Crucible of the Vampire

source: Crucible of the Vampire

I can see that the people who made this film was going for a Hammer vibe, right down to the sexy vampires and gothic locations. It works...and it doesn't. Crucible Of The Vampire is a good movie for what it is, but it doesn't have the moody atmosphere of Subspecies or Interview With The Vampire. The acting is solid enough, although a little dull. The location and photography are good but it could have been a lot better. It does drag a little, but when the action begins, it really does get going. The script just needed to be a little tighter. Not bad though for a film that obviously didn't have a huge budget.

Crucible Of the Vampire: An interesting Folk Horror film which has echoes of Witchfinder General, The Wicker Man and the Vampire Lovers. A young archaeologist, Isabelle (Katie Goldfinch) travels to a Gothic stately pile to examine half a cauldron which has been found during renovations. This may be the missing half of a Druidic cauldron which Isabelle's University holds. The family at the old house are rather creepy with the father apparently intent on selling the artifact. The dancing daughter has her sights set on Isabelle. There are flashbacks to the 17th Century when a Witchfinder and his soldiers hang a man they accuse of sorcery and cleave his cauldron in twain. The local woods are reputed to have been cursed by evil since ancient times. Some of the effects are a bit ropey but there are are effective dream and vision sequences. The mansion provides long corridors for chasing and the Vampires do have some bite. Not a classic but worth watching. Directed and Co-Written by Iain Ross-McNamee. I watched the Director's Cut on Flick Vault. 6/10.

I would be embarrassed to be be associated with this film. It suffers from a personality disorder in which the film does not know what it is. It seemingly starts with a purpose and that purpose is fleeting after 10 minutes. Isabelle is the only competent character throughout. But even she could not save this pile of dog dirt.

This is a surprising gem from a slimmed down UK film industry, one lacking nothing for originality. A young assistant museum curator is sent to a decrepit country home where the eccentric owner claims to have found an important relic buried in the basement. He wants, or claims to want, big bucks for it, but it soon transpires there is a great deal more afoot. For one thing, there is a mysterious grey lady type figure walking around the house at night, or was Isabelle dreaming like she was dreaming the lesbian encounter with the owner's daughter? Heck, that was real too? This is for the most part a psychological thriller, but just when you think it may disappoint, things get really gory towards the end, including a life or death chase through the house, and a spectacular final scene when, just in case you had thought these country bumpkins were simply mad, the shocking truth is confirmed.

The actress playing Scarlet did get on my nerves. I could accept that the whole thing is kind of amateurish but come on... Could the acting be so bad?

CRUCIBLE OF THE VAMPIRE is nothing more than a typical indie horror movie, hot on location and attempted atmosphere but absolutely lacking everything else required to make a 'proper' movie. There's cardboard characterisation, block-headed scripting, a singular lack of incident, and a plot that seems to have been mish-mashed together from bits and pieces of other, better movies. The only cast member of note is poor old Neil Morrissey, whose appearance in this makes I BOUGHT A VAMPIRE MOTORCYCLE look like a masterpiece by comparison.

If you are willing to accept all the aspects that come with a low budget, such as unpolished camera work, amateur acting and lack of special effects, than this is a decent niece film to watch for those who like vampire movies or low budget horror. The main actress was the only one that could portray a realistic character with some depth of emotion. Never the less, the suspension is decent in this one. If you like polished high-end Hollywood blockbusters skip this one, if you appreciate low budget fun projects, add this to your watch list.

Director Iain Ross-McNamee makes very good use of what is clearly a small budget, for this UK horror story. Veteran actors Brian Croucher (Doctor Who, Blake's 7 and EastEnders) and Neil Morrissey (Boon, Men Behaving Badly) feature alongside newer names to give a good variety of ages and acting. Special effects are used with great restraint, and when they do occur, are pretty impressive. The locations, and the vampiric atmospherics they bring about due to fine cinematography, are more immersive than the story being told, however. Rather than a traditional 'Wicker Man'-style tale of mysterious locals and cavorting sects, I think a weirder, more personal story would have benefitted from McNamee's talents. There is a certain Jean Rollin-esque style to some of the latter scenes and the way they are composed. Rather than embracing a style of film that has been told more expensively elsewhere, a more dream-like narrative would have been more suitable. There are several nods in that direction, with a certain erotic charge involving the excellent Katie Goldfinch (as Isabelle) and Florence Cady (Scarlet) and some fine locations (beautifully lit) with a dark fairy-tale quality. A little more of this and this enjoyable 96 minutes might well have been even more absorbing.

Terrible acting, script, music, sound effects and editing. Really really bad, not in a way that it could become a cult movie, just in the throw it in the fire never to be seen again way! I mean come on a shot of a hedge filling the screen whizzing by....if i could give it minus 10 i would!