Embrace of the Vampire
A chaste girl torn between a vampire and reality.
Embrace of the Vampire, an American erotic horror film from 1994, was directed by Anne Goursaud. The story centers on Charlotte, a chaste young woman portrayed by Alyssa Milano, who is tormented by a vampire, played by Martin Kemp.
Charlotte experiences erotic dreams featuring a dark, handsome vampire. This vampire was once a mortal who fell in love with a princess and was cursed by a witch, and he believes Charlotte is the reincarnation of that princess. These dreams strain her relationship with her ordinary boyfriend, Chris. As she is pulled toward the vampire’s world, Charlotte becomes disturbed by her own desires, forced to choose not only between Chris and her nocturnal visitor but also between light and dark, good and evil.
The vampire gives Charlotte an ankh that changes her behavior when worn. Under its influence, she becomes wanton, attending a party in ankle boots and a short, low-cut dress. She dances provocatively and later briefly kisses a student named Milo in a dorm room, but they are interrupted by his girlfriend, Eliza, the “campus slut.” The vampire kills Eliza in her own room, then drags her body to Charlotte’s door and licks the blood from the door as Charlotte listens, aroused, from the other side.
Charlotte drifts in and out of her dream as the vampire urges her to come to him. He claims nothing remains for her on Earth and that he has only hours to exist unless she loves him. After several dream sequences, Charlotte meets the vampire in a tower. Chris appears, but the vampire pushes him away and prepares to bite Charlotte. She calls out Chris’s name; the vampire tells her not to think of him and to imagine them as a couple. When she calls Chris’s name again, the vampire warns that she cannot bring Chris’s love into the eternal life he offers, then vanishes. The story ends with Charlotte and Chris waking in the morning, sharing a tender kiss, while the vampire meets his end in his desolate room.
The cast includes Alyssa Milano as Charlotte Wells, Martin Kemp as the Vampire, Harrison Pruett as Chris, Jordan Ladd as Eliza, Rachel True as Nicole, Charlotte Lewis as Sarah, Jennifer Tilly as Marika, Rebecca Ferratti as Princess, and John Riedlinger as Milo.
Regarding her nude scenes, Milano said in a 1995 interview, “I’m not going to say that I was manipulated into doing things that I didn’t want to do. I did it because it was a woman d
- Release year
- 1994
Quick Facts
- Director
- Anne Goursaud
- Writer
- Halle Eaton / Nicole Coady / Rick Bitzelberger
- Producer
- Marilyn Vance / Alan Mruvka
- Starring
- Alyssa Milano / Martin Kemp / Harold Pruett / Charlotte Lewis / Jennifer Tilly
- Cinematography
- Suki Medencevic
- Editing
- Terilyn A. Shropshire
- Music
- Joseph Stanley Williams
- Distributor
- New Line Cinema
- Budget
- $500,000
- Released
- 1995 · 05 · 30 · United States
- Runtime
- 92 minutes
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film follows Charlotte, a chaste girl who experiences erotic dreams of a vampire who believes she is the reincarnation of his long-lost lover. In the film's lore, the vampire was not bitten by nymphs; he was a mortal who fell in love with a princess and was cursed by a witch. The vampire gives her an ankh that alters her behavior, leading her to act wantonly. Her dreams interfere with her relationship with her boyfriend Chris, and she is torn between light and dark, good and evil. The vampire kills a student named Eliza in her own room, then drags her body to Charlotte's door and licks blood from the door, arousing Charlotte. In the climax, Charlotte chooses Chris over the vampire, and the vampire meets his demise.
Reader's Guide
Embrace of the Vampire is notable as a low-budget erotic horror film from the mid-1990s, directed by a woman, Anne Goursaud, and featuring Alyssa Milano in a role that included nude scenes. Milano stated she felt protected by having a female director. The film was made in thirteen days for $500,000 and reportedly earned about $15 million from video sales. Retrospectively, Fangoria described it as 'good, trashy, '90s fun.' Its significance lies in its cult status and the behind-the-scenes commentary on the production process.
Did You Know?
- The film was made in thirteen days for $500,000.
- Alyssa Milano said she felt protected doing nude scenes because the director was a woman.
- Director Anne Goursaud estimated the film made $15 million from video sales.
- The vampire was bitten by nymph vampires long ago.
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