Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat
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Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat | |
---|---|
Directed by | Anthony Hickox |
Written by | John Burgess Anthony Hickox |
Produced by | Dan Ireland Jack Lorenz Jefferson Richard |
Starring | David Carradine Morgan Brittany Bruce Campbell Deborah Foreman |
Edited by | Christopher Cibelli |
Music by | Richard Stone |
Distributed by | Vestron Pictures |
Release date | May 18, 1989 |
Running time | 104 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $2.8 million |
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat is a 1989 American Western comedy horror film directed by Anthony Hickox and starring David Carradine, Bruce Campbell, Morgan Brittany, and Deborah Foreman. It was written by Hickox and John Burgess.
Filmed in and around Moab, Utah, in 1988, Sundown was Vestron Pictures' last film and it was never released to theaters. Its only public screenings were at film festivals in Seattle and Palm Springs, as well as a Cannes release in 1989. Released in 1991 on VHS and in 2008 on DVD, it has earned a cult following.[1]
Synopsis
Under the leadership of their ancient and powerful leader Jozek Mardulak, a colony of vampires seek a peaceful life in the desolate desert town of Purgatory. Key to the transition is the town's artificial-bloodmaking facility and it is just not working. Mardulak summons the human designer of the plant, who brings his wife and two young daughters along for what he thinks will be a pleasant desert vacation.
John Ireland is a vampire who wants to return to hunting and feasting on humans. Soon, the plant manager and his family are caught up in a civil war as Irelan organizes a revolution.
In the midst of the vampire civil war a young descendant of the Van Helsing family arrives intent on destroying all vampires.
Cast
- David Carradine as Jozek Mardulak
- Bruce Campbell as Robert Van Helsing
- Morgan Brittany as Sarah Harrison
- Jim Metzler as David Harrison
- Maxwell Caulfield as Shane Harrison
- Deborah Foreman as Sandy White
- M. Emmet Walsh as Mort Bisby
- John Ireland as Ethan Jefferson
- Dana Ashbrook as Jack
- John Hancock as Quinton Canada
- Marion Eaton as Anna Trotsberg
- Dabbs Greer as Otto Trotsberg
- Bert Remsen as Milt Bisby
- Sunshine Parker as Merle Bisby
- Helena Carroll as Madge
- Elizabeth Gracen as Alice
- Christopher Bradley as Chaz
- Kathy MacQuarrie Martin as Burgundy
- Jack Eiseman as Nigel
- George Buck Flower as Bailey
- Erin Gourlay as Juliet Harrison
- Vanessa Pierson as Gwendolyn Harrison
Production
Parts of the film were shot at Moab, Spanish Valley, Thompson Springs, Hittle Bottom and Arches National Park in Utah.[2]
Reception
In Creature Feature, the movie received 3 out of 5 stars, noting that it was infused with cinematic vitality [3] [[TV Guide similarly gave the movie 3 out of 5 stars, finding the movie to be enjoyable, but that the ending collapses under its own cleverness. [4] Entertainment Weekly gave the movie a C-, finding it to be anemic. [5]
See also
References
- ^ On DVD: Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat — A Lost Campy Fave Rises from the Grave Film.com
- ^ D'Arc, James V. (2010). When Hollywood came to town: a history of moviemaking in Utah (1st ed.). Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith. ISBN 9781423605874.
- ^ Stanley, J. (2000) Creature Feature: 3rd Edition
- ^ TV Guide (1991) Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat Review. Retrieved 8/15/2020 https://www.tvguide.com/movies/sundown-the-vampire-in-retreat/review/128257/
- ^ Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (October 25, 1991 ) Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat Retrieved 8/15/2020 https://ew.com/article/1991/10/25/sundown-vampire-retreat/
External links
- 1989 horror films
- Vampires in film
- American supernatural horror films
- American comedy horror films
- American films
- Films directed by Anthony Hickox
- Vestron Pictures films
- Films shot in Utah
- 1980s comedy horror films
- American Western (genre) comedy films
- American Western (genre) horror films
- Comedy horror film stubs