Customer Reviews

Tales From The Crypt (Bordello of Blood / Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight)

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With BORDELLO OF BLOOD and DEMON KNIGHT, this dvd offers up in widescreen a fun B-movie double feature bill from the Tales From The Crypt line. Both movies came out in the mid-'90s, during the height of comedian Dennis Miller's success and when William Sadler and Billy Zane were merely mediocre instead of obscure and irrelevant, which is what they are now. The ill-kept and pun-afflicted Crypt Keeper adds much to the campy feel of both flicks as wraparound scenes have him providing ghoulishly humorous intro and post-mortem honors.

I actually saw these two films during their respective theater runs and had a hell of a time with both. DEMON KNIGHT, released in 1995, is a fairly gripping horror action/thriller, low budget sensibilities and cruddy special effects notwithstanding (c'mon, fluorescent green goo?). The story takes place one dark, stormy night in Wormwood, New Mexico as a fleeing man crashes into town. Frank Brayker (William Sadler) is guarding the last of the mystical seven Keys, these keys being ancient relics that together can be harnessed to master the cosmos. The forces of Hell, having already amassed six of the things, now aim to have the last key, and, so, Brayker is on the run from the relentless demon Collector (Billy Zane, who is devilish fun here). But, at last cornered in a broken down church-turned-motel, Brayker prepares for his last stand.

While DEMON KNIGHT has its quirky moments, it still overall espouses the more traditional horror conventions. On the other hand, 1996's BORDELLO OF BLOOD sacrifices its horror elements for its campy sense of humor. This film is decidedly tongue-in-cheeked, thanks muchly to Dennis Miller's wiseacre protagonist. Miller's indifferent approach to his role is typical of how he goes about his sporadic cinematic career. In movies Dennis Miller basically plays himself, and it's no different with BORDELLO OF BLOOD. Miller is irreverent private eye Rafe Guttman, who runs afoul of insiduous (but sexy) she-vampires who suck blood and other objects in a brothel disguised as a seedy funeral home.

It's impossible to take this film seriously (and I'm sure it wasn't meant to), what with Miller's zingers coming so fast and frequently and mockeries like the overzealous evangelist (a stubbled Chris Sarandon) and his Laserlight o' the Lord being trotted out before our eyes. BORDELLO OF BLOOD revels in its cheesiness and is so playfully awful that, frankly, it suckered me into liking it. Not to mention, all the naked girls in the film do not hurt at all as they prove to be as cheeky as Miller, though not in the same way. But there's a definite disconnect between Rafe Guttman and the scary goings-on about him. While Billy Zane is amusing and even magnetic in DEMON KNIGHT, Dennis Miller's character comes off as bemused and overly facetious (although his one-liners are funny). But, no, Miller doesn't at all lend credibility to his role, and maybe that even fits the tone of the film. I had this sense that Miller was trying real hard not to wink at the camera.

Familiar B-list faces dot these two pictures. DEMON KNIGHT offers a supporting cast of CCH Pounder, Thomas Haden Church, a very solid Jada Pinkett (not yet Pinkett-Smith), and an uncredited John Larroquette. BORDELLO OF BLOOD has Angie Everhart as Lilith the head vampiress, Chris Sarandon, and bottom feeder Corey Feldman. Perfectly in line with the star power, we get the dubious special effects, the weak scripts, the flimsy plotlines, the cheap and ineffectual scares, and the heady aroma of cheese. Yet somehow - and maybe it's because both films embrace their low rent, trashy stature with such gusto - BORDELLO OF BLOOD and DEMON KNIGHT contrive to be fun cinematic treats. Or guilty pleasures. Whatever. It's one or the other. Or to quote the very quotable Rafe Guttman: "I feel like I'm in a bad Tales From The Crypt episode." And that's good.

Good Dvd with no special features, Demon Knight is the better of the two, with Billy Zane in it,Jada Pinkett, and some funny scenes besides the horrible gore,It was scary the first time you watch it.Good movie still. other movie is not Bad, Dennis Miller is in this one,Corey Feldman as well. The movie Bordello of Blood is a Brothel full of Hot women who are of course hiding something very sinister. Highly Recommend getting this Dvd.you get both Ghoulish movies for the price of one!

These are my 2 most favorite Tales from the Crypt movies: Bordello of Blood and Demon Knight! When I found them as a double feature I was jumping up and down like an idiot. Billy Zane playing the Demon in Demon Knight is yummy to say the least! Quick summary of the movie: 7 keys were spread out all over the universe, the demons are looking for them, they have 6 keys... the 'hero' has the last one. the 'hero' is being chased by the Demon (Billy Zane) and hides out in an old motel/boarding house with a bunch of degenerates (the drunk, the hooker, the crabby motel owner, the girl out on work release from prison(Jada Pinket Smith). Lots of things happen, the Demons come and only one is left standing. It's a great movie for what it is.
Bordello of Blood is about a Bordello (inside the basement of a funeral home) of hot vampire chicks, ran by Lillith - who is controlled by... the exact same key thats in the last movie. Corry Feldman is in this too. The uber-bible thumping- extremely religious sister of Cory FEldman hires a private investigator to help find her brother. he finds a whole lot more. Another great movie if you're just in the mood for some gore and tata's.

I finally went to see "Blood" because I got tired of people passionately telling me that it was one of the worst movies ever.

But maybe I missed the point of the movie --- if there was one. Many of the folks sending in reviews seem to be taking the movie seriously. For me it is one of the all time send-ups of the vampire movie genre. I laughed throuout the movie. Not quite "Dusk to Dawn" but a good cast, good scripts, nice camera setups, and excellent direction. And amid the non stop mayhem there's Dennis Miller doing a stand up routine like he was in Las Vegas.

Well, maybe it's not a comedy. But maybe it is. One thing is certain --- it appeals to a wide audience of vastly different tastes and that, in my opinion, is the mark of a good movie.

(And believe it or not it even has a surprise ending.)

Much fun.

John D Morvant
New Orleans

I bout this primarily for Demon Knight and it being a double feature was a bonus. Couldn't beat the price

Two awesome horror comedies,in one awesomely priced double feature set...both movies are great,bordello of blood is pretty much like from dusk till dawn where a bunch of beautiful women lure men into a brothel than feast on them,then there is demon knight(my favorite of the two) in which a man is running from a very powerful demon(played by billy zane..excellently) who wants to get his hands on a key shaped flask with supernatural powers that will then allow the demons to bring on thousands of years of darkness and enslave the human race.Both are great horror comedies,so if you are a fan of the genre you will not be dissapointed.one little peice of info. is that all though the description says two discs, it actually has both movies on one disc.

Dennis Miller is hilarious in his usual off-the-cuff way. The story is a hoot, gently mocking the whole vampire genre. The supporting cast is great, with Erika Eleniak playing a cynical client of Dennis Miller's PI who is investigating her case.

If you're a fan of "Tales From the Crypt" then this really is a no-brainer purchase. If you're not a devoted fan, well, that don't matter either 'cause these two cheesy, B-movie old school horror flicks do the trick anyway.

The better movie here is "Demon Knight". It's pretty suspenseful and creepy on occasion, it's stylishly filmed, has a decent amount of gore and is chock full of low-brow humor as well. The story here ain't half bad either, with a nice darkness vs. light plot that's fairly well written. Billy Zane is terrific as film's baddy and William Sadler is rock solid as the savior. In short; Very good horror film.

Less impressive overall but nonetheless very entertaining is "Bordello of Blood". It's more cheesy and comedy driven but it's fairly gory and atmospheric on occasion. Dennis Miller haters may find less enjoyment here but personally I think he does OK in the lead as the Private Eye who stumbles upon a brothel full of vampires. Also starring here is the criminally underrated Chris Sarandon, who here has a field day with a crazy preacher role.

This double DVD features solid transfers of the films but it's less impressive in the extras department, only offering the original trailers. But this comes recommend to all "Crypt" fans and (especially "Demon Knight") to all horror film lovers.

Drive-in double feature with fangs (and gore). Suspend belief all who enter and sit back then enjoy.

I tip my hat to Universal Pictures for, finally, releasing these two classics on DVD. Bordello of Blood tells the story of a wisecracking private-eye named Rafe Guttman who investigates a missing person report at a titilating bordello where the madam & her bevy of beauties want more than your money..they want your blood. Soon, Rafe finds himself up the creek without a paddle in the den of the hungry vampiresses and battling a televangelist named Reverend Jimmy Current who has a talisman & some despicable plans. On the other hand, Demon Knight tells the story of a drifter named Brayker who possesses the last of seven ancient keys that hold the power to stop the forces of darkness and protect all humanity from ultimate evil. The demonic Collector has collected the other six keys and he wants the last. It's up to Brayker and the strong-willed Jeryline to lead the inhabitants of a run-down hotel in a gruesome battle against the Collector and his evil horde of ghouls & make it out alive. Although the movies are put on the disc alphabetically, they were actually released in reverse. Demon Knight came out in 1995 and was directed by Ernest R. Dickerson. It starred Billy Zane, William Sadler, & Jada Pinkett Smith. It turned out to be a success. Bordello of Blood came out in 1996 and was directed by Gilbert Adler. It starred Dennis Miller, Corey Feldman(The Lost Boys), Erika Eleniak, Chris Sarandon(of Child's Play/Fright Night fame), and Angie Everhart. Willam Sadler & Whoopi Goldberg have cameos in the movie. Sadly, Bordello of Blood didn't do as well as Demon Knight did at the box office and was considered a box-office failure. It is a movie worth watching, however. All vampire movies are worth watching. ;) Both films are based on the hit HBO television series, "Tales From The Crypt" starring John Kassir as the voice of the Cryptkeeper. I highly recommend these two movies to all Tales From The Crypt fans as well as those who like watching a good spooky movie on a Friday Night. For this low, low price; you can't beat it.