Originally titled Crave, Vampire Carnival is exactly that: a carnival of vampires in this smart, erotic horror film directed by David Charbonier and Justin Douglas Powell, starring Jason Isaacs as the leader of a flock preying on unsuspecting patrons.
The film stars Nell Verlaque as Gemma, who is still reeling from her father’s suicide. One night, her friends Olivia (Paulina Chávez) and Ryan (Corrado Martini) convince her to venture out to a local carnival. There, they run into Eric (Kieron Moore), Gemma’s ex-boyfriend, who apologizes for being a lousy partner. Eric is also confronted by Ryan, but he cautions Ryan that he’s not the same person who used to get bullied in high school. However, Eric quickly makes nice and invites the three to his one-man show at the carnival.
At Eric’s show, it’s clear that some of his stunts are more than human; patrons even throw up during the performance. The three friends later end up at another show where they meet Toussaint (Jason Isaacs). During his performance, he also displays supernatural abilities. He then invites Gemma and company to an after-party of sorts. The “party” starts off normally enough with drinks and dancing, but things soon take a dark turn. As the night goes on, Gemma and her friends fall under the spell of the gathering and its hosts. When Gemma meets Sebastian (Alvise Rigo), she begins to learn the truth about this particular carnival and Eric’s association with Toussaint.
Gemma, Eric, Olivia and Ryan stroll through the rain-soaked carnival as a fire dancer performs in Vampire Carnival.
“At Eric’s show, it’s clear that some of his stunts are more than human; patrons even throw up during the performance.”
Vampire Carnival is a great example of what happens when you pair up-and-coming directors with veteran writers, specifically brothers Jason and Peter Filardi, who both created the show Chapelwaite. The Filardi brothers manage to blend familiar vampire mythos and apply it smartly to the film. These traveling vampires aren’t just out to prey on unknowing townsfolk; they abide by a strict code, complete with rules and consequences for those who disobey them.
The initial draw to the film might be Jason Isaacs, because with his talent and screen presence, you can absolutely see him as the head of a vampire clan. However, it’s the actors around him that drive the story. Nell Verlaque could easily be the next Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day 1 and 2); she’s already slated to return in the sequel to Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving. I was also drawn to the film to watch Paulina Chávez, who didn’t disappoint. I’d only known her supporting work on the television series Landman, so it was refreshing to see her in a different genre, and her character gets a great arc as well. Kieron Moore and Alvise Rigo give noteworthy performances as the other vampires who really turn Gemma’s world upside down.
I wanted a good new Halloween movie to enjoy, and I definitely found it with this one.
"…a carnival of vampires in this smart, erotic horror film..."
