Love at First Bite / Once Bitten – 2 pack – Blu-ray review
Love at First Bite
Director: Stan Dragoti
Cast: George Hamilton, Susan Saint James, Richard Benjamin
Once Bitten
Director: Howard Storm
Cast: Lauren Hutton, Jim Carrey, Karen Kopins
By Brian M. Sammons
New form Scream Factory, the Blu-ray releasing company that shows no sign of slowing down, is this comedic, vampire-centric, two movie pack. Do these old movies still have some bite, or are they pretty toothless now that both movies are in their thirties? Well grab some garlic and a good, sharp stake and let’s find out.
First from 1979 is Love at First Bite, a movie about Dracula coming to the America to find love. It is a typical fish out of water story, with plenty of 70s style and funk. Played to comedic perfection by a pre-perma-tanned George Hamilton, this is one of the funniest depictions of the famous bloodsucker ever caught on film. Susan Saint James is no slouch either as the target of Drac’s affections, but the star of the show for me is Arte Johnson as the giggling ghoul, Renfield. Every time he’s on the screen he steals the show, and thankfully he’s given his fair share of time to shine. There’s really not much more to say about this one, other than yes, it is still hilarious all these years later. But then, I am a sucker for comedies from the age of disco. If you’re not, then your millage may vary with this one.
Once Bitten is a thoroughly 80s film, and that alone kicks it up a few rungs on my appreciation ladder. If I usually like comedies (and movies in general) from the 1970s, I usually love them from the 1980s. This oh so silly slice of cinema is no exception. This movie is about a male high school student who is still a virgin (gasp) and how he desperately wants a cure to that terrible condition. Enter a sexy lady vamp on the hunt for some virgin blood, but being that this all takes place in LA, the selection isn’t all that stellar. The two cross paths and hilarity ensues as the vampire must drink from the student three times to retain her youth, and each nighttime nip brings the boy closer and closer to joining the ranks of the undead. Oh, and did I mention that the horny high school student is played by Jim Carrey in one of his first big screen roles? Now I am not a huge fan of most of Carrey’s comedy, but here I think he nails the part of a goofy guy just looking for some action. Lauren Hutton is the lusty bloodsucker who alternates between sexy and funny, and Karen Kopins is perfect as the cute, innocent, prim and proper girlfriend. This film could not be more 80s if it had big hair, was wearing neon legwarmers on while playing with a Rubik’s cube, drinking a New Coke, and listening to a cassette tape of Flock of Seagulls, and I love that about it.
As with most two-packs, the extras on this new Blu-ray are pretty sparse. Love as a trailer and a few radio spots, while Bitten only has a trailer. While that is a bit of a bummer, on the plus side, both movies look better than ever on Blu-ray, so there is that.
I love both these movies, and to get them in one package, for one low price, on Blu-ray is a must is a no-brainer for me. If you also love these fang-tastically funny flicks, then be sure to get this one, two punch of funny when it comes out February 10th.
