Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1990)

Director:

Anthony Hickox

Writers:

John Burgess (story) and
Anthony Hickox (writer)

Release Date:

2 November 1991 (Japan)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Western

Tagline:

There's two kinds of folks in Purgatory. Vampires and lunch.

Plot:

Reclusive vampires lounge in a lonely American town. They wear sun cream to protect themselves. A descendant...

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Van Helsing | Cult Movie Cast | Vampire vs Vampire | Campy

Cast

David Carradine	...	Jozek Mardulak / Count Dracula
Morgan Brittany	...	Sarah Harrison
Bruce Campbell	...	Robert Van Helsing
Jim Metzler	...	David Harrison
Maxwell Caulfield	...	Shane
Deborah Foreman	...	Sandy White
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Mort Bisby
John Ireland	...	Ethan Jefferson
Dana Ashbrook	...	Jack
John Hancock	...	Quinton Canada
Marion Eaton	...	Anna Trotsberg
Dabbs Greer	...	Otto Trotsberg
Bert Remsen	...	Milt Bisby
Sunshine Parker	...	Merle Bisby
Helena Carroll	...	Madge

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, USA

Company:

Vestron Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first bat scene it is mentioned that when in bat form vampires are nude, and this is verified in the following scene where Shane attempts to rape Sarah. However, this is ignored for the remainder of the film, with vampires switching forms while remaining fully clothed regularly.

Quotes:

[after spending a night in jail, she wakes up and discovers she's become a vampire]
Madge: What am I gonna tell my mother?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bordello of Blood (1996)

Soundtrack:

EARTH ANGEL (WILL YOU BE MINE)

Harmonious combination of classic genres

This was a pleasant surprise - a charming vampire western that respects the genres (Western fans will love the classic John Ford-esque setting and epic soundtrack!) while maintaining both an action plotline and likeable, understandable characters. Bruce Campbell is hilarious as an over-the-top Van Helsing descendant (who goes thru a most unexpected change!), John Ireland is impressive as the rebel vampire leader and David Carradine is strong and dignified as the Count who keeps an ancient secret identity. Lots of human warmth and sympathy (Carradine's townful of Western vampires, drinking a synthetic blood substitute, yearns to be free of human predation and to someday live on equal terms with mankind) distinguishes this from many other modern vampire flicks; the Count's reaction upon feeling forgiven by God is genuinely moving. Even your non-horror-fan friends will like this one.