Nightlife (1989)

Perfect cast and a good story

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

I don't like this movie...I LOVE IT! It (to me) was funnier than "Love At First Bite" and "The Fearless Vampire Killers". This is a well written script that isn't over the top--even though the character of Vlad is in more of a need of a psychiatrist than a bride (sort of like Barnabas Collins--which Ben Cross also played later--but couldn't use wicked humor in that show)! The housekeeper pumps more life into this movie also! Her interaction with Cross when he's ringing the doorbell repeatedly will leave you in stitches! I won't give the ending and all that away so I really don't consider this a spoiler but I warned you in case you haven't seen it. That scene seriously rocks! The cast as a whole was a great ensemble. Despite what others rated this as, it was well done, well executed and deserves praise and not too much criticism. This is a movie I'll watch again and again.

This movie is truly a delight! It has an almost charming quality. The story line is interesting and well paced...no boring lulls and no gratuitous slashing and splattering of blood for pointless effect (a big pet peeve of mine). There's enough scientific rational to hold up the main premise, Vampirism as a viral infection (well, enough for me anyway ;) ). I found every single character to be interesting and entertaining. The setting is perfect; old & Gothic buildings, sort ethereal with lots of mist and fog when needed, as well as shots that included urban city streets, a hospital and lab, and of course one or two cemeteries. I enjoyed the timing and the way the film moved from one to the other, scary to funny and back to scary (great fun!). One of the best things about this movie is it's comic value, I think. Many laugh-out-loud moments (at least for me)...too many to recount here. There's also a nice light romantic subplot, but not too much (I'm not a big fan of a lot of all that mushy stuff--interferes with the movie). Another thing that I found really wonderful is the music, some really great pieces! Other movies that I consider to have great music choices are 'I Married an Axe Murderer' and 'Lost Boys' just to name the first two off the top of my head, but not because the music is similar, but because of what the music brings to the movie and how perfectly it helps mold the feelings and atmosphere of the scenes they're backing up. The music in Nightlife is like that: quirky, upbeat, and truly adds to the movie.Overall, I simply love this movie and pull it out to watch whenever I want a smile. I just don't get tired of this great little flick.

I saw this film a long time ago on TV, but definitely enjoyed it. The film has an engaging mix of dark humour and sexual tension running throughout. The script, though nothing spectacular, is well written and keeps the viewer entertained. This film deserves at least 7/10 and I rate it 8/10. The average rating (after 70+ reviews) of under 6/10 is, I think, unfair and I suspect many reviewers either did not 'get' the humour, or were not paying attention to the nuances of the script. I definitely recommend this film for bedtime entertainment. If you enjoyed this film, I would also recommend the film 'Split Second' starring Rutger Hauer.

I saw this movie when it first came out on the USA network, and it really made an impression on me. Ben Cross was perfectly cast as Vlad (later, he was the perfect Barnabus Collins on the short-lived prime-time revival of Dark Shadows), and the supporting cast of "Nightlife" did a fine job as well (in particular, Maryam d'Abo and Keith Szarabajka).***POSSIBLE SLIGHT SPOILER*** I think my favorite thing about this movie was the way it was written. Not only was it written with a lot of humour, it's very intelligent as well. Dr. Zuckerman's solution to Angelique's need for blood was brilliant: She doesn't just need blood, she needs the rush that comes from taking blood from someone in an absolute panic. Dr. Zuckerman realizes that he needs to inject her with epinephrine (a drug similar to adrenaline used for asthma patients) to satisfy that craving as well.If you have the opportunity to see this movie, I highly recommend that you do so. Me? I'm going to buy it.9/10