Customer Reviews

The Hunger [VHS]

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I saw 'The Hunger' when it was in the movie theatre in 1983. I didn't know what to expect but David Bowie's presence in the film made me go into the theatre.


Esthetics! Esthetics! Esthetics! Beautiful people, beautiful set, beautiful music wrapped into the warm womb of blood sucking and immortality and escapism. The storyline doesn't move me, though every performance is stellar. I never develop any empathy for the characters, though I would like to sit down and have lunch with them (on the condition I'm not on the desert menu.)


This is the kind of film one might call a guilty pleasure. No social or intellectual message or value, but imprints itself upon the emotional psyche. It provides a window into another side of one's usual self. Do I believe in vampires and the creature feature scifi world, no. But it can be fun.


The dvd quality is excellent. Much better transfer than the video we've had all these years. Really glad it's available and in our film library. Enjoy this world where beauty and pointlessness meet for no other reason than to entertain you.

Horror movies are not usually lush, well-photographed or erotic. Yet this one is! David Bowie, Susan Sarandon, and the immortal Catherine Deneuve all sport trendy clothes and buckets of blood in this vampiric love triangle. It is well-produced, and though it has been criticized for its "languid" pace -- I think it moves at just the right tempo for what the movie is...one long slow seduction. Much is made of the lesbian sex scene, but it's actually pretty tastefully done and tame by today's standards. It's a nice reversal of the Dracula myth -- Catherine Deneuve as a bi-sexual immortal who choses her mates alternating sexes through the centuries. It's a fun idea! And who would say no to her anyway? It's got more style than substance, but oh what a joy to see a movie that captures a sense of elegance and beauty and wrap it around a horror story! And the music is divine -- from the underground gothic stylings of Bauhaus (Peter Murphy actually lip-synchs "Bela Lugosi's Dead" over the opening credits) to the beautiful duet from Delibes (the selection from LAKME it seems everyone used after this movie). It's an excellent movie, and one worth buying since it seems to be disappearing from rental shelves. And the price is the lowest you will find here at AMAZON as opposed to retail outlets!

This cult art film classic is the quintessential vampire film of the 1980s and is one of my favorite vampire fliks of all time.

THE HUNGER is a very good film, even though, at times, it moves rather slowly. Deneuve plays Miriam, a stone-faced centuries-old vampire who has had a string of lovers of the many years of her life. As the film opens, she and her longtime bloodsucking paramour, John (played by Bowie), are coping with their own mortality. That's right, I said mortality. In THE HUNGER, vampires can die of old age.

Bowie's appearence in the film is somewhat brief, but he makes the most of the time he has with a well-developed character. The makeup used to age him into a shriveled old man is complemented by Bowie's ability to play age well, both physically and emotionally. There is a quiet poignancy to the romance of between Miriam and John, but when scientist Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon) visits the Blaylock mansion one day, Miriam's real romance begins.

As I mentioned, the movie can sometimes feel slow, but it's well worth sitting through as the film is not so much horror and gore (although when it's bloody, it's nicely bloody), but erotic and intellectual. Sarandon and Denueve are both excellently cast and create some rather arousing scenes together. Although there is little action, there are many themes and ideas to be explored in this story. As such, I would say THE HUNGER is definitely for fans of art films, rather than those who are attracted to Hollywood productions.

Among the 674 films (so far) that have vampires as subject matter, Tony Scott's The Hunger (1983) distinguishes itself with its romantic, mythic, and erotic atmosphere, and of course the torrid sex scene (at least for the time) involving Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon. The film is dark; its aesthetic is cold and sophisticated. In the years following its first screening, the acting, beauty of its images, and rather complex intrigue have transformed this unusual film into a major milestone of American film production of the 1980s, and for the fantastic and gay cinema genres.

As the film credits roll and the film begins, the gothic rock group Bauhaus is heard playing their famous song, Bela Lugosi's Dead, a nod to one of the most famous interpreters of Count Dracula in vampire films.

The action takes place in present-day New York. The beautiful and elegant Miriam Blaylock (Catherine Deneuve) shares a life of luxury and indolence with her husband John (David Bowie). Miriam, born in Egypt some 4,000 years ago, is an immortal being. Her continued survival depends on a diet of human blood, which she must consume once every seven days. She is also able to pass along, through "friendly" bites, some of her genetic material to human beings, thereby turning them into creatures like herself, in exchange for their eternal love. Miriam belongs to an ancient race of vampires, but since in life nothing is perfect, her progeny are not truly immortal as she is, and sooner or later, usually after 300 years or so, they find themselves suddenly and rapidly getting old. However, the progeny are unable to die, but continue to live forever withered, in a fully conscious, vegetative state. Miriam "packs" their decaying, aging bodies in caskets that she keeps in the attic of her residence. In the 18th century, Miriam offered this "gift of immortality to John, who eagerly accepted, as had all her previous lovers through the ages.

Every seven days, Miriam and John hunt the trendy New York night clubs, searching for victims. These, they escort back to their sumptuous townhouse where they satisfy their hunger for human blood. They carry around their necks matching Egyptian Ankh pendants that conceal the razor-sharp blades with which they cut the jugular of their victims. After, they dispose of their victims' bodies in an incinerator located in the basement of their residence.

Suddenly, John develops trouble sleeping, and starts aging at a tremendous rapid rate. Miriam and John are both aware of the significance of this happening. Miriam goes looking for a famous gerontologist, Dr. Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon), desperately seeking her help for a cure for John's fast deterioration. She makes contact with Dr. Roberts, and through her psychic powers, finds out that the doctor is just "guessing," and that her research is inconclusive. Therefore, John, as all her lovers before him, is doomed to extinction. John also attempts, unsuccessfully, to meet with Dr. Roberts. Eventually, John falls down a flight of stairs at the townhouse, his legs no longer able to support his own weight. Miriam carries John's withering body up to the attic and puts him in a casket, next to several other caskets containing her earlier lovers.

Later on, when Dr. Roberts shows up at Miriam's door looking for John, Miriam sees in the doctor a replacement for John in her life; it is love at first sight for Miriam, and she immediately proceeds to seduce the good doctor. I will not recount the details of the rest of the film, but just mention that the remainder of the film consists of Sarah's seduction by Miriam who takes her as her new lover, their temporary and uncertain relationship, Sarah's unwillingness to live as an "addict," and Miriam's subsequent "punishment."

The Hunger is adapted from Whitley Strieber's novel of the same title (Strieber is also the author of Wolfen) by Ivan Davis and Michael Thomas, who wrote the scenario. Following the deconstruction and alteration of the vampire legend with Anne Rice's book, Interview with the Vampire (1979), and Frank Langella's film, Dracula (1979), Tony Scott made a definitely "modern" film by doing away with all the old clichés and myths attached to the commonly accepted vampire lore. Scott's vampires move about in full daylight, there is no mention of garlic or crucifixes, the vampires have no fangs, and the word "vampire" is not even pronounced once in the entire film. Scott proceeds by opposition: the rhythm is at times dry and nervous, and at other times tender and lascivious; the protagonists inhabit an elegant, airy townhouse located in a large metropolis instead of a traditional dark, gloomy castle. Scott prefers the beauty and sophistication of the trio whose elegant garments are in stark contrast to the inherent hideousness and monstrosity of the traditional characters and their tattered, grimy attire. He substitutes a delicate daylight chiaroscuro for the night, and he replaces the traditional funereal music with one of J.S. Bach's graceful Suites, an aria from DeLibe's opera, Lakmé, trios by Lalo and Schubert, and the unsettling Ravel's Le Gibet.

The cinematography by Stephen Goldblatt gives to the image a combination of the gloss of a deluxe art magazine and the sensation of a gothic novel. The subdued, vaporous blues and greens colors of the interior scenes are awe-inspiring, and Tony's editing is MTV-like. The original music by Michel Rubini and Denny Jaeger comes and reinforces the morbid, gothic atmosphere of the film.

David Bowie appearance is relatively brief, and it is his charismatic presence rather than his acting which is memorable, although the scene of his rapid aging as he waits for Sarandon's return is unforgettable (and so is his withering, thanks to Dick Smith's make-up wizardry). A seductive, frightening, and thoroughly elegant Catherine Deneuve, "La Belle Catherine," is sublime in one of her most sophisticated roles. Her enigmatic presence dominates the film from its very beginning to its end. Susan Sarandon is remarkable undergoing her incongruous evolution from a dedicated, successful doctor to a somewhat willing participant in her transformation into a blood-lusting vampire.

Of course, The Hunger became notorious for its Sapphic erotic scene between these two famous actresses. The scene is tactfully rendered, although still rather shocking to American audiences at the time. The seduction of Sarah proceeds with Miriam injecting her with some of her genetic material through a tender bite in the hollow of Sarah's arm, to the music of the (too) well-known women's duet from Léo Delibes' Lakmé. While this beautiful music may seem appropriate, I find it a bit too obvious, and somewhat too "cliché." But, contrary to the usual seduction of the damsel found in the more classic vampire films, we clearly get the feeling that her seduction is not necessarily against her nature, and that she surrenders willingly to this forbidden love. In The Celluloid Closet (1995), a documentary film on the homosexuality in the cinema, Susan Sarandon comments on this particular scene, which made Catherine Deneuve somewhat of an lesbian and gay icône (which, it is said, the actress enjoys immensely).

The film's ending is a great disappointment. It parts totally from the Strieber novel's ending, which most likely was what Tony Scott intended. The studio, thinking that Strieber's original conclusion would be immoral, imposed instead on the Director an ending where Miriam is actually being "punished," violating in the process all the themes and rules on which the film was based.

Although one would not expect in most cases a worthwhile theme(s) to be associated with a vampire film, except with Bram Stocker's original Dracula (1897), there are several themes in The Hunger. The first theme is that of addiction, in this particular situation, an addiction to blood in exchange not for a high, but for immortality. The second theme is that of the fear of aging and death. This theme is explicitly present in the first half of the film, when John realizes that time is catching up with him at an alarming speed, and he mounts a desperate and vain effort to stop its ravages. It is also implicit in the second half of the film, as Miriam had found "the solution." However, this "solution" has become the raison d'être of her apparently endless life, to the exclusion of everything else.

The Hunger is a very experimental film and more than twenty years following its first screening, it remains a unique cinematographic experience. I would have given it at least a four-star rating, but for its ending, I give it three stars.

Vampire-enthusiasts who have read Strieber's novel, had a bit of a surprise when they saw Scott's "The Hunger." There were several liberties taken with the film. Still, on many occasions, adaptation for screen often includes sacrifices: especially for time and budget. We accept this. But . . . there was always something a little "off" here . . .

Let's start from the beginning. This film is exquisitely shot. The framing is simple and beautiful. In fact, the composition is almost breath-taking (still frames could appear as individual photographs suitable for display). Likewise, the acting is beyond reproach. Pitch-perfect. The costumes . . . unforgettable (the glasses alone)! The soundtrack is lush . . . in fact, when I first rented the film in middle-school I was inspired to explore classical music. Today, I have an extensive collection . . . and "Bach: Cello Suites 1-6" remains my favorite (thank you, Mr. Scott for such a wonderful gift).

The tale is both sensual and heart-breaking. **SPOILER (STOP READING NOW IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS FILM)**: Interestingly, Susan Sarandon describes the film as a metaphor for addiction. In the director's commentary she explains that her character would rather commit suicide than to live with an addiction to blood . . . with an addiction to death . . . to be a conduit of death. Does that comment sound odd considering how the film concludes?? Here is what happened . . .

The film was intended to end with the powerful death of Dr. Sarah Roberts. It was to be a story of sacrifice. BUT, as Scott and Sarandon reveal, "the powers that be" (their words) (meaning, the studio executives) demanded the tag at the end. You see, the studio was hoping for a sequel (and, obviously more money). So, the entire message of the film was destroyed . . . not to mention the attention to continuity was left in ruins. The bitterness in this commentary is justified. By insisting on a nonsensical ending ("So, how did Miriam's lovers decompose if she is still alive?!"), the film did not achieve the box-office success predicted . . . and the sequel was shelved.

So, why grant this film five stars? No matter what . . . this film is nearly as engrossing as the first time I saw it. It is, in my opinion, one of the most inventive, captivating vampire films ever made. And seeing Peter Murphy made me feel thirteen all over again . . . I think I'll break out some Bauhaus . . . right . . . now.

Suggested Reading: Hanson, Ellis. "Vampires Who Bite." Out Takes Essays on Queer Theory and Film. Ed. Ellis Hanson. Durham: Duke UP, 1999. 183-222.
This essay explores lesbian vampirism in film history with particular attention to "Dracula's Daughter," "Vampyres," and "The Hunger."

From the novel by Whitley Strieber and directed by Ridley Scott's little brother, Tony. (Top Gun & Beverly Hills Cop II)

Miriam (Deneuve)and John (Bowie) Blaylock seem like the perfect "eternal" couple. A couple of chic, clubbing 80's vampires, that is! Until John inexplicably starts aging right before Miriam's eyes.

The once young, sexy John is liked to Dustin Hoffman's 120 year-old Jack Crabb at end scene of "Little Big Man". The quickly aging John seeks help from Dr. Sarah Roberts (Sarandon) but, indeed, it is too late to regain his youth.

Miriam packs crumbly old John away in a coffin along with her other ancient lovers and moves on with just a single tear shed to more younger flesh and the sexy seduction of Dr. Sarah Roberts.

Lots and lots of exchanges and changes go on all played out with some really beautiful cinematography, breathtaking set design and setpieces, and great classical music to boot.

I got a kick out of some of the other cast members like Dan Hedaya, Beth Ehlers (The Guiding Light), Ann Magnuson, Jane Leeves and Willem Defoe.

I won't spoil the twisty and ironic ending for you as it is a doozy! Watch and see what the Blaylock's are up to!

The Hunger a pleasantly different, 80's uptown twist on vampirism and is not to be missed!

Happy Watching and Unpleasant Dreams!

I saw this movie on the big screen as a teen many years ago. I left the theatre with a completely dumb founded expression on my face. I now own this movie and watch/study it repeatedly all these years. This is the only thing in my life that hasn't changed hence I refer to it as a classic. This film is about immortality. It examines the rewards and drawbacks associated with it. It is a journey through the eyes of a vampire immortal named Miriam Blaylock played by Catherine Deneuve.

It is a story about the life of two immortals living in a mortal world. Miriam's past goes back to ancient Egypt perhaps even further. It traces her life with John played by David Bowie. They first meet in a Louis the XIV France remembered in John's day dream. Miriam promises him immortality. John accepts her offer without understanding the details. John suddenly starts aging at an incredible rate after hundreds of years. It appears that Miriam did not tell John about one of the potential side effects of her gift which her prior lovers have succumed to. The film has beautiful cinematography.

I also felt sad for Miriam. She had supernatural powers, in-human strength, but at the same time was very vulnerable. She only wanted love and companionship which I think everyone can identify with. Anyone who has ever felt of not fitting in, or being alone in this world can strongly identify with this movie. The movie may aggravate viewers because it examines loneliness point blank. Maybe youth, good looks, money and nice things can't always buy happiness, but it helps. Nothing lasts forever as they say.

This is an intelligent, disturbing film, that should be watched several times to appreciate it's subtleties. It is not the "Lost Boys" another good film. It is not a special effects debacle. This film has a plot. The closest thing I can compare this to is watching the motion pic "Dune" for the first time and not getting it. This film is not for everyone especially the average person who enjoys the typical mass produced junk churned out by the Mega Entertainment Industry or hopes for Dracula 2000.

Sit back and enjoy the show.

This film decisively breaks the mold set for "vampire movies." Catherine Deneuve brings elegance, David Bowie brings style, and Susan Sarandon brings skill and depth. The movie is very much about the people, it's about control and trust.

The storytelling is a bit vague at times, but that's OK. The movie carries itself in its imagery. The nightclub in the first scene, a bizarre transformation in a furnace, and of course the seduction - wonderful scenes, even if taken in isolation. Bowie and Deneuve, promising "forever," put an additional chill into the first scene of his coffin.

I find it hard to describe this movie - the action is subdued but meaningful. The visual styling has subtlety, something I appreciate more after seeing other movies that lack it.

I like this one. I have trouble saying just why, but it's one I'll come back to, again and again.

//wiredweird

In watching The Hunger (1983) last night, it seemed completely foreign to me that this movie was directed by Tony Scott, the same guy who directed such films as Top Gun (1986), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), Days of Thunder (1990), and The Last Boy Scout (1991)...why? Because this film seemed so...artsy fartsy, for lack of a better term, while those other films tend to fall into the category of manly man films. By the way, I just read Scott is in the process of remaking Walter Hill's 1979 film The Warriors, scheduled to be released sometime in 2006...is Hollywood so bereft of original ideas they have to cannibalize past works? This is strictly a rhetorical question, as we all know the answer, so please don't send me a ton of e-mails...anyway, the film, based on a novel by Whitley Strieber, directed by Tony Scott, stars the very European Catherine Deneuve (The Musketeer), the always androgynous David Bowie (Into the Night), and the ever liberal Susan Sarandon (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), who, according to the Internet Movie Database keeps her Oscar in the bathroom...huh...I use mine as a doorstop. Also appearing is Cliff De Young (F/X), Dan Hedaya (Alien: Resurrection), and Willem Dafoe in a seminal role credited as `2nd Phone Booth Youth' (seriously, his role is so minuscule you'll miss it if you blink...he does have at least one line, so he got paid more for than just his pretty face). Also watch for Ann Magnuson (Clear and Present Danger) near the beginning in a very revealing part.

The film begins as we see an older, somewhat sophisticated couple (Bowie and Deneuve), whom we later come to know as John and Miriam Blaylock, picking up a younger couple at a disco...for what purpose? Certainly not to swing, baby...once alone, the older pair make short work of the younger pair in fine, vampiric style (sans the fangs), these scenes interlaced with those of spastic monkeys (you heard me). We then meet Sarah Roberts, author and researcher, her work involving something to do with unlocking the mysteries of how our biological clocks work, and, perhaps someday slowing down or even halting the aging process (good luck with all that). So far all she's got is the ability to cause monkeys to age really, really fast...keep up the good work. Anyway, John soon comes down with a serious case of geezer-itis, and contacts Sarah, as she's the aging expert and all. So what's his deal? I'm not going to tell you, but I will say don't get too attached to the character. Not long after this Miriam finds herself attracted to Sarah, and sees her as a possible candidate to fill the now vacant role of consort, allowing Sarah the opportunity to experience first hand the true nature of that which she wishes to know.

Okay, first off, any film that can incorporate the song Bela Lugosi's Dead (by Bauhaus) is alright in my book. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about this film is billowy drapes...every third scene or so is populated by long, diaphanous curtains blowing in the wind, inducing flashbacks to when MTV actually played rock music videos back in the 80's, as many featured just such a scene. And was there one character in the film that didn't smoke? I guess if you're blessed (or cursed, depending on your point of view) with eternal life, you don't worry too much about getting the big C. I thought the film did very well straddling the line between being pretty cool and being utterly pretentious, leaning towards the former as director Scott knows how to create interesting visuals featuring many up close and personal shots, providing an intimacy to the characters. I also thought the flashback sequences were handled pretty well, primarily used to flesh out the story a little, but not appearing blatant or obvious. The color tone seemed a bit muted throughout the film, giving an overall ethereal sense as if the story was taking place as a dream, one that you witness, but don't participate in...if that makes any sense. Have you ever wanted to see David Bowie as a really decrepit, shriveled, bony, veiny, desiccated, covered in liver spots, old man? Here's your chance...how about a topless Susan Sarandon enjoying the pleasures of the Sapphic kind? That's in here too...I did have one issue with the story and that was near the end. Perhaps it's better detailed in the novel, but it has to do with transference. If you've seen the film, you may have an idea of what I'm talking about, as it wasn't put forth in a manner that made a lot of sense. I did accept it, begrudgingly. I don't always require everything spelled out for me, but this seemed a fairly critical part of the story. I thought all the actors did well, despite some minor deficiencies within the story with regards to the characters (a couple of them seemed transparent to me). I did appreciate the slightly sympathetic element that grew from the story with regards to John and Miriam, their lives affected by what us `norms' would consider a monstrous and hideous affliction, especially given the actions necessary foe survival. I did like most of the music within the film, especially the sometimes moody orchestral pieces, but the electronic stuff (music and sound effects) seemed a little too heavy and distracting at times. Perhaps a more minimalist route would have been a better tact to take, but this, as many of the issue I brought up, are fairly minor compared to an overall enjoyable film.

The widescreen anamorphic picture (2.35:1), enhanced for 16 X 9 TVs, on this DVD looks very clear and sharp, and the Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is decent, albeit soft at times. There are a few extras including a commentary track featuring Sarandon and director Scott, a still gallery, and a theatrical trailer, which I would avoid watching prior to watching the film, that is if you haven't already seen the movie.

Cookieman108

Opening scene: Bauhaus performing "Bela Lugosi is Dead" on stage in a cage at a very cool club being visited by a dressed to kill Deneuve and Bowie on the prowl for fresh flesh. They dress cool, drive a very cool car, and live surrounded by the beautiful paintings and sculpture they have collected over the many centuries they have been alive. Great to look at, great to listen too. Music includes Bach's Cello suites, Delibes Lakme(plays while Deneuve tells the music's mythic story of two women to Sarandon who comments "sounds like a love story between two women", Deneuve just smiles).
Sexy, yes. This is a Vampire film with a really good story too though. Deneuve is a Vampire from Egyptian times and Bowie is just her latest lover. They have only been together since the eighteenth century or so. But the problem is that, unlike her, her lovers do not live forever. Bowie becomes aware of this only after awaking one morning to find he is aging. Deneuve is powerless to help him, so he searches for his answer at an institute of aging. Bowies make-up as he goes from a young man in the prime of life to old man in one day is incredible. It is very interesting to see the eternal life and love aspect of the Vampire story as the focus. We find shes been through it all before and so Deneuve wastes no time in finding her next lover, to share the next few hundred years with. Susan Sarandon. And its everything you might imagine. This has gothic appeal but its so stylish that the beauty of it and the fact that there is a solid plot puts it at least a few notches above all the other Vampire movies.