Year: 2014
Country: New Zealand
Subgenre: Vampires (& Monster Mash)
Runtime: 86 minutes
Directors: Taika Waititi & Jemaine Clement
Ever since the mockementary was invented, it was only a matter of time before someone got the idea of making one in the style of a horror spoof. There have been a handful since the 1980's here and there, but I don't think any of them can hold a candle to What We Do In The Shadows. Both co-directed and co-written by Waititi & Clement about a group of vampires who are flat mates in Wellington, New Zealand. The film is based on the 2005 short film What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires that the two also wrote, directed & executive produced together. That film (although absolutely hilarious) pales in comparison to this well fleshed out feature! Here the cast is expanded and the characters are better drawn (Waititi is the only one to keep his original character of Viago; Clement's original Vulvus the Abhorrent turns into Vladislav the Poker 😆). The film was reportedly a hell of a project, with some 125 hours of mostly improvised footage shot, with the three editors having the monumental task of getting down to around one and one-half hours!! It's first rate comedy, very Kiwi and, believer it or not, holds up very well to repeat viewings. The film gave rise to an equally hilarious comedy series of the same name set on Staten Island, New York. It's an FX series here in the United States, and I have run into several people who were completely unaware that the series was based on a movie (despite that two of these characters cameo as members of the "Vampire Counsel" in the first season). If you haven't seen this, even if you know the series, by all means, give it watch. You will have to pick yourself up off the floor from laughter!
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