Stakes (USA, 2002) 83 min color DIR: Joe Ripple. SCR-PROD: Don Dohler, Joe Ripple. DOP-EDITOR: Don Dohler. MUSIC: J.Peter Robinson. CAST: Jamie Bell, George Stover, Steven King, Erin J. Corsair, Ashira Zimra, Leanna Chamish, John Michaelson, Syn DeVil. (Timewarp Films)
Stakes has a novel idea about vampires from an alternative Earth who infiltrate our world. Unlike what we’ve seen on the late show, these bloodsuckers can actually survive in daylight, which perhaps enables the filmmakers to shoot at any time of the day. Into this dimension comes Shannon (Ashira Zimra), Dr. Smithers (Steven King) and Father O’Grady (George Stover), among the few remnants of human life on the other world, who come to ensure that this Earth doesn’t get run overrun by vampires. On this planet, they recruit hard-working cop Jake Bishop (Jamie Bell) to help them in their plight to save the Earth.
In addition to the offbeat idea, there is also some interesting casting. George Stover is about the hippest man of the cloth in all of cinema: Father O’Grady wears his cross on his black beret! It’s also fun to see geeky scientist Dr. Smithers (who is played by Steven King, previously seen as geeky assistants or nephews in Dohler’s films) doff the lab coat and turn into a Rambo clone to kick some vampire butt.
The nudity requirement is filled in a ridiculous sex scene among vampires, creatures not known for their activity below the belt. Of course, the most buxom vampire girl (Syn DeVil) performs the carnal activity, as the queen vampire (Leanna Chamish) pleasures herself while watching the others. When the vampires climax, digital red dots appear in their eyes as they bare their teeth to the camera. This silly segment could easily have been left out without any damage to the story.
While it has some unusual ingredients, Stakes basically becomes a long chase, as the vampire hunters look for the queen vamp’s lair, and attempt to save a woman’s daughter who is held hostage by the creatures.
Originally published in Vol. #1, Issue #22, “Cheap Horror Movies …and Why We Love Them”.
Greg Woods
Greg Woods has been a film enthusiast since his teens, and began his writing "career" at the same time- prolific in capsule reviews of everything he had watched, first on index cards, then those hardcover dollar store black journals, then an old Mac IIsi. He founded The Eclectic Screening Room in 2001, as a portal to share his film love with the world, and find some like-minded enthusiasts along the way. In addition to having worked in the film industry for over two decades, he has been a co-programmer of films at Trash Palace, and a programmer/co-founder of the Toronto Film Noir Syndicate. He has also written for Broken Pencil, CU-Confidential, Micro-Film, and is currently working on his first novel. His secret desire is for someone to interview him for a podcast or a DVD extra.