Thursday, October 17, 2013

Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula (2008)

Director: Timothy Friend

Writer: Timothy Friend

Composer: Joseph Allen

Starring: Tiffany Shepis, Trent Haaga, Jennifer Friend, T. Max Grahm, Allen Lowman, Russell Friend, F. Martin Glynn, Anita Cordell

More info: IMDb

Tagline: When gangsters meet vampires, there's bloody hell to pay...

Plot: Two of history's most notorious outlaws face off against the most diabolical beast ever to stalk the night while looking for a place to lie low following a botched heist. Bonnie (Shepis) and Clyde (Haaga) are on the run. Their partner in crime mortally wounded, they must find a place to lie low and avoid detection. A secluded mansion seems like the perfect hiding place -- little do the fleeing outlaws realize this hidden safe haven is actually home to the malevolent Dr. Loveless. But it's the secret that Dr. Loveless has locked up in his cellar that really gets the bad guys running scared. Because somewhere in the bowels of this shadowy estate dwells Dracula, the Prince of Vampires, and he's thirsty for some fresh blood after being locked up in the darkness for far too long.



My rating: 3.5/10

Will I watch it again? No.

Bonnie...

I recently read a fantastic definitive book about B&C and not once did it mention her modern pube style.  When you're running from the 'laws' you're gonna want to be smooth where it counts.

Great title, right?  Yeah, well...that's about all they have.  The picture looks good as in the film makers had good cameras and equipment.  But the film is pretty bad.  If you're looking for some B&C going up against Dracula action then you will be sorely disappointed.   B&C don't even meet Dracula until 10 minutes before the end credits roll and even then the confrontation is brief.

Clyde...


So what you're left with is lots of cutting back and forth for the previous 75 minutes between B&C mostly hiding out in farm houses and such and Dr. Loveless (Lowman) bringing Dracula (Russell Friend) back to life with the help of his innocent and childish sister (I think that's her relationship with Loveless), Annabel (Jennifer Friend).

versus...


B&C eventually make their way to the Loveless house and that's where the confrontation happens.  Until then you get the feeling it should have been called, BONNIE & CLYDE and DRACULA.  It's a big let down.  The acting is OK, there's very little action and no robberies or crime. 

Dracula...


The problem is with the do-little story and dialogue.  There isn't much traveling for the characters which puts us seeing B&C in a house, barn, etc., which gets old. Dracula and Loveless never leave the house. At least Jennifer Friend did a good job (considering what the role allowed) as Annabel.  I didn't care for the childishness of the character but her payoff is nice.  I get the feeling that if this were made in the early to mid 70s it would have been much better.  At least then it would have been shot on film and have a weathered look to it.  I'm not sure what I expected from a picture with this title but this movie isn't it.

At least we got to see a side of Bonnie we hadn't seen before...

No comments:

Post a Comment