VAMPIRE IN VEGAS (2009)

 

PHENOMENALITY: *marvelous*
MYTHICITY: *fair*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *drama*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTION: *metaphysical*

I wasn't expecting much of a Jim Wynorski film with a title like VAMPIRE IN VEGAS. Even if he'd been playing the idea of a "Vegas vampire" for laughs, Wynorski is extremely variable in terms of producing even basic B-movie entertainment. For instance, I liked his DEATHSTALKER sequel, but his comedic take on the SWAMP THING sequel  was tedious in the extreme. A look of the imdb credits for VEGAS' writer also wasn't encouraging, given that Nicholas Davidoff was mostly a camera guy who wrote just one other feature film, one of the various ANACONDA sequels.

Yet VEGAS is not played for laughs, even though it does feature a lot of clumsy humor, mostly centered around various dopey supporting characters (particularly a pair of Vegas cops who seem like comedians trying out failed schticks). But there's the germ of a decent idea set forth in VEGAS' opening moments, when king-vampire Sylvian (Tody Todd) relates his reasons for taking up residence in Nevada's Sin City: because it's a "city that never sleeps." Sylvian is a three-hundred-year old Black vampire (who presumably took his name from "Transylvania") who's been trying for years to find a scientific way to nullify the vulnerability he and his kindred have to sunlight, so that they can operate in daylight hours without loss of power. He's already done pretty well for himself in Vegas, managing to mount a campaign to become Nevada's governor despite his only appearing at night. But Sylvian knows that he can't fulfill his reign in the wee hours alone, so he works with an experimental scientist (Delia Sheppard) to concoct a serum that will act like SPF 30.

Now, I'm not going to say that Davidoff's script is any great wonder. He's not very consistent about his vampire lore or the various characters' motivations. However, a lot of B-flicks can barely manage to bring together even two major plot-threads. One of the threads I've mentioned: two Vegas cops are drawn into investigating the immolations of Sylvian's test subjects. The other is a romantic entanglement between two crazy young kids in love, Jason (Edward Spivak) and Rachel (Sonya Joy Sims). Jason and Rachel are due to be married soon, but Jason's buds hijack him for a bachelor party in Vegas. Rachel is encouraged to follow Jason to check on things, and both crazy kids get pulled into a sex club run by Sylvian's minions. In no time, both Jason and Rachel also become test subjects for the scientist's experiments. Sylvian gets his immunity serum, and for good measure tries to turn good-hearted Rachel to the Dark Side. However, Jason's able to drink Sylvian's blood and call upon his inner vampire, resulting in a Battle of Old Blood and Young Blood.

VEGAS is unquestionably cheaply made, and for many viewers that would doom it, even if any of the humorous bits had been funny. However, Wynorski does keep a certain level of lively action going, particularly thanks to the vampire henchpeople. (Frequent Wynorski player Melissa Braselle gets most of the action scenes.) Tony Todd is unquestionably the best actor in the room, but Spivak and Sims give him decent support, taking away somewhat from the actors playing the doofy cops.