BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
US, 1992, 81 minutes, Colour.
Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens, Rutger Hauer, Luke Perry, Hilary Swank, David Arquette.
Directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui.
Buffy, The Vampire Slayer is an amusing spoof on Vampire movies, a touch in the vein of The Flying High, Naked Gun series with touches of Bill and Ted And Wayne's World. Kirstie Swenson is the All American, all Californian Buffy who is to be the chosen one to combat the medieval vampire from the dark ages (in contrast to the lite ages in California). Her boyfriend is heart throb Luke Perry from the popular television series Beverly Hills 90210. However, there are some veterans in the cast including Donald Sutherland as the ageless man with a mission to find the chosen one to combat the vampire. The vampire turns out to be Rutger Hauer, seeming somewhat uncomfortable in this kind of film. However, his vampire assistant steals the show and is played by Paul Rubens unrecognizable from his character-caricature Pee Wee Herman. The film takes on the perennial themes of vampires, but the theme was particularly popular in 1992-93, culminating in the realise of Frances Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula.
1. Entertaining and amusing spoof?
2. The popularity of vampires stories, the tradition of vampire films? Conventions of plot, character? Visuals? The popularity of the theme in the 90s?
3. The California college world, the variation on Wayne's World? the world of the young, the contrast with the medieval world? The darkened lite ages? The action sequences and stunts, comedy? The musical score?
4. The title and audience expectations? The Bill and Ted/Wayne's World verbal and visual?
5. Buffy and her friends, airheads, their way of life, cheerleader practice, studies, clothes and shopping, friends? The vacuous verbal humour? Buffy and her athletic prowess?
6. The background of the medieval vampires, the presentation of the vampires and their living through the ages, the serious Donal Sutherland as Meric, his role in the past, coming to California, his appearance, clothes? The confrontations with Buffy and her disregarding him? His message about the chosen one?
7. The visualising of the vampires, their pursuit, arriving in California in the 20th century? Grave yards, castles, vaults? The grave yard fights? The resistance? The confrontation with Benny and his being transformed? The humour and the stunt work for appearances? the change, the dance? Meric and his training of Buffy, the confrontation and his death? Buffy and her disbelief, being persuaded, the training, encountering Pike, attracted to him, his help? The training sequences, the dance sequence? The confrontation with Lothos, the fight and his death? The dance confrontation and winning?
8. Buffy's friends, character and caricatures, talk and chatter, dance, boys?
9. Pike and Benny, stoned, out of work? Benny and the transformation, his return, trying to transform Pike? Pike and his encounters with Buffy, attraction, help, her mission, falling in love, the dance, his contribution, the destruction of the vampires?
10. Amilyn and his appearance, assisting Lothos, the range of vampires, their behaviour, the covenant, his confrontation and death?
11. Lothos as the king, regal, sinister, dapper, attracted to women, embodying the traditional characteristics of Dracula? The confrontation with Buffy?
12. A flip and amusing spoof comedy in the tone of the 1990s?
