1428 Elm
Fansided

31 Days of Horror: Vampire’s Kiss is an underrated masterpiece

By Riley Kvalheim

AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 12: Nicholas Cage attends the premiere of "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festival - Day 2 at the Paramount Theatre on March 12, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 12: Nicholas Cage attends the premiere of "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festival - Day 2 at the Paramount Theatre on March 12, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Vampire’s Kiss has been on my watchlist for years. I first found out about it through WatchMojo (middle school me watched this YouTube channel constantly), as several of their video lists included the scene where Nic Cage aggressively recites the alphabet. When I finally decided to give it a watch, I expected it’d be some kind of fun Nic Cage comedy with a splash of horror… It’s not that.

Let me put it this way: Vampire’s Kiss (1988) is American Psycho (2000) if it were cranked up to 10 on the insanity meter. And just like American Psycho, you’ll appreciate Vampire’s Kiss more each time you revisit it.

People tend to have a wide range of thoughts on Nic Cage as an actor, but nobody can deny that his performance in Vampire’s Kiss is remarkable. He plays Peter Loew, a successful New York executive that enjoys constantly harassing his secretary, Alva. Peter meets and falls for a beautiful woman, Rachel, who might just be a vampire. Soon enough, Peter begins suspecting that he has been turned into a vampire himself. What comes next? I guarantee that you have no clue.

This isn’t Nicolas Cage’s only time playing a deranged vampire, as he recently portrayed Count Dracula in the movie Renfield.

Vampire's Kiss
Universal Pictures film, Renfield starring Nicolas Cage, in theaters April 14 /

Vampire’s Kiss is certainly a complex film. If it was made from the perspective of Alva, it would be a very clear-cut, terrifying horror film of a woman being viciously preyed upon by her boss whilst her coworkers laugh it off. But with Peter as the lead, things feel much stranger to the audience. Not only that, but we also have to question Peter’s perceptions of the world. He saw Rachel as a vampire, but is she? Is he?

Towards the end, we go back and forth between reality and Peter’s fantasy. At this point, there is an amazing scene in which Peter is covered in blood, slurring his words, and talking to himself as he stumbles through the streets of New York City. Truly one of Nic Cage’s most stand out performances.

The last thing I want to do is spoil this movie for you, so all I can do is urge you to watch it. Vampire’s Kiss will have your mouth agape and leave you with the ever-present question: wait, what?!

Vampire’s Kiss is currently available to stream for free on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Pluto, and Redbox!

Next. 31 Days of Horror: Ready or Not. dark

What is your take on Vampire’s Kiss? Let us know in the comments!

Home/Horror Movies