Eclectic
DVD | Review by John Weber
Phil
Caracus as... Jesus Christ.
Now how can you dislike a
movie whose credits start off like that?
Lord, not me! JESUS CHRIST VAMPIRE HUNTER
has a few boring stretches, scenes that
go on just a bit too long, as well as a
few that just don't work. But its outrageousness
leads to quite a few laugh-out-loud moments.
How the heck do I describe
the premise? OK, there's a shortage of lesbians
in Ottawa, blamed on the sudden outbreak
of female vampires who can now withstand
the sun's rays. Two priests (one of them
a walking sight gag) team up to go find
Jesus Christ. Yes, he's back, with little
fanfare and publicity, baptizing folks down
at the river. After a comic battle with
a few of these daylight vampires, the priests
are kaput, and Jesus is a-goin' vampire
hunting. Later, a certain well-known Mexican
movie hero/wrestler (here called "Santos")
flies in from south of the border to give
the Son of God a helping hand (!).
Every battle in this extremely
low-budget Canadian film, including a hilarious
scene where Jesus fights what seems to be
a few hundred atheists, is done in the fashion
of a 70s Kung Fu movie. In fact, every speaking
part in JCVH seems to have been redubbed
later, and not all that well, to great comic
effect. Yes, it's amateurish in many spots,
but the sheer audacity of the bits will
strike you as quite funny. It did for me,
anyway. For instance, the Godspell-like
musical number that breaks out on the streets
of Ottawa. Or the restaurant scene where
Dad pops up to talk to his son – in
a dessert!
Director Lee Demarbre may
have a future planting his tongue firmly
in cheek if he gets a few more dollars to
spend. Phil Caracus plays J.C. sorta like
Robert Hays in AIRPLANE! – the heroic
male lead who is just a tad clueless
here and there.
JESUS CHRIST VAMPIRE HUNTER
has its flaws – but its uniqueness
and likeability makes it well worth a look.
Just don't recommend it to your local parish
priest.
