From the mid-1990s Vampires and Other Stereotypes is a SOV film- which is best described as low-budget Men In Black meets Evil Dead 2, with slight twists of the first Phantasm. Largely set in a few storage rooms- the film features some neat, at points fairly clever effects set-up, wacky not quite sure what will happen next logic and a fair bit of entertainment. From Visual Vengeance is a Blu-Ray release of the film- taking in a new scan of the film, and over seven hour’s worth of extras.

Vampires and Other Stereotypes (aka Hell's Belles) is from the year 1994. It’s the first film from writer & director Kevin J. Lindenmuth. And I’d say it sits in the mid-range of the SOV budgetary/ skill level- with competent direction, more than a few cast members, and impressive enough effects/ execution.   

Lindenmuth has eight feature lengths to his name, as well as quite a few horror anthology entries. His features go from serial killer-meets vampire film Addicted To Blood (1995). Onto the lycanthrope-themed horror of Blood of the Werewolf (2001), though to horror film doc The Life of Death (2015).

The film kicks off in a rather neo-noir manner- as in black & white stock we see Ivan (Bill White) awaking in the bed of his palm-reading girlfriend. It’s late at night, and he’s got to meet up with his partner Harry (Ed Hubbard)- as they have ‘business’ to sort out. We switch into colour, and shots of New York City traffic. The pair break into a large storage unit- where a balding man is hung above a pit about to be cut- they gun down the hooded figure- who turns into a demon-faced creature as it dies. 

We next switch to an apartment where three twenty-something women are getting ready for a night out on the town & a secret rave/ party. A knock comes at the door, with the mulleted & leather-jacketed Erik(Mick McCleery) shortly leading them down a dark alley. They land up at the same storage room- one of the women gets a nail through her hand, and we find out that the group including Harry, Ivan & the balding man have been sent to hell.

From here we get flaying arms & demented faces trying to get into the rooms the group is hiding in. We have a wall full of severed & ranting heads, a mischievous severed hand, a giant hairless rat, humans turning into horned demons, doorways into hell/other dimensions, and Jim Morrison & Elvis having a chat. There is a feeling of both unpredictability and invention about the film, and while at points it pushes against its small budget- it largely manages to carry it all off.

The acting- as you might expect with a SOV- is decidedly mixed. I’d say the best here is Hubbard as the deadpan low-budget man-in-black, coming off like a bulky & New York-talking Lance Henriksen. White is passable as his trying-to-be a nice/ good guy partner. And the rest of the cast is largely underwhelming- save a few moments of hamming it up, and unintentionally amusing delivery/ lines.

Vampires and Other Stereotypes is an impressive enough opening shot from Mr Lindenmuth - with competent enough filmmaking on display, some neat enough effects, and a keen feeling of surprise & invention throughout its one hour and twenty-seven-minute runtime.

As we come to expect with a Visual Vengeance release, we get a great selection of (largely) new extras. There are three separate commentary tracks- one with Director Kevin Lindenmuth, one with Actor Mick McCleery and Director Kevin Lindenmuth, and one with Tony Strauss of Weng’s Chop Magazine. I played the first of these, and it’s an interesting enough director track.  He starts off by discussing how he did the blood-dripping credits. We find out the film was shot in both New York & New Jersey in June 1991. He points out actors as they appear- mentioning other work they had done, for example, one of the film actresses went to do a pregnancy test ad that landed up appearing in NYC subway. We find out a fair bit of the film was shot in the evening- after he finished his day job in a production company in the city. We find out they only did around three takes for each scene, and that a small onset fire occurred.  He says this is the most talkie of his films. Later on, he discusses how the wall of heads effect was done. We find out it was a hot shoot- with the actors having to wear the same clothes throughout.

Otherwise, we get the following big selection of newly filmed interviews. Director Kevin Lindenmuth (25.22) Actress Laura McLauchlin( 3.20) Actor Mick McCleery(9.56) Actress Suzanne Turner(3.01) Actress Sally Narkis(7.18) Makeup Effects Artist Ralis Kahn(17.36) Special Effects Artist Scott Slige(7.23) Photographer Sung Pak(9.09) Publicist Joe Mauceri(23.46).

On the archive side selection of Super Eight films from the director from between 1981- 1984 (26.26)- with optional director commentary. Behind-the-scenes gallery, original trailer, and Visual Vengeance trailer reel. With the release coming with a slip, six-page liner notes by Tony Strauss of Weng’s Chop Magazine, ‘Stick your own’ VHS sticker set collectable Folded mini-poster.

Vampires and Other Stereotypes is an enjoyable & often unpredictable slice of low-budget 90’s horror & sci-fi. With this Visual Vengeance Blu Ray- severing up a bulging/most worthy selection of extras.