FilmArcade.net: "Subspecies" Blu-Ray Review

Subspecies
Year: 1990
Director:Ted Nicolaou
Stars: Anders Hove, Laura Tate, Michael Watson
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Full Moon Features
Running Time: 90 Mins

Plot Synopsis:

“Subspecies” has been considered as one of Full Moon Feature’s best films, by some horror fans alike. The film recently celebrated it’s twentieth anniversary and Full Moon Features recently released the remastered version of the film on DVD and Blu-Ray.

The film is about three women, who travel to Transylvania to do some research on the village culture and its rituals. They unwilling get caught up in a centuries old family war and fall into the clutches of Radu (Anders Hove), a sadistic vampire prince that’s hellbent on spreading darkness and claiming the bloodstone for himself. But his brother Stefan (Michael Watson) is out to stop him and his madness, after he killed their father. But his love for one of the girls puts them in danger, as Radu plans on making them part of his unholy brides. Can the girls survive Radu’s plan for them, in this gothic vampire film. The film also co-stars Phantasm‘s Angus Scrimm.

Film Review:

I‘ve always considered “Subspecies”, as one of my favorite Full Moon films. When I heard that it coming out on Blu-Ray for the first time, I was excited about the release. But after viewing this Blu-Ray, I was kept wondering why there wasn’t an introduction or commentary track with this release.

First, lets start with the film itself. I’ve always liked this film, since seeing it for the first time on the Sci-Fi Channel (known today as Syfy) years ago. One of the things that I still like about this film, the fact that the film is very gothic. Director Ted Nicolaou does a very good job creating a gothic tone. I know that some parts of the film is slow, but most gothic films are suppose to be this way. By making everything that way, it allows the film to have a mysterious and dark feel. He also manages to get the performances to work, so that your interested with the material. Nicolaou does a very good job keeping the characters engaging. He does that, by having a good cast that gels with the material. It’s very important to have chemistry between actors. If the chemistry is not there, then the final product suffers and your left with a boring film. Thankfully, it wasn’t boring and the acting here was good.

Another thing that I still like about this film, the performances of Anders Hove. He plays the film’s main character, Radu. He’s able to make this character very menacing. From the way that he talks to the way that he’s able to generate his presence onscreen, it makes the character very villainous. By doing that, it makes the character very appealing to the viewer and horror fans. That’s why the character has been one of the most popular characters in the Full Moon universe.

What also makes this film very good, the screenplay written by Jackson Barr and David Pabian. What I liked about this screenplay, the fact that the story had a gothic feel to it. They do a very job creating the feel of the story through the setting and the characters. By doing that, it truly makes it look like an nostalgic vampire film. The other thing that makes it good, two of the three characters are very dark. I liked, how they handled the conflict between the two brothers. It made the characters interesting and the story appealing.

Blu-Ray Extras:

Even though this disc boast a very good transfer of the film, I wish the disc had more extra features. The only feature on the disc is a nine minute behind the scenes featurette that was part of the Full Moon Videozone that accompanied each film on their old VHS releases. It wasn’t a bad featurette, as it went into the film’s production and location. It also provided some interesting facts that I never knew about the film. After that, there are six trailers for some of newer Full Moon films. It would’ve been nice to have had an introduction like the “Puppet Master” Blu-Ray had or a commentary track from the film’s director.

Final Summary:

Even though this Blu-Ray is lacking an introduction and/or commentary track, this is still a must for Full Moon fans that have been looking for a better transfer of this classic Full Moon film. “Subspecies” is a very gothic vampire that still has it‘s, after all these years.

You can pick up the twentieth anniversary edition of “Subspecies” only at Full Moon’s official website at: http://www.fullmoondirect.com/SUBSPECIES-Blu-Ray-Remastered_p_510.html

Film Rating: Five Stars

DVD Extras: Two Stars