Themes: Obsessive Quests, Dangerous Attraction, Woman In Jeopardy
Main Cast: Eddie Murphy, Angela Bassett, Allen Payne, Kadeem Hardison, John Witherspoon
Release Year: 1995
Country: US
Run Time: 101 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Comedian Eddie Murphy tried something different with this 1995 film that he produced and co-wrote, enlisting veteran horror director Wes Craven to give the story some chills. The uneven comedy-horror tale features Murphy as a vampire named Maximillian who arrives in Brooklyn on a ship full of people who have been brutally murdered. One of the corpses on board closely resembles that of Rita (Angela Bassett), one of the detectives assigned to the case. Maximillian targets Rita, hoping to get a dance with her that will bring her under his control. He enlists the help of a worker named Julius (Kadeem Hardison), biting his neck and turning him into a slowly decaying ghoul. Also seeking to romance Rita, though in a less sinister way, is her longtime detective partner Justice (Allen Payne). Maximillian uses his supernatural powers to interfere with the budding romance. Murphy also plays a preacher and an Italian gangster in this bizarre film. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
Zakes Mokae - Dr. Zeko; Joanna Cassidy - Dewey; Ray Combs - Game Show Host; Nick Corri - Anthony; Joe Costanza - Bear; Nick de Mauro - Caprisi; Michael Hyde - Singer; John LaMotta - Lizzy; Mitch Pileggi; Vickilyn Reynolds - Mrs. Brown; Oren Waters - Singer; Jerry Hall - Woman in Park; Troy Curvey, Jr. - Choir Leader; Josef Powell - Singer; Simbi Khali - Nikki; W. Earl Brown - Thrasher
Credit
Cynthia Kay Charette - Art Director, Gary Diamond - Art Director, Jeffrey Fenner - Associate Producer, Eileen Mack Knight - Casting, Ray Murphy Jr. - Co-producer, Ha Nguyen - Costume Designer, Nicholas C. Mastandrea - First Assistant Director, Wes Craven - Director, Patrick Lussier - Editor, J. Peter Robinson - Composer (Music Score), Berger EFX Group - Makeup, Kurtzman - Makeup, Nicotero - Makeup, Mark Irwin - Cinematographer, Eddie Murphy - Producer, Stuart M. Besser - Producer, Mark Lipsky - Producer, Marianne Maddalena - Producer, Robert Kensinger - Set Designer, Gene Warren - Special Effects, Fantasy II - Special Effects, Jim Stuebe - Sound/Sound Designer, Alan Oliney - Stunts, Charlie Picerni - Stunts, Charlie Murphy - Screenwriter, Michael Lucker - Screenwriter, Chris Parker - Screenwriter
