Inspired by ‘60s soap opera “Dark Shadows” and George A. Romero’s underrated thriller “Martin,” producer/director J.R. Bookwalter (“The Dead Next Door”) ushered shot-on-video features into the mainstream with his 1991 horror-drama “Kingdom of the Vampire.” The gloomy tale was far from a financial or critical smash, but paved the way for a tsunami of weird, wild camcorder movies throughout the ‘90s, decades before Hollywood abandoned film for digital cinema.
Jeff works the night shift at a small town liquor store, his only escape from a terrible secret back home. His mother is a vampire who feeds on neighborhood children to quench a centuries-old bloodthirsty rage. When an attractive young woman named Nina takes an interest in Jeff, mother has other plans...
Painstakingly restored from original Super-VHS-C camera masters with a dynamic new 5.1 surround remix, shot-on-video pioneer “Kingdom of the Vampire” sinks its teeth into Blu-ray together with never-before-seen bonus materials from the Tempe vaults, three audio commentaries, and original 1991 home video presentation captured from the archival edit master.
BLU-RAY MOD SPECIAL FEATURES:
- 2020 Restored Feature in 4:3 Original Aspect Ratio (1.33:1)
- DTS HD-MA & Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Remixes
- 2020 Audio Commentary with director J.R. Bookwalter and producer Scott P. Plummer, moderated by Ross Snyder of Saturn’s Core Audio & Video
- 2007 Audio Commentary with producer/director J.R. Bookwalter
- “Fangs for the Memories” featuring archival interviews with director/co-producer J.R. Bookwalter, writer/star Matthew Jason Walsh, co-producer Scott P. Plummer, crew members Susan Rothacker & Joe Contracier, and actors Barbara Katz-Norrod & Thomas Brown (7 mins.)
- Bloopers & Outtakes (25 mins.)
- Deleted Scenes (7 mins.)
- 1991 Original VHS Release Version (70 mins.)
- 2020 Original VHS Version Audio Commentary with Doug Tilley and Moe Porne of The No-Budget Nightmares Podcast
- 2007 Trailer (1 min.)
- Vintage Promo Trailer (3 mins.)
- Optional English Subtitles
- Tempe Digital Trailers
MAKEFLIX EXCLUSIVES:
- Full-Color Insert with Free Vimeo On Demand Streaming Digital Copy
- Sold Separately: Reversible 10" x 13" Mini-Poster with "Zombie Cop" (While Supplies Last)
FAST FACTS:
1991 • Color • 70 mins. • Horror / Drama • Not Rated • Region-Free • NTSC • BD-25 • Manufactured On Demand
