A fun ride with few problematic choices
One of the least popular movies by the Master of horror Wes Craven “A Vampire in Brooklyn” still has what it takes to be revisited and gain a underrated status. It has some problematic choices for nowadays standtards, but is a fund ride nonetheless. See the reasons (no major spoilers) why you should see this movie if you really like horror and Wes Craven work.
It has the signature comedy touch of the director and even a reference to a more obscure horror, “Blacula” (1972), which I did not finish but loved seeing the recognition regardless. In fact, this movie can be seen as a blaxploitation of horror, and I love how Wes Craven mixes different genres in his movies. Going to a blaxploitation genre would be difficult for any white director, and Tarantino himself have being very critiqued for it.
With Wes Craven, there is a bar set, and I feel even his more poorly critically received movies like this one, are great still. Even by today’s standards. A Wes Craven movie is a guarantee of having a good time watch, while balancing jump scares and horror props. The high points for me in this movie are:
- The practical effects. Especially the makeup of Blacula at the end, which is disgusting and at the same time very well done. The same goes for Julius, which leans more on the Cronenberg side of horror. Practical effects and makeup are always going to be superior and look better than CGI, and you can fight me on this one.
- Angela Bassett as the scream girl. Wes knows how to do a scream girl like no one else, and maybe she is one of my favourites alongside Sidney (who is so ingrained in media culture that it is difficult to dissociate the term from her). The range of her screams and desperation is another level. One specific scene where she wakes up from a nightmare and jumps through the whole room hits the spot.
- The comedy is well balanced with the horror. I truly laughed a couple of times, more than at a lot of stand-up specials I have seen lately. Part of the humor is outdated and stereotyped, especially for today’s climate, but nothing too offensive — except for a transphobic joke. I know this type of humor is wrong, and I am glad we have moved on from that, but at the same time I feel at home going back to this era and I can have a laugh even when it’s offensive (only to a certain degree) knowing that it was a product of its time.
- Eddie Murphy is a presence. His entrance is momentum. His cape game is beautiful and what I expect from Dracula. All of his outfits are great. Also, certain moments when he flies are great effects. Angela Bassett’s wig, on the other hand, is distracting and bad to the level of Courtney Cox in “Scream 3” (it exactly reminded me of her). In the end, I could see why she was wearing the wig, and her two last hair choices make up for the bad taste of the former.
What did bother me, on the other hand, was the stereotyped humour of black people, and the plot hole of how this hundred-year-old vampire would know words like “hoe” and “limo.” I can see how it was necessary and is a minor detail that does not stop the strength of the movie.
All in all, is a must see for the fans of the genre and Wes Craven as a whole. Difficult to find, but internet has its way. Also great if you are into genre mix (specially one of these two) and how a product of this breed would look like.
