THIRST

***

Directed by Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson & Gaukur Úlfarsson.

Starring Hjörtur Sævar Steinason, Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir, Jens Jensson.

Comedy, Iceland, 90 Minutes.

Released in the UK On Digital by Peccadillo Pictures on 22nd June.

In the overcrowded field that is low-budget vampire cinema, this Icelandic set feature, led by an elderly gay vampire whose signature move is to rip off his victims private parts certainly stands out more than most. It is a move, often repeated, that lets you know that despite the sexuality of its main character this is not some soul searching horror/character study looking at the loneliness of an immortal supernatural creature through a queer lens. Instead you are treated to a very silly horror comedy packed with an overstuffed plot full of wacky characters, highlighted by its neon colour palette and a pleasing reliance on old-school, practical gore effects.

Hjörtur Sævar Steinason plays Hjörtur, the aged lonely vampire who refuses to hurt women, instead choosing to befriend struggling addict Hulda, after she tries to intervene and save him from being attacked by two thugs. Not that Hjörtur needs much saving in such a situation. Nevertheless, the two mismatched souls bond, with Hulda struggling to come to terms with her brother's mysterious death. While this connection is being forged, suspicious policeman Jens starts to follow Hulda while his own wife, head of a purple tracksuit wearing cult who fight the forces of darkness, keeps popping up on TV to warn everyone of a great darkness that will soon threaten everyone.

Ending at a shade before eighty minutes before the end credits start running, this is a swift and slight exercise in daftness that refuses to take itself seriously at every turn. While the low budget shows itself in a number of ways; mainly a small number of locations that keep showing up every couple of minutes and some performances that err on the side of amateur dramatics, Reykjavik style. All of this is coloured in with a palette of neon reds and greens complimented by a well used smoke machine. Directors Hróar Steinþórsson and Gaukur Úlfarsson seemed to have wisely kept the majority of their budget for the gore effects in all their latex and fake blood glory, completely forgoing, for the most part, CGI.

As overstuffed as the plot is with its overpopulated cast, the film feels underwritten. And while a case for being lost in translation could be made for most of the scenes and characters that try to be funny, the execution and style is sorely lacking. While not entirely successful, there is just about enough blood drenched daftness going on in here to warrant that this is a fun enough exercise in stretching the vampire genre to its ridiculous limits. If anything, it would make a nice counterpoint to the ultra serious likes of NOSFERATU and INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE if you were looking to make an interesting double bill for the night.

Iain MacLeod