In 1998, vampire fans got something they may not have been looking for, but definitely deserved: the end-all be-all of bad-ass vampire slayer films. Some may argue that Blade should hold this title, but one need only see James Woods in his award-winning role as Jack Crow to know that there's a big difference between being "cool," and being truly bad-ass.
Action, Simplicity, and Special Effects in John Carpenter's Vampires - AKA "The Good"
First and foremost, this film is an action-horror film. Jack Crow was raised by the Catholic church to be their head slayer, and he's good at his job. So good, in fact, that the Church doesn't mind that after a successful day of slaying he buys out a liquor store and get every hooker in town to come and party at the motel with him and his rowdy crew of slayers. The book attributes this to a "if every day is probably your last, wouldn't you party too?" sort of mentality, but the movie simply lays it out that these are hard-partying, hard-killing sort of guys.
In the book ("Vampire$" by John Steakley), the crew is simply out to kill vampires, and run into a rather powerful and crafty vamp. In the film, however, the creators opted for the simple "vampire who wants to walk in daylight" route, and pitted Team Crow against the original vampire, a former priest who had gone rogue and had been punished by what accidentally became a "reverse exorcism" (dead body, posessed soul = vampire). After the team is massacred, only Jack, his partner Montoya (played by Daniel Baldwin), and a young priest named Father Adam are left to stop the vampire and his clan of "masters" before he becomes unstoppable.
A simple plot, lots of bullets and crossbow bolts flying around, and cool special effects (including makeup effects by gore-masters KNB) combine to make a great film.
The simplicity does not only reside in the plot, but in the slaying. Unlike other "slayer" films like Blade or Van Helsing,the team in John Carpenter's Vampires using regular technology and muscle to get the job done. Instead of air-powered super-silver crossbows and magical lazer-creating weapons, the team shoots through a vampire with a metal crossbow bolt attached to a cable and, using the winch on the front of their truck, drag the vampire out into the sunlight where it promptly burns to ash.
Vampire Cliche in John Carpenter's Vampires with James Woods - AKA "The Bad"
If there's anything than can be said against Vampires, its that it might be a little too simple when it comes to its approach of vampires. The stereotypical and seemingly obligatory "forget everything you've seen in the movies" speech is made, and the vampires are almost all dressed in black formal wear. But once the point gets across that this film is made to be the quintessential slayer film (and especially once its compared to the gaudy armored design of the head vampire in Blade Trinity), it becomes a non-issue, and all that matters is seeing James Woods get good and pissed and drive a stake into their fashion-starved hearts.
Honestly, the worst thing about this film is the terrible sequel starring John Bon Jovi. Skip that.
The Last Word on John Carpenter's Vampires
It's directed by John Carpenter, who's track record includes films like Escape From New York. Take a look at Snake Plissken. Then imagine him with two eyes, a steak in one hand, a gun in the other, and a vampire in front of him. That's John Carpenter's Vampires.
