A VAMPIRE'S KISS - REVIEW
A VAMPIRE'S KISS
Director : Mark Francis
Starring : Mark Francis, Guillermo T. Ramos, Clifton Taylor, Brynn Hill, Amanda Sears, Zachary C. Millers, Carson Carollo, Hannah Denney
Runtime : 27 minutes
Genre : Horror
Digital - Color - 16:9
Language : English
Country : USA
2024
Storyline
After his young daughter is suddenly killed, a professor of the black arts attempts to use an ancient vampire skull to resurrect her, with dire consequences.
© Mark Francis
A Vampire's Kiss directed by Mark Francis immerses us in a minimalist and personal horror universe. The construction of the scenario is interesting since it links two different eras: the 16th century and the dominance of Christianity influencing the 21st century through a sacrificed human being. Note that the introductory part is immersed in intense chiaroscuro, a choice of direction in opposition to the rest of the film since it will take place mainly in daylight, which is a surprising but original choice for a horror movie.
© Mark Francis
The family home is the central element of the story. Full of strange collectibles, including a skull, it quickly becomes a threat. The young teenager, daughter of the professor, first representing innocence then horror in an instant, becomes an assassin in spite of herself. Mark Francis thus mixes the naive with the gore to surprise the viewer as much as possible. Indeed, the sobriety of the natural settings and the staging contrasts several times with the morbid close-ups featuring strong elements of the horror genre such as human skulls, rats, tarantulas, snakes, demons etc. These images seem to happen from another dimension.
© Mark Francis
The director will not exclude the use of some stylistic effects such as stroboscopy to reinforce the idea of hypnosis and nightmare, as well as a special effect for the fire: a capital element of the story taking on a dimension visually surreal. The music is sometimes extravagant and we notice work on the sound design and the use of lugubrious and demonic sound effects. A Vampire's Kiss takes the form of a modern family and tragic tale in which the curse continues. God will not succeed in saving these innocent souls, victims of ancient times, condemned to burn in hell?
By Hallucinea Film Festival
