28 December 2005

Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter (Odessa Films, 2001)

If B-Movies are your idea for a fun evening, then do yourself a favour and pick up the very odd Canadian indie film: Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter. Written by Ian Driscoll and directed by Lee Gordon Demabre, JCVH offers a little bit of everything: vampires (who hunt in daylight), kung-fu fighting, song and dance numbers, a priest with a mowhawk, a beefy transvestite, a mexican wrestler, an ass-kicking saviour, and much much more.

Surprisingly, the film has attracted little criticism. It has been screened for religious organizations but the jury is still out on whether the film presents enough of a positive image to counteract the obvious blasphemy. For the record, I think it does; it presents a modern Jesus as someone who can combat evil while still forgiving the evil-doer.

JCVH is a typical low-budget production, but the editing and sound production give it an edge over its competitors. The fight-scenes are well choreographed and well-paced; there's a suitable amount of blood and gore (it gets the point across without being excessive). Music is used to great advantage and someone had a great time adding in sound effects that range from the surreal crunch and squish of a vampire's bite to the silly boink and clunk of cartoon-style violence.

This is a full-length film, clocking in at 90 minutes and at times the story does drag a bit. Overall though, the film is a juicy addition to any B-movie fan's collection.

***


Buy Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter on DVD.
Buy other JCVH merchandise from Odessa Filmworks.

More info at IMDB and Odessa Filmworks.

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