Blu-ray Review: DOCTOR VAMPIRE (1990)

Vampirism does not discriminate. Once bitten you will become a lap dog of Satan, but the Hong Kong horror/comedy Doctor Vampire proves that being in the medical profession has its advantages, which is coming to Blu-ray in the United Kingdom this Monday, February 24^th, from Eureka Entertainment.

While visiting England, a young doctor, Chiang Ta-Tsung, unknowingly enters a vampire den disguised as a brothel inside a centuries-old castle. Seduced by one of the female vampires, Chiang returns home unaware of his gradual transformation and that his seductress has followed him at the behest of her master, who thirsts for his virgin blood.

Doctor Vampire is unique in its energetic attempt to blend European vampire lore with Eastern mysticism, but unlike the Mr. Vampire films, the traditional hopping bloodsuckers are absent with the exception of a brief, cheeky homage. Mostly confined to a hospital setting, Chiang and the bumbling duo of fellow surgeons, Ching and Chan, hilariously try to navigate the affliction, while taking advantage of a blood bank to satisfy their buddy’s needs. Meanwhile, Chiang’s girlfriend, May, and her feisty flatmate, Joy, who are both nurses, suspect perverse shenanigans from the trio. In addition, vampiress Alice, who bit Chiang during his stay in England, begins to fall for her innocent victim, creating an unusual love triangle.

Hitting many of the same beats as most vampire movies, particularly the Western variety, Doctor Vampire has fun with the classic tropes while utilising the wacky nature of Hong Kong’s style of comedy for a well-suited exaggerated reaction from the otherwise grounded medical staff. It’s all in good spirits.

When our six characters unite against the arrival of the English Count, who breaks bombastically from the typical portrayal, the film becomes even more haywire as our heroes resort to bringing in a Taoist priest, who proves ineffective against the opposing vampiric lore. Bowie Lam as our main protagonist, the very naive Chiang, nicely plays it straight against supernatural chaos that unfolds. At the same time, attractive lady-vamp Alice (Ellen Chan) is sympathetic, far from being a devil woman with evil on her mind. However, the film’s MVP is Joy, played by Crystal Kwok, who is probably the most neutral character, but is protective towards her bestie, May.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Limited Edition (2000 copies)
Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Graham Humphreys (2000 copies)
New audio commentary with East Asian film experts Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and John Charles
New audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
A British Vampire in Hong Kong – new on-camera interview with Stacey Abbott, author of Celluloid Vampires: Life After Death in the Modern World
Vampire Slaying 101: Remixing Monster Traditions in Doctor Vampire – new video essay by gothic scholar Mary Going
A limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on Hong Kong vampire films from Mr Vampire to Doctor Vampire by East Asian horror expert Katarzyna Ancuta (2000 copies)

Eureka delivers all-new featurettes for this U.K. Blu-ray, including a sit-down interview and a video essay, both of which cover similar topics but are nonetheless thought-provoking as they deep-dive into Doctor Vampire’s themes and inspirations. The commentary duos of Frank Djeng and John Charles and Mike Leeder and Arne Venema once again work their magic in their respective tracks. Viewers will get an enjoyable and informative listening experience from either commentary, but the latter of the two is faster-paced and energetic while the former gives listeners some breathing room between scenes. – by Hannah Lynch

VIDEO AND AUDIO

Presented from a brand new 2K restoration, the HD image in the film’s original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 makes a great impression from the opening shot, displaying vibrant colours with crystal-clear clarity. However, there are portions of the film that appear a little washed out, which does tend to mask some of the colour and sharpness, but overall, quality and texture is fairly consistent.

There are two Cantonese LPCM 2.0 tracks, which give you the choice between original and restored audio, the latter of which I definitely recommend as it better matches the improved picture. Optional English subtitles are available, that have been newly translated for this release.

I almost passed on Doctor Vampire due to a busy schedule, but thankfully I ended up having the time. Out of all the supernatural Hong Kong cinema, Eureka have kindly sent my way, this non-hop classic ranks among my favourites. I think first-time viewers will find themselves enjoying the film much more than expected, as I did.

DOCTOR VAMPIRE
(1990, director: Jamie Luk)