Pulpmovies Reviews

From 1976 to the end of the 1980s, Don Dohler wrote, directed and produced several science fiction and horror films. To say that the budgets for these films were low would be a bit of an understatement. Don Dohler was effectively making direct to video films before there was a video to go direct to.

But these films, such as The Alien Factor, Fiend and The Galaxy Invader had a real heart and, if nothing else, reflected Dohler’s real passion not just for genre cinema but also the process of making films. These weren’t the greatest films ever made but Dohler did manage to secure an international distribution for every one of them and built quite a loyal following of fans who recognised and enjoyed these films for what they were.

In 1988 Dohler decided he’d had enough and didn’t make another film for eleven years. He returned in 1999 with Alien Factor 2: The Alien Rampage, during the shooting of which he met Joe Ripple. The two men began to collaborate with Ripple taking on the directing duties, allowing Dohler to concentrate on cinematography and editing.

However, the world had moved on during Dohler’s hiatus and, with direct to video films coming to dominate the independent landscape, he found himself having to include more exploitative elements in order to secure the distribution deals he needed. All of which brings us to Vampire Sisters.

This is the story (a term I use very loosely here) of three lesbian vampires (Darla Albornoz, Jeannie Michelle Jameson and Syn DeVil) who – taking advantage of the internet – have set up a porn website to lure unsuspecting schmucks to their lair. Again, and again and again.

To be fair, there are some good ideas in this film and a couple of scenes that are genuinely painful to watch. But the whole thing is dragged down by the sheer repetitiveness of the titillation followed by violent death – endlessly repeated – structure of the film.

If, from the above couple of paragraphs, you have the impression that this film is entirely plot-free you’d be right. Almost.

There is a rather desultory attempt to give us the semblance of a plot in the form of a couple of vice cops (Mark C. Lassise and Leanna Chamish) who notice that the website is offering special favours to local men and decide to keep an eye on it. Eventually they cotton on to the fact that lots of people are going missing and they all have the girls’ website bookmarked. So they decide that they should… go undercover.

And there really is a lot less here than implied by the above.

Unambiguously exploitative films can be a huge amount of fun but only when the people making these films have a sense of fun which they can bring to the screen. In the case of Vampire Sisters, the film feels far too much like a by-the-numbers exercise and, even with this much flesh and blood on show, the whole thing very quickly grinds to a creaking halt.

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