Vampire Journals

Plot synopsis:
Zachary [David Gunn] sees his beloved fall prey to a vampire. Zachary stakes and
beheads him, but it is too late for Rebecca. In his grief, Zachary becomes
a vampire hunter, vowing to destroy his Master's entire bloodline, which
includes the music loving Ash and Ash's Master, Radu (reference is to Radu from Subspecies). Zachary is currently on Ash's trail. His quest takes him to Bucharest where
Ash [Jonathon Morris] is smitten with American concert pianist Sofia Christopher [Kirsten Cerre]. After
attending one of Sofia's performances, Ash invites her to his Club Muse, a
casino/brothel where vampires mingle with human donors, and then he
follows her home, intending her to be his prey. Zachary intervenes in the
nick of time and walks Sofia home safely.Ash returns to Club Muse. The next day, he sends his human business
partner Iris [Starr Andreeff] to request of Sofia a private recital that night at the Club
in exchange for $1,000. Zachary warns her not to go, but she does anyway.
At the end of her performance, Ash acclaims her a "goddess of music" and
offers to make her immortal. She refuses, and Ash makes it clear he will
not accept her refusal. "Embrace me willingly and your passage will be
painless. Resist me, and you will agonize till the end of time," he warns.Zachary, armed with the vampire slaying blade of Laertes, pays a
visit to Club Muse. He offers the blade to Ash in exchange for the life of
Sofia, but Ash claims the blade as well as both Sofia and Zachary's lives.
Ash tempts Zachary with a willing donor and, when Zachary succumbs to the
temptation, Ash takes Sofia to Zachary. Horrified at the discovery that
Zachary is also a vampire, Sofia chooses unlife over death when Ash drinks
of her blood to the brink of mortality. Sofia finally gives in and drinks
Ash's blood, sealing her fate as a vampire.Meanwhile, Zachary and Iris are plotting a way to get Sofia away from
Ash (Iris is jealous). Zachary invades Ash's lair, wounds him with the
sword, and snatches Sofia off their bed. Ash and his chylde Cassandra [Ilinca Goia]
pursue. As dawn approaches, Cassandra fights with Zachary and winds up
being staked. Zachary turns on Ash, who runs away. As the chamber fills
with dawn's early light, Zachary pushes Ash over a balcony, Ash falls into
the direct sunlight and is turned to dust, leaving Zachary and Sofia to
find resting places for themselves. [Original Synopsis by BJ Kuehl.]

Tags: violence, gothic

Review:
If you like gothic vampire movies, then Full Moon Entertainment's Vampire Journals (1997) is for you.
Like my previous reviews i don't want to lose time writing about the movie plot line 'cause i think that if you are reading this it's because you have already seen it right?
Here we have really beautiful movie, great stages, finest acting and a sublime haunting soundtrack, one of the best i've ever heard i just can't get that piano out of my head.
In Vampire Journal happens something interesting and it lies in the acting work, the characters are well portrayed by this unknown actors and that its the veil that all low budget movies must have.
the Ash character really have that vampire feel that all we are expecting in a kind of films like this and Jhonaton Morris set his trademark by doing this role, David Gunn in the Zachary role as a vampire slayer did a fine work but he cannot simple match Mister Morris acting, but in Vampire Journal there's one character that really stole the show, I perhaps have never seen a female vampire portrayed so damn well like the one we can find here, everything in she seems completely right, her movements, the way she talk and even her blood drinking, i am referring to Ilinca Goia as Cassandra, she did a amazing outstanding job and without a hell of doubt her character is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, every scene where she appear its a rewind must, all her movements are so memorable, she is (and this is my very personal opinion) the ultimate female vampire set on screen, i can say the same thing of Claudia's role played by Kirsten Dunst in Interview with a Vampire but thats another history.Another highlight in this film is in charge of Kirsten Cerre as the gorgeous human pianist, she looks so lovely, so tender we all love her from the first scene she appears on screen and its very clear why Ash an Zachary fall in love with her she is simple beautiful.
For those who like dark movies and Gothic creepy stages then this movie is for you you won't be disappointed, though I recognize that to get this movie its a little bit difficult but i can assure you that the searching its well worthy, all vampire lover most appreciate this movie and enjoy it and a personal thanks to Ted Nicolaou for giving us all this hours in vampire entertainment trough all this years.
You've got to give credit to Ted Nicolau for creating a somewhat separate vampire world from the Subspecies world he had previously mastered, and still manage to be original and engaging.Here we have a movie that was actually filmed in Romania (as Subspecies were) and has that gothic renaissance quality about it.
A beautiful low-budget film that puts to shame such mainstream atrocities as Interview With A Shampooer.Jonathon Morris who plays Ash is such a great actor beyond description.
Underrated Director Ted Nicolau, a Full Moon entertainment veteran, made a step forward in his vampire universe with this movie that sadly has been overlooked as time goes by.
"Vampire Journals" is probably the best movie produced by Full Moon, and easily ranks among the best vampire movies ever.The movie tells the story of Zachary (played by David Gunn), a vampire who has vowed to exterminate as many of his specie as he can since his life as one of the undead has given him nothing but tragedies.
In his hunting, he finds Ash (Jonathon Morris), a vampire master who controls a club and loves the music.
Things get complicated when both of them fall in love with a beautiful pianist named Sofia (Kirsten Cerre).The most remarkable feature of the movie, is the perfect combination of camera-work, edition and music to create a Gothic feeling that remains through the movie, making it look as a beautiful canvas despite its low budget.
Every visual aspect of the movie is of a supernatural beauty, as if the locations were a character too.Ted Nicolau creates a superb movie that improves in all aspects what he had already accomplished with his other vampire movies, the "Subspecies" series.
The SFX are great for the budget and never seem out of place, the movie retains that Gothic surreal feeling without sacrificing anything.The acting is really good, although nothing special.
David Gunn carries the film with grace but is Jonathon Morris who steals the show as the vampire Ash. Worth to mention is the performance of the beautiful Ilinca Goia, who in her limited screen time captures the attention of the viewer not only with her looks, but her performance as well.Of course, nothing is perfect, the movie keeps that "low-budget" feeling that most of the 90s Full Moon movies carried, but is admirable the effort of Nicolau to make the most of what he got.
The love triangle story line is very familiar, but the atmosphere of the movie is so wonderfully Gothic(and somewhat erotic)that you don't care!
Vampire Journals tells the story of Zachary a vampire who has vowed to destroy the bloodline of blood suckers who made him the way he is.Along his travels Zachary meets Sofia a beautiful piano player.
Vampire Journals is a surprisingly beautiful looking movie.
The movie is visually fantastic and is one of the most impressive looking vampire films.However I felt some parts of it were a little too close to Anne Rice for comfort,and there was some unnecessary gore,but all in all I would highly recommend it.It's a huge treat for vampire fans and is really one of the better Dracula/Vampire films..
For those who are into vampire films this is your movie, but if you are just passing by the horror section of your local video store and you think you would like to see this film I suggest watching Dracula first then come back to this movie, only then you would understand this film..
Beginning with the haunting sound of a single piano, as scene after scene of a dark, foreboding, snow swept cemetary fill the screen, this movie sets standards for the dark, gothic Eastern European vampire genre.
Though the dialogue is a bit thin in some parts, Ash & Zachary team up to create some of the most memorable, and haunting lines of their time, a must see for any vampire lovers!.
Vampire Journals takes a slight detour from the excellent Full Moon "Subspecies" series which features the master vampire Radu, and his stubborn and defiant disciple, Michelle.
This film has better production values and a far larger cast than any of the 4 subspecies movies, and rivals them in quality.
All of these films are highly under-rated, and are far superior to most of the vampire movies that have been made in the states in the past 20 years.
This is a good vampire film, and a little bit like Hammer in some respects, though much better than anything Christopher Lee did after Horror of Dracula.
A very slow movie in some respects, but the shadow work, that I so loved in his Subspecies series, were even heavier in this movie!:) The scenes and buildings were very gothic,complete with fog-enshrouded nights and cemetaries.
This is a somewhat artsy-fartsy vampire movie, kind of continuing the line of the subspecies films.
The atmosphere great, and the whole movie flowed pretty well.This would make a nice addition to any vampire fan's movie collection.Also, if you like it and want to get more depth into the story, get the rest of the Subspecies movies.
They're more cult-classic, like the rest of the Full Moon horror movies, but worth a watch.Believe me.
Passionate and convincing performances by Jonathon Morris as evil master-vampire Ash and David Gunn as tormented vampire-hunter Zachary, a strong-willed female lead in Kristen Cerre as Sophia, fine support in small but well-crafted supporting roles.
After seeing too many bad vampire films in the past few months ("Bordello of Blood", "Embrace of the Vampire", "Blade") this was a welcome relief, a movie with real style and grace.(Read more of my comments under my original name "angelynx").
the movie vampire journals is an awesome look into the dark life of a vampire, I thought it was great my favorite vampire was of course zachary I fell in love with him the very first time I saw the movie.
You will watch a movie with lots of vampire mystery and magic with a good cast and a well chosen soundtrack which will take you on a brilliant 90 minute surreal ride to Prague.Impressions:--------------------Overall: surreal, mysterios, erotic, fascinating, romanticGore/Splatter: no splatter, nice amount of "violence" and blood.Nudity: someFangs: Jep, look nice (I write this because I hate those vampire movies which show no fangs), some nice blood sucking tooCast: good actors, all unknown for what I knowSoundtrack: nice one, more the classic music type!DVD: fullscreen, good picture, good sound, uncutWho should not watch?
If you hate pianos and get the creeps by the words "classic music", "erotic horror" or "dialogue".To judge better if you are not sure watching the film, I'll give you my favourite vampire flicks:Action & gory vampire movies:----------BladeJohn Carpenter's VampiresModern Vampires (tip!)The more romantic movies:----------Bram Stoker's DraculaVampire JournalsEmbrace of the vampire
The trash movies (I dig them a lot):----------From dusk til dawn2From dusk til dawn1From dusk til dawn3Blood for Dracula (Andy Warhol movie with a young Udo Kier, very bloody and sarcastic, lots of gore and nudity)Vampire Happening (my 60ies trash tip)Don't forget the Hammer films!!!!Please write me a line if you found my comment useful.
David Gunn (the man who played Zachary in "The Vampire Journals") has more charisma than that pretentious Tom Cruise ever will..
This film (along with the "Subspecies" series), was shot on location in Romania, and I'm happy to report that this film isn't a disgrace to the vampire horror film genre like ones such as the "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (by Francis Ford Coppola).
American vampire films don't need to have that stereotypical 'let's make this like an MTV music video and have lots of sexy American stars in it like Tom Cruise' in order to make it stylish.
Sure, "The Vampire Journals" was shot by an American film company, but at least they had the decency to make it stylish on a low budget with unknown (yet extremely talented) actors.
Hell, David Gunn (the man who played Zachary in "The Vampire Journals") has more charisma than that pretentious Tom Cruise will ever have.
If you want to make an ORIGINAL vampire movie, I don't care; go right ahead, but don't butcher a Romanian myth and retell it and claim it's "the real thing", because it's NOT..
well when i decided to watch this movie i was not sure i am gonna enjoy it but,,, once the movie started i felt something like magic pull me in deeper and deeper into the story i give this movie story 8/10 it was going to be 10/10 if it was a bit longer than this i feel like they strip some events from the movie but anyway the actors r amazing except for Sophia she not a good one in my option Zachary and Ash on the hand r Amazing and The Gothic Artistic Style of The Vampires Characters in The movie r Stunning and the Environment also was very beautiful and it seems to be like a piece of Art even the nude scenes in the movie r not meant for fun or showing as it was to a part of this Artistic Drama i loved this movie and i enjoyed it so much i watch it 2 times.
The Romanian locations are beautiful, and perfectly lit - the film's "look," as director Ted Nicolau puts it in the making-of special, is like that of an old painting.
On a first viewing, I thought David Gunn's Zachery a bit weak, but now I don't mind him; he's almost laughably sincere, but that's pretty much what the part demands.The film hits a lull in the second act, when the action is confined to Ash's lair.
That's apparently where the budget ended.The master vampire, Ash is the only real actor in the film.
The feeling of this movie is either your will like it or not...no in the middle here.The settings, the score is all so sombre and gothic.
A real and truly gothic and romantic movie is that "VAMPIRE JOURNALS".
First the good news: Vampire journals is a surprisingly beautiful and elegant-looking movie.
Vampire Journals opens with the poetic shot of a wintery graveyard, with the Gothic letters and lovely music.
Griffith had his mixer console regulating hands in.'Vampire Journals' very much is a story of vampires in which mortals mostly play the role of servants and nuisances, humans are a state of being that has to be overcome, what they certainly are not is a threat nor are they of big relevance in this film.The visuals are better shown than talked about.
But this tells you that 'Vampire Journals' is a film without great faults, even the acting is surprisingly good for this type of production.Naturally there is a lot of mist in this film, it's even used indoors but it's used delicately to enhance the light.
Like I said, the visuals don't aim to impress but the relatively simple special effect of over-sized, seemingly bodiless shadows traveling alongside house facades certainly make for some striking moments in the film.The man in the lead role is an obvious choice to play an elegant Gothic type of vampire but why not if he fits it so very well.
I don't know which character I disliked the most: Zachary is so whiny he makes "Interview With The Vampire"'s Louis look like a happy-go-lucky guy and Ash must be the cheesiest movie vampire ever.I'm a big fan of vampire movies and this is the only one I truly disliked from beginning to end.
Sadly however, the credits come to an end and the movie begins.Whiny, self-pitying vampire Zachary is determined to rid the world of his own kind, especially powerful vampire Ash, who has set his sights on Zachary's would be girlfriend, Sofia.
If you thought Brad Pitt as Louis in "Interview With the Vampire" was bad, he's got nothing on Zachary, let me tell you.
This movie was cool but it seemed to take on a little bit from Interview with the Vampire.
The crucial differences here are that "Interview with the Vampire" is a very respectable film whilst "Journals" looks like something a bunch of high schoolers binded together for a school play.Zachary (Gunn) is a self-pitying guiltaholic who is travelling the world on a quest of revenge.
Zachary finds Ash, but a woman gets in the way, the woman both of the vampires want, a repetition of their last dilemma except this time Zachary is determined not to lose.You can't take this movie seriously at all, but it's almost one of those "so bad it's almost good" movies that you can only bear to watch once.
The acting is very cliché, the dialogue is corny, the plot isn't that interesting, and the characters you like are the schemers that have it in for the ones who are supposed to be the heroes of the movie.
I love vampire movies, so I have to watch them all.
Jonathan Morris plays Ash again to maximum effect and one can only wish that all three leads were in either every film made or at least hundreds more vampire legacies.
Do you like vampire movies???
The whole Subspecies series is absolutely great,with the most flawless Vampire I have ever seen (Radu Vladislas),but the subspecies effect with its little creatures seems to me like a stain on what is otherwise a work of art...
Ted Nicolaou was the force behind the series who you could tell had a real eye for the vampires and their Gothic nature.
After witnessing the love of his life get turned into a vampire, Zachary destroys both her, and his master, and former protégé of Ash, Serena.
I think that's in the "harm zone".Despite the flaws, I give Ted credit on the Gothic look of the film and the story isn't by any means terrible.
Also the look of the film is terrific and very Gothic, given the old spooky feeling from the old horror movies.
Vampire Journals is set in some unnamed Eastern European country where a Vampire named Zachary (David Gunn) decides to take in some culture & spend a night at a classical concert, there he notices master Vampire Ash (Jonathon Morris) who seems to be taking an unhealthy shine to pianist Sofia Christopher (Kristen Cerre).
Ash wants to turn Sofia into his Vampire bride while bitter Vampire hunter Zachary wants to kill him & all of his kind...This American Romanian co-production was written & directed by Ted Nicolaou was produced by Charles Band & his Full Moon companies responsible for all manner of low budgeted horror film crap over the years.
If your a die hard Vampire flick fan then you'll probably lap this up as, well it's got Vampires in it but anyone looking for an effective horror flick will surely be disappointed at the dull bland nature of this film & a lack of a decent engaging story.I'll give Vampire Journals credit where it deserves it because it looks fabulous, the lighting, the Gothic sets, costumes & production design are very impressive & atmospheric.
There's some female nudity as well if that sort of thing interests you.Technically the film looks very nice with good visuals & it's well shot.
The rest of the cast are alright but nothing outstanding.Vampire Journals is much better than the usual Full Moon horror flick & looks surprisingly good but the story isn't great & there's not a lot going on.
Every vampire in this movie looks like steve tyler!