Through the decades, popular culture has taken on a fascination with the ideas of vampires. Often romanticized and associated with something erotic, vampires have been depicted in literature and, of course, cinema.
One of the oldest stories told throughout history, we have seen the vampire depicted in different ways, whether it be the ruthless Count Orlok from 1922’s Nosferatu or the romantic interpretation of Dracula in the 1931 film of the same title. Fast forward some years, in 1994 Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, there is more of a tormented, lonely look at vampires, which, again, arouses the senses of many. Then you have the very modern, glossy take on the vampire in The Twilight Saga, appealing to an entirely new generation. However, among all the vampire films to ever be released, there are some very unique ones that simply cannot be ignored.
Among these, you have Kathryn Bigelow’s 1987 film Near Dark, which takes an entirely different approach to the concept; Joel Schumacher’s The Lost Boys, also from 1987, where there is an entirely new cool spin on everything, but also a film from 1995 called The Addiction which lurks in the shadows. Directed by Abel Ferrara, who made a mark with films like 1990’s King of New York and 1992’s Bad Lieutenant, with The Addiction, the filmmaker takes the lure of vampires and turns it inside out.
Explaining this further, Ferrara’s take on the subject manner is far darker, less fantasy-based, and heavily saturated in social messaging. In short, Ferrara’s The Addiction takes you into the modern urban setting of New York City, where a graduate student named Kathleen Conklin (portrayed by the award-winning Lili Taylor) is attacked one evening by a woman in a dark alley. This attack leads Conklin to become even more introverted than she already is, and she quickly develops a lust for blood that cannot be controlled.
Some may say this is a metaphor for drug addiction, and it certainly is true, although perhaps the deepest meaning of The Addiction overlooked is that the vampire (the addict) character is inherently miserable. With a hopeless view of the world and everything around them, they are lost of any true emotion, are indifferent to suffering, but in fact want to inflict their suffering on everyone else. They say misery loves company, and in The Addiction, it seems that is very much the case.
It is a very dark film, and there is an overwhelming sense of doom at every turn that suffocates any sense of light-hearted entertainment value, intent on a much deeper meaning. What is that meaning? Beyond everything explained, one can suppose it is up to the viewer. With this in mind, those who enjoy vampire-related stories should be forewarned going into The Addiction that there is little to no romantic quality to this story. Some may even argue the mood of the film is a bit pretentious, but then again, perhaps that dramatization is what Ferrara was going for.
Altogether, with Lili Taylor leading the way, you also have a list of talented cast members popping up everywhere, from Edie Falco portraying Conklin’s friend Jean and Christopher Walken as Peina, the vampire with self-control to Onyx’s Fredro Starr and Kathryn Erbe as two of Conklin’s victims. Match this with the decision to shoot the film in black-and-white, make The Addiction something those interested in vampires should watch at least once in their lives.
Having an extremely limited theatrical run back in 1995, it did make it to VHS in 1998, DVD in the early 2000s, and Blu-ray back in 2018 with a 4K Ultra HD transfer. Now, in 2024, we have the first ever 4K Ultra HD disc release of The Addiction. Put out on December 10, 2024, as a Limited Edition single disc set from Arrow Video, it not only includes the 4K Ultra HD edition but modern interviews from 2018 with the likes of Abel Ferrara, Lili Taylor, and Christopher Walken. Features that were also part of the 2018 Blu-Ray release: with this new 2024 edition, you also get a reversible sleeve with original and new artwork, but also an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Critic Michael Ewins, plus an archival interview with Ferrara by Paul Duane.
So, is The Addiction one of the best vampire films ever made? No, but it is debatably one of the most unique. Engulfing you with an overwhelming sense of dread but provoking you to think, Cryptic Rock gives The Addiction and this stellar new 4K Limited Edition release 4 out of 5 stars.
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