Subspecies

Plot synopsis:
Three scholars -- two Americans (Michelle [Laura Mae Tate] and Lillian [Michelle McBride]) and native Transylvanian Mara [Irina Movila] -- arrive at historic Pledmar Fortress in Pledmar, Transylvania where they have obtained permission to reside while studying Transylvanian folklore. One legend has it that, some 500 years ago, a handful of peasants from Vlad Tepes' army barricaded themselves in the fortress against the Turks. When food and water was gone and the peasants ventured from the fortress, they found dead Turks with bloody throats, victims of vampires. A second legend tells about the presentation of the bloodstone, a stone from which drips the blood of saints and keeps vampires alive, keeps the vampires from biting any resident of Pledmar.The upcoming Festival of the Undead is held each year to celebrate the night that the vampires saved the people of Pledmar. In fact, the peasants believe that vampire King Vladislav Valescu still lives nearby in Castle Vladislav. But they're wrong. Unbeknown to the villagers, King Vladislav has just been murdered by his firstborn son, the evil Radu [Anders Hove], who has taken the bloodstone as his birthright and created four subspecies to do his bidding. The king's secondborn, Stefan [Michael Watson], summoned back by his father before his death, is residing at the Fortress under cover as a zoologist studying nighttime animals in and around Pledmar. Michelle and Stefan meet and are attracted to each other.On their first day in Pledmar, the girls visit the castle. It is locked but Lillian attempts to break in by feeling through the door for a lock. Unfortunately (or fortunately), she cuts herself on a nail and the girls go off for aid just as Radu answers the door. The next day, tired after a day of interviewing gypsies, the girls fall asleep outside the castle. When they awake, it is almost dark and they take a shortcut back to the Fortress. As night overtakes them, they realize that they are being followed. Before Radu can attack, however, they run into Stefan who sees them safely back and then returns to the castle where he finds his murdered father and is attacked by his evil brother. While Stefan stumbles back to the Fortress, Radu finds Lillian and sucks blood from her arm. Just as Radu prepares to drink from her neck, Stefan makes it back to the Fortress and opens her door in time to interrupt. Stefan pursues Radu back to the castle but the dawning sun almost kills him.Lillian falls ill. Michelle and Mara attend the Festival of the Undead where they photograph the villagers, all wearing masks and dancing in a cemetery. A white horse is made to jump over fresh graves. Any grave over which the horse will not jump is said to be the grave of a vampire who is promptly dug up, staked and his or her heart boiled. Michelle is pleased to see Stefan there; the two share their first kiss. Radu is also there. When Michelle leaves the festival to check on Lillian, Radu abducts Mara. Lillian dies of "blood poisoning." To protect her body from mutilation by the villagers, Karl and Michelle bury Lillian in the cemetery at the castle ruins. Then they look for Radu's coffin, but it is empty. That night, Lillian awakens and joins Radu. When Stefan wakes, he takes Michelle and Karl to a church for safe-keeping then goes looking for Mara whom he finds in chains at the castle. Before he can free her, however, Stefan is netted by the subspecies.Lillian comes calling to Michelle at the church. Michelle goes out to her and is abducted, taken to the castle, and placed in chains with Mara. Michelle manages to break the chains away from the wall. She frees Mara who turns vampire and turns on Michelle. Mara, Lillian and Radu take Michelle to Stefan who is also being held in chains. Radu plans to desecrate Michelle in front of Stefan. Just as Radu bites her neck, Karl arrives. He stops Radu, shoots rosary beads into Mara, and frees who stakes Radu with a firey pole and cuts off his head. Lillian is eventually impaled on a chandelier, and Karl cuts off her head. Stefan retrieves the bloodstone and, at Michelle's request ("Make me like you, Stefan. There's no other hope for me."), Stefan turns Michelle vampire, and they sleep together in Stefan's coffin. Meanwhile, Radu's head, lying on the floor, is approached by his subspecies. [Full Synopsis by BJ Kuehl]

Tags: cult, violence

Review:
bad brother as the vampire sons of old King Vlad - handsome, noble, boring Stefan and hideous, jealous, scheming, fascinating Radu - battle over the rights to their inheritance.
I wish the movie said more about its nature and history.) Into the middle of this gory sibling squabble wander the obligatory clueless bunch of cute American students, doing a research project on local folklore, and we're off to the races.Has its weak spots, especially the awkward animation and matting-in of Radu's tiny demon servants,  but its energy, enthusiasm and imaginative ideas - such as the "shadow transit" by which the vampires travel, and the reptilian relish of Anders Hove's performance as Radu - easily carry it over these gaps.
Add in some gore and nudity for the high-school crowd, and the pleasure of seeing a vampire film actually shot in Romania and using its wonderful medieval locations so central to Western vampire lore,  and you have a thoroughly capable and enjoyable little horror film.
Yet people today, thanks to genre rapists like Anne Rice, would rather watch vampires gallivanting about like a bunch of aristocratic Sallys.The film centers around two college girls from America (Laura Tate and the curvaceous Michelle McBride) who visit their foreign exchange student friend from school (Irina Movila) in her native Romania.
Radu has slain the father, a cameo by horror legend Angus Scrimm, thus acquiring the wrath of his good vampire brother Stefan(Michael Watson).The only drawback to this film is the lowsy swordplay, but how can Anders Hove be expected to handle a sword with foot long fingers.A vampire film done right, restoring the fiendishness to the vampire legend.Take notes Anne Rice!!.
Having killed their father the Vampire King, Radu now sets his sights on Stefan, Stefan's new mortal girlfriend Michelle and her two pretty friends, and the all-powerful Bloodstone.Okay, the scenery is beautiful, and it should be as it was shot on location in Transyl-fricken-vania for gosh sakes.
It's original, it's fun, and Radu is one of the best vampires I've seen in a long time...much more fun than the stiff, tragic, whining Undead brats that endlessly grace the horror screens these days.
"Subspecies," like many other horror films, gets a raw deal on IMDb. The majority of movie-watchers have a hearty contempt for horror, and when they occasionally rent horror films, they either want to laugh at them or cringe at excessively gory scenes.
The film's Romanian setting is virtually unique (I believe it was the first American movie made in that country, post-Communism), and the locations, both interior and exterior, are beautiful.
To risk damning with faint praise...it could be a lot dumber.Fans of the more gruesome aspects of horror will no doubt get a kick out of the blood-drooling vampire villain, Radu.
He's pretty effective in this movie - powerful, with a memorable raspy voice - but I like him better in the sequels, when actor Anders Hove gives a more self-parodying, campy performance.
As of now, the only sequel I have seen to this movie is Part IV, which I have to say is almost better than this original.I give it 10 / 10Fans of Horror Movies like this should Check out Puppet Master, Slumber Party Massacre, Skinned Alive, Sleep Away Camp, and other Full Moon Pictures flicks.
What makes Subspecies a superior effort for anyone claiming to be a Vampire fanatic,on the other hand,is obvious: The Vampire Himself is Romanian,the story is set in Transylvania (the scenes filmed on location are more than convincing),and the atmosphere is not based on any "action-packed" chases or expensive orchestral music.Radu Himself is the source of the atmosphere...
In short,if ,like me,you 're fascinated with Vampires and feel that their appearance as well as the setting should be sinister and dark,there's no better place to look in than in a Subspecies movie...
Indeed the Picture isn't a big budget production, but it is absolutely worth seeing.OK there are some faults (especially the Names of the Castle and the Locations) in this movie, but such mistakes are typically and are almost in every Horror Movie.The scenery fits perfect to the story and is close to reality,I can say that honest, because I visit them once when I was in Romania in my Vacations.In my opinion this is the Best Part of the Subspecies Series..
I didn't, and still don't know about the story line with the "Subspecies(the little demons)" Radu's Minions, but they were very well done.
Three lesbian students have come to study local folklore, but find themselves drawn into the vampires legends at just the wrong time: Vladislav has been killed.Who can say anything bad about a film featuring a cameo from Angus Scrimm?
(Maybe I am wrong, but this is probably the first film to feature rosary beads being fired from a gun.) Aside from vampires and blood, you get a share of nudity (gratuitous, but welcome) and I had to notice the excellent score from the composers (not sure who deserves credit, but those involved include Stuart Brotman, Richard Kosinski, William Levine, Michael Portis and John Zeretzka).
Radu kills his father in order to obtain the bloodstone, a powerful relic that "bleeds the blood of saints." Centuries later, two American college girls, Michelle (Lara Tate) and Lillian (Michelle McBride), meet up with their European friend, Mara (Irina Movila), in Romania to research the local culture.
Stefan develops a relationship with Michelle, but the superstitions that the girls were researching become all too real when their blood is sought by the evil Radu.Subspecies was shot on location of Romania (reportedly the first American film to do so after the fall of communism), which adds immense production value.
BUT; the acting is fine enough, the locations are fantastic, the atmosphere in the film is great and it might just have one of the greatest movie vampires ever in the evil and grotesque Radu.
The acting was sub-par with the exception of Anders Hove (Radu) who made for a rather terrifying looking vampire.
Director Ted Nicolaou who also created the other three parts of this classic series, Bloodstone: Subspecies 2 1993, Bloodlust: Subspecies 3 1994 and Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm 1998 has created another gem in Subspecies.It stars Anders Hove who was also in the other three parts of this classic series, Bloodstone: Subspecies 2, Bloodlust: Subspecies 3 and Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm.Also starring is Angus Scrimm who was also in other classic flicks, Phantasm 2 1988, The Never Dead 1979 and was the narrator in Wishmaster 1997.It also stars Irina Movila.I enjoyed the Gothic atmosphere, animation and the look of the vampire.If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic vampire flicks, 30 Days of Night 2007, Blade 2 2002, Blood for Dracula 1974, Daughters of Darkness 1971, Daybreakers 2009, Dracula 1992, Dracula 2000 2000, Desert Vampires 2001, Fright Night 1985, From Dusk Till Dawn 1996, From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money 1999, Frostbiten 2006, Dracula 1958, The Living Dead Girl 1982, Near Dark 1987, Night Watch 2004, Perfect Creature 2006, Underworld 2003, Underworld: Evolution 2006, Vampire Circus 1972, Vampires 1998, The Lost Boys 1987, Suck 2009, Underworld: Awakening 2012, Livid 2011, What We Do in the Shadows 2014, We Are the Night 2010, Afflicted 2013 and Van Helsing 2004..
Frightfully original and bewilderingly entertaining tale of Radu, an evil vampire played by Greenland (in the Kingdom of Denmark) actor Anders Hove.
Radu has slain his father (Scrimm) thus resulting in the wrath of his good vampire brother Stefan ('General Hospital's' Michael Watson).Truly original story and sharp direction by Full Moon regular Ted Nicolaou (who admits that when Charles Band asked him to direct, in Romania, he thought it was some kind of scam).
Eerie music score and cruel Minions (small red creatures that help Radu - originally played by real local people but they were so passionate in the roles that it didn't work and David Allen's fantastical animation had to be used instead) make this an all round entertaining film..
An effective enough vampire tale from Charles Band's Full Moon productions, this has the benefit of being shot on location in Romania, which gives it the kind of truly "stuck in the past", atmospheric feeling inherent to such European locales.
Anders Hove plays the incredibly creepy main character Radu, an animal like vampire highly reminiscent of Max Schreck's Count Orlok, with striking long fingered hands.
It's hard to feel much sympathy for the three girls - Mara (Irina Movila), Michele (Laura Mae Tate), and Lillian (Michelle McBride) - as they often act pretty senseless (then again, many horror movies would play out quite differently if they didn't have such characters).
Full Moon Entertainment isn't exactly well known for high quality horror; but from the few of their films that I've seen, I have to say that they're actually not as bad as their reputation suggests and although Subspecies certainly isn't completely successful and has its fair share of problems; it's actually a decent old-style vampire flick that will surely be appreciated by fans of the genre.
Lead actor Anders Hove cuts an amusing figure as the central vampire and looks like he took the wrong turn on the way to some crusty old rock concert; although he does at least deliver a decent performance that is very in keeping with the rest of the film.
In "Subspecies", Charles Band and Ted Nicolau give us two very different types of vampires in the same film, cleverly aiming to a broader audience: on the one hand, we have Stefan, a vampire that is not at all intimidating and, on the contrary, is portrayed as sweet, loving, delicate and, as one would expect, very good looking.
While Stefan is a necessary character for the story, his presence is probably more appealing to "Twilight" fans, rather than horror lovers.In "Subspecies", the story opens in a Romanian castle, with an intense confrontation between Radu, a horribly grotesque vampire and his father, King Vladislav (portrayed by Angus Scrimm from the "Phantasm" franchise).
Though this is still a horror flick about blood-thirsty vampires in Romania, romance manages to claw its way into the story, where the impossibly good looking Stefan and the devastatingly gorgeous Michelle fall in love (ugh!
Stefan and Radu will have to battle head to head in an epic confrontation that will define, not only the girls' fate, but also the entire village's.The cinematography in "Subspecies" is very artistic, while not being too all over the place and distracting, which is something that happens in certain films where the ominous photography and lighting work steal the attention from the story (not necessarily a bad thing per se, but I find that this is more appropriate for a music video or a short experimental film).
A vampire flick that was actually shot in Romania is not something that we get very frequently and one of the main reasons why people are delighted with "Subspecies" and its following sequels.
With the quietness, the beautiful eerie atmosphere, the gloomy ruins, the gorgeous forsaken landscapes, the majestic castles (yes, real castles!) and the local actors speaking in their actual native Romanian from time to time, Ted Nicolau manages to make us feel like we are visiting Romania with the three girls.
Here, the vampires are nasty little creatures that kill because they need the blood and decide to make a deal with the mortals, choosing pragmatism over an unnecessary war, which makes Radu and his evil nature stand out from the rest of his kind.
The subspecies creatures, which originate from Radu's blood, were done with CGI, which looks incredibly fake and cheap, like it belongs in a bad video game.
Radu's gigantic claw-like hands are simply too distracting, not only because of their size, but also because of the artificial look (in one scene, one of the fake hands even sort of falls off).Leaving aside my few complaints with it, and, less than perfect as it is, "Subspecies" is a very fun movie and I honestly didn't think I was going to enjoy it so much, but I think it's safe to say that it managed to claw its way into my all time favorites.
The other real issue is the low-budget feel that doesn't really let this one get any kind of really intense feel with its overall appearance since there's not a whole lot of blood and gore and the make-up effects are inconsistent which drags the look of the film down somewhat.
However, even in a sea of so many vampire flicks, Full Moon Entertainment's 1991 "Subspecies" manages to stick out, largely due to one reason: This is the film that introduced us to the character of evil vampire Radu!
The movie opens with Radu (Anders Hove) coming back to his native Romania to confront his father, Vampire King Vladislav (the late, great Angus Scrimm) for banishing him from inheriting the throne and the all powerful bloodstone, a stone that holds the blood of all the saints and which allows vampires the ability to survive without feeding on humans.
Soon enough, they discover another stranger is in their midst, the mysterious Stefan (Michael Watson) who just happens to be the good vampire brother of Radu, and who takes an instant liking to Michelle and she to him.
But above all, what makes "Subspecies" as good as it is would be the terrific performance of Anders Hove as Radu.
With his crackling voice, creepy demeanor, and evil zeal, Hove makes Radu the center point of the whole Subspecies series, despite the fact that the original intention was to make Stefan's and Michelle's love story the main focus.
The acting in the movie was quite good and the special effects impressive; especially given the film's meager budget.
A few years ago, while I was renting some movies, I came across Subspecies 4, ended up watching it and actually kind of liking it, we need a good vampire gore flick that doesn't hold back.
I think because this was the type of horror film I have been looking for, I've been looking for a good cheesy scare for a long time and Subspecies filled that spot.
Evil vampire Radu (Anders Hove) duels it out with his good brother after he befriends some women that his evil brother takes a liking to and over control of a bloodstone Radu killed to gain control of from  King Vladislav (Angus Scrimm), who just happened to be their father.
Film has some interesting ideas, good effects, and atmospheric feel, but terrible acting and some rather obvious flaws.
I watched the original Subspecies movie last night and something evoked the need to comment on this film.
The bloodstone is a holy grail of sorts for Vampires and it bleeds the blood of saints, which give the vampire who drinks it an ultimate High.The fight for the Bloodstone takes an unexpected turn when 3 College Students turn up in the Brothers' territory on a school trip and Stefan has to protect them from his brothers Lusts.Like, I said, I went into this film not expecting much at all but it was one of the best low budget movies I have ever seen.
The sets and locations (Romania I think, been a while since I've seen it) are very nice and the music score did the film justice.Most of the acting was adequate, but its Anders Hove as the evil radu that steals the movie (and all the subsequent Sequels).
Another scene in the script, that can be confirmed from the original trailer shows Stefan drinking blood from a wolf, or actually in the trailer you see him coming up with blood on his chin.This movie gets a 9 because it's one from my childhood and I have fond memories attached to the characters; even though my favorite characters were Stefan and Michelle I think Anders Hove's Radu is pure feeling-evocative acting, so much feeling in his work there..
His firstborn son Radu (Anders Hove) comes in, confronts him and kills him.Three college students, Michelle (Laura Tate), Lillian (Michelle McBride), and their foreign exchange student friend Mara (Irina Movila) travel to Transylvania to study the local folklore and, by chance, run into the ancient evil vampire Radu Vladislas.Definitely recommended for people who love vampires and B-movies.
This 1991 horror film stars Anders Hove, Laura Tate, Michael Watson and Angus Scrimm.
I recommend this good vampire/horror flick..
The usual suspects, but, while this fails as a horror film to be scary, at least it passes the time in a dumb but enjoyable way.Anders Hove plays the lead vampire and is clad in Nosferatu-inspired makeup, complete with deathly pale face and incredibly long fingers.
There they rent rooms in a hotel & become curious about the mysterious ruins of a nearby castle, it turns out that a powerful & evil Vampire named Radu (Anders Hove) lives there who has stolen the Bloodstone from his father King Vladislav (Angus Scrimm).
Michele & Stefan decide to team up & rid the world of the evil Radu...Directed by Ted Nicolaou this film seems to be quite highly regarded amongst genre fans & while it's not terrible I certainly wouldn't call it very good & I could't really see anything much to get excited about.
Subspecies is a rather slow going film, not that much actually happens & while it does try to stay close to certain classic Vampire lore there's all this nonsense about a Bloodstone & some little monsters that grow from the tips of Radu's severed fingers for some reason.
There's a little bit of style here on occasion with a few scene reminding heavily of the original Nosferatu (1922) in particular the bit showing Radu's shadow coming down the stair with his long claw like fingernails standing out.Subspecies is a film that many seem to like for reasons I don't quite see, I thought it was throughly average at best & overall rather dull.