuses as this was perfectly put in with his caring speech towards him before he dies. It was intentional while watching this to make you cry.
Perfect sarcastic and aggressive speaking with Campbell and Emily towards Josh with him choking his words out nervously showing good timing with all of this.
Alot of effective action fighting sequences with Carmen against Emily and Campbell fighting separately to their deaths. Great aggressive one liners here.
The ending looked happy and humoress which was fun to watch too along with a surprise on Tracey's end.
Bottom line is that this film was cleverly written and almost original too with what went on here. A good one for the horror gay market. It is more funny than scary but a combination on both a zany comedy and horror catergorised both equally. If you are a fan on both Shaun of the Dead and Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil then this film is for you. I can see this one being just as successful.

The acting is pretty evened out in which lead actor Martin Yurkovic (Carmen) was wonderful in his larger than life outrageous performance by acting as crazy as he wanted to be and making you laugh throughout his performance. He does well with his mocking attitude in a noticeable scene. His energy was very intense and loved every bit of it. He was great by going into a spaz attack and really going to the extreme with all of this. Plus he also offered good horror wit when he becomes a vampire with his wicked and cold speaking too. Plus shows a good pleading attitude in another situation. A nice high strung aggressive yelling with him towards someone else in which she does well speaking back defensively in which his performance was powerfully pushed. Does greatly screaming hysterically and getting aggressive towards his fellow actor as he was well performed and just driving this out of him adding good humor to what he does here. A nice energetic reaction on him quickly waking up with a brief yelp or having a brief scream after being shocked on what he spots. Terrific paused and nervous reactions on him while standing nervously on stage along with terrific blocking and dance movements on him performing a song. Shows a nice emotional speaking attitude towards his fellow actress with him speaking weakly and painfully as this was one of the best directorial efforts put on here. He also does a superb job crying and screaming out.
Dreeama Walker (Tracey) seemed to do a good job by acting as tough as nails as well as coming across by portraying someone who is overly protective. She also shows a nice emotional attitude with her crying in which this looked realistic and really getting into what she does throughout the whole film too. She was a true character actress.
Creighton James (Campbell) has a nice serious darkness into his performance but yet when he behaves humoress doesn't seem to cut the cake with it. He has a nice hissing type of speaking along with doing well on acting expressionless. There's some good efforts with him approaching his fellow cast member in a store speaking seriously and silently towards him. He also does a great job whenever he becomes aggressive by showing alot of great energy here.
Bonnie Swencionis (Emily) came across perfectly as a vampiress in the flick having that perfect beautiful but deadly look to her. She does well with her smooth talking and nice seriousness to her part. She seemed to really know her craft by portraying someone who is wicked. She can go far in the horror industry by portraying these types of roles I find.
Jeff Ward (Peter Wright) seemed a bit too plain with what her did in the film but had some interesting moments by showing a nice anxious attitude after discovering on what has happened to his friend or acting very serious on a certain situation in which he adds some nice characteristics to all of this.
Josh Alexander (Josh) shows a great expressionless attitude and getting right to the point into what he says by having one of those fast talking annoying type of talking. He certainly was quite a ham into portraying his cocky type of behavior and was perfect in every way on making him someone who is extremely unlikeable in the industry. Does well sitting at his seat at a diner and speaking sharply in an aggressive fashion. He shows some nice energy into all that he does here.

A raven's body is cut open
Many bloodied neck and body bites
A head is ripped off
Heart is torn out of a person's chest
Lots of other bloody moments

The music was superbly put together with great comedic orchestral plucking chords for the goofy moments here. Plus there's the cold sounding ehoey piano playing for the silent touching moments which works well and sounding very mainstream for today's standards. There's also the perfect trombone playing along with the fast paced classical violin music. There's also the odd drumbeats too which plays nicely into the picture.