Rating: R
Genre:
Thriller
Release Date: 10/30/2001
Dubbed: English
Run Time: 90 Minutes
Distributor/Studio: Shriek Show
This low-budget but slickly produced Canadian
horror project is an engrossing, heady blend of steamy
romance and jugular-gushing vampire mayhem.
Silvio Oliviero stars in the quirky role of nocturnal New York cabbie
Stephen -- who just happens to be a 350-year-old vampire. Into his clutches falls lovely music-video director
Michelle (
Helen Papas), a terminally ill woman seeking a passionate one-night stand. Her condition undergoes a remarkable change after
Stephen puts the bite on her, claiming her as his undead bride -- much to the chagrin of her jealous husband, who sets out to destroy her immortal lover. Director
Gerard Ciccoritti employs modern-day vampire conventions (particularly some startling gore effects) with pleasing results, but it's the film's well-rounded characters who set it apart from the standard direct-to-video
exploitation fare. Unfortunately, too heavy a reliance on trite
MTV-style window dressing prevents this from achieving true cult-classic status.
Graveyard Shift was followed by a sequel titled
Understudy: Graveyard Shift 2.
~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
;)
