KISS OF THE DAMNED
Vampire Djuana leads the life of a recluse. She lives in a huge, remote mansion, where she translates poetry and watches classic Hollywood movies on videotape. She feeds herself with the blood of animals. Her life changes when, one night, she meets screenwriter Paulo at a video store. The two feel an irresistible attraction. Paulo isn’t even frightened when Djuana reveals her true nature. She turns him into a vampire and introduces him to her world. Djuana is a member of an elite vampire group, led by the famous actress Xenia. These refined intellectuals meet each other at exclusive dinner parties, where they sip from artificial blood and discuss art and philosophy. This cosy, bourgeois life gets shaken up when Djuana’s sister Mimi shows up. She revels in her bloodthirsty nature and has no problem with killing or fucking her partners at random. Xenia asks Djuana and Paulo to let her live with them until she can send her on vampire rehab. But Mimi manages to manipulate everyone. Women rule in this cool and stylish feature film debut by Xan Cassavetes ( daughter of… ) Kiss of The Damned offers us plently of mood, atmosphere and erotic passion and benifits from great sound design and editing. Cassavetes knows her classics and pays hommage to the great horror movies of the 60ties and 70ties like Belgium’s Harry Kumel and his Daughters of Darkness or Tony Scott’s The Hunger. The three fanged lovers are incarnated by Milo Ventimiglia ( Peter Petrilli from Heroes ) as Paulo, Joséphine de la Baume ( Gossip Girl ) as Djuana and Roxane Mesquida ( Rubber, Sennentuntschi ) as the irresistible Mimi.