Cinematic Titanic: Blood of the Vampires

Movie: (1966, aka Whisper to the Wind) A Filipino production about a nineteenth-century Mexican family cursed by a vampire mother who is kept chained in the basement.  While the son and daughter are about to get married (to another brother and sister) the father tries to end their legacy.  The son takes things into his own hands and disaster ensues.

First released: 03/19/2009 (DVD, download)

Premise:  This is the last episode using the original shadow-rama like format.  Although originally stating that studio versions would return, later statements indicated that the cast had abandoned the idea entirely.

Opening:  Todd from The Institute tells the riffers about a data spill in the Coppola sector.  “What, you have good movies here too?”

Skit: Josh hands around some drinks; Frank takes one and gets a call from his sponsor.  We learn that Frank has been sober for 22 years, and that he has the CT theme as his ringtone.

End: Everyone wanders off.

Extra: No extras.

Availability: on Hulu and Amazon Instant.  The DVD does not seem to still be available. (nb: the Hulu version has at least 8 commercial interruptions.)

Reminds me of:  A telenovela version of Manos.

Joel’s Take:  here.

Stray observations:

I saw this at my only Cinematic Titanic Live show, in Cleveland in February 2009.  It was indeed a fun time. 

The movie is a bit of a downer, and has a de-centered feeling that no-one is really the main (sympathetic) character here, and several of the actors and actresses look alike.  Still, no real gore to speak of, and the movie is actually kind of well-done all things considered.

The strangest thing about the movie is the use of actors in blackface.  It is really distracting, and serves as the basis for much riffing.  One wonders why it was so important to have the servant  characters be black in the first place.

Cast and crew roundup:  Most went on to long careers in the Philippines.

Credits watch:  Final count for studio version:  30 named people working on the production, including Todd Carlin as ‘Todd’.

Callback: Joel’s “I do believe in spooks!”, also “Hat from the Torgo collection.”

Gore count: nothing really.

Fave riff:  “Foley guy must be from Holland.”  Honorable mention: “They’re only showing silhouettes of the performers!  That’s lame.”  Poorly timed honorable mention: “My Joan Rivers jewelry is really having an impact on my life!”  Ironic honorable mention: “Oh, I hear it’s on Hulu now.”

Next week:  Good question!  Working from the list onWikipedia, I’m going to go back and watch Rifftrax take on the TV episode Incredible Hulk: The Final Round!