Vampire's Kiss 4K 1988

It’s worth clarifying right away that "Vampire’s Kiss" is not primarily a movie about vampires, but about a man who goes mad after imagining himself to be one.

The main character, Peter Lowe, spends his days working at a literary publishing house and his nights visiting nightclubs to enjoy one-night stands.

Unable to find “the one,” he one day meets Rachel—a vampire (or an imaginary girl he falls in love with)—who bites Peter on the neck, and he gradually begins to turn into a vampire himself. He buys fangs, wears dark glasses, can’t see his reflection in the mirror, and sets up a lair that looks like a coffin… After that, the two existing worlds—the one in Peter’s head and the real world—blend together, and it’s unclear whether what’s happening is reality or just an illusion.

Although the film is fantastical in theme and contains dark humor, it cannot be dismissed as merely a thriller or horror film. There are two reasons for this.

First, there’s what’s happening inside the main character—his complete “transformation into a vampire” (a gradual descent into madness)—and second, there’s the tense chase involving Peter and his secretary, who just can’t seem to find the contract he needs, even though the client himself doesn’t really need it.

And, of course, the film wouldn’t be fully deserving of the “must-see” label if it weren’t for the actors’ performances.

Nicolas Cage is unparalleled as Peter Lowe—his performance teeters on the edge of madness. His sincere belief that he is becoming a vampire, and the portrayal of a man whom no one can help snap out of it, is chilling. He is terrifying and comical, tough and weak, a killer and a victim. The pursuit of the secretary, the murder scene at the club, Lowe’s conversation with the lamppost, and the final scene in his apartment are the film’s best moments.

María Conchita Alonso, in the role of Low’s secretary Alda—a wallflower who endures her boss’s humiliation and later becomes a victim of his harassment—gave a very convincing performance. She is the victim through whom the protagonist’s mental deterioration is reflected.

Elizabeth Ashley masterfully portrayed the role of a professional psychiatrist, presenting a sort of caricature of modern mental health professionals.

Jennifer Beals created the image of a seductive vampire who ensnares Low’s sanity in her web but later renounces it.

Like all independent films, "Vampire’s Kiss" isn’t for everyone, but it keeps the viewer glued to the screen for the entire runtime, leaving behind a certain inexplicable sadness.