The Hunger

Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon (seated) in "The Hunger"

    In celebration of Halloween, and for those of us 1/4 hispanic, the Day of the Dead, I decided to review a horror movie. Too bad I did not decide to review a good one. "The Hunger" is an extremely dated, extremely slow moving 1983 vampire film, notable perhaps for a single characteristic. Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon's lesbianic tryst 3/4 of the way through the film.

    The premise itself is not without promise. David Bowie's character John is a vampire somehow afflicted with Progeria. A disease usually striking children, that accelerates the aging process. An innovative malady for the undead. However, there is never adequate exposition as to why he is stricken with this disease, nor why any of his lover's former flames have met the same fate. We simply know they just have. So, the couple seek out Sarah Roberts (Sarandon) a doctor who does studies on the aging process and in particular progeria. Sarah is unable to help John in time and he withers away, depressing he vampiric lady love. So, she seduces Sarah in a scene quite daring for 1983, and brings her into the fold as a vampire. The rest is very old, tired "But I don't want to be a vampire, I won't feed on humans" stuff. It ends, mercifully after 96 minutes.

    All in all, a vampire film without much vampire action. But certainly more teeth than "Twilight", any day. 4/10