Suck: Vampires Rock

There is one massive fact that nearly put me off watching this movie. I read the credits. The lead character, Joey, is played by Rob Stefaniuk. Stefaniuk is also the name you'll find when looking for director – and writer. A scary combination. Still nothing ventured…

The Winners are a struggling rock band on the road to obscurity. That is, they were, until their female bass player (Jessica Paré) has an encounter with a vampire and gets all undeaded up. Thing is as a bloodsucking fiend she's exactly what the band needed to get noticed. So when they find out about her proclivity for killing people they decide not to stake her but to go for it – and see if they can make the big time.

It's not exactly serious. Not even close. And it's full off rock star cameos – Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Moby, Alex Lifeson and Henry Rollins all making appearances. In other words the film makers have milked the natural association between all things dark and dangerous and rock ‘n' roll and made a comedy horror musical (of sorts, the music is mostly based on the performances of the Winners – none of the ridiculous dancing in the streets or wood yard stuff here).

This light hearted, tongue firmly in cheek, nature also helps save the film from one obvious fact. This is seriously low budget and it doesn't try to hide it. It also benefits from a wonderfully over-the-top camping it up performance from Malcolm McDowell as a Van Helsing-like character.

Glad I overcome my reticence.

Page updated 7 March, 2011