Product Details

• Actors: Stacy Haiduk, Erik King, Patrick Bauchau, Brigid Brannagh, Channon Roe
• Writers: John Leekley, Laurie McCarthy, Mark Rein-Hagen
• Format: Box set, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 3
• Studio: Republic Pictures
• VHS Release Date: March 17, 1998
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0782009123
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,269 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Melrose Place with fangs is more like it. This disappointing prime-time vampire series was adapted from the popular role-playing game "Vampire: The Masquerade." The first episode sets up the premise: Julian Luna (Mark Frankel), the ruler of five vampire clans in San Francisco (known as the Kindred), is relentlessly pursued by cop Frank Kohanek (C. Thomas Howell), who mistakenly believes Luna is a mobster. In a melodramatic twist, they share the same lover, Alex. But her revelation to Frank that she is a vampire dooms her to death by her own kind. However, her last wish to Luna is that, despite his knowledge, Frank's life be spared, thus the two men become bonded by fate. They develop a reluctant partnership where they try to take down those who threatens Luna's vampiric rule as well as the law and order in Frank's world, all the while maintaining the secrecy of the Kindred in the real world. What results is a trashy soap opera with an abundance of exposition but little real action. While Kindred offers dramatic confrontations, double-crosses, and plot twists, great talent is ultimately squandered--including director Peter Medak (The Changeling, The Krays), producer Steve DeJarnatt (Miracle Mile), and actress Kelly Rutherford (who plays a reporter investigating Luna). As Luna, Mark Frankel exudes great charisma and vulnerability, but Howell's over-the-top cop is annoyingly unnecessary. While the second episode fares better than the first, it ultimately is undermined by Aaron Spelling's evident influence (he is listed as executive producer). --Bryan Reesman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Undeniably the best vampire genre tv series yet!, January 17, 2000

By	"jackvaldez" (Muntinlupa, Metro Manila Philippines) - See all my reviews

I was totally blown away by this video! Other vampire shows such as Dark Shadows, Forever Knight and Buffy :) pale in comparison. The storyline was very creative and the actors very convincing (remember the actor who played Eddie Fiore? He also appeared as a bloodsucker in Fright Night 2, the one who kept on eating insects ala Renfield). I'm unfamiliar with the rpg but I thought that the theme was a very unique mix of vampire mythology intertwined in a mafia/Godfather-like setting. Cool clothes, too!

This is a must-have for all vampire mythos fans especially the goth-types. It is truly a shame that this series was abrubtly discontinued; it would have been interesting to see hw the other characters would be further developed (e.g. other clans, Romeo & Juliet-like relationships between Bruja and Gangrel, C Thomas Howell's relationship with his now-exposed Kindred partner, etc) I fervently hope that they eventually release this in DVD (with trailers/featurettes/etc) and/or they revive it eventually.

This set includes an episode entitled "Nightstalker" about a vampiric serial killer which never aired. Set begins with the first episode (where Alexandra elicits a promise from Julian to protect her human lover) and ends with the final episode where the new Bruja takes over the deceased Eddie's role.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Miss the Show, Glad to Have the Videos!, December 17, 2000

By A Customer

When Kindred: the Embraced appeared a few years ago on Fox I thought it was a great show with a lot of potential(not familiar with rpg that it is based on). Sadly, when Mark Frankel was tragically killed in an accident there was no hope of the series ever reaching its true potential. However, this video pack of 8 episodes(well actually 9 hrs worth because the pilot is a double episode) lets the fans of the show remember it fondly. The quality of the videos is actually really good and there is very little space between where the commerials would have been placed(unlike some other TV show videos).

The breakdown of the shows goes something like this: Tape 1: Original saga(pilot)-probably the worst episode in the pack, but necessary for background info. The tape gets better with Prince of the City. Tape 2 has the unaired episode Nighstalker(not bad, but not the best), the very good Romeo & Juliet with a plot twist, Live hard, die young...(pretty good episode with a few emotional scenes between characters). Tape 3 is the best tape with the action-packed Rise & fall of Eddie Fiore, Bad moon rising is also a decent episode, and of course Cabin in the Woods(the finale) which is by far the best(it wraps up some plots, but others were left open).

Mark Frankel was wonderful as Julian Luna and had some of the best lines like "we're all around you" and "you exist because I allow it". The supporting cast for the most part is pretty good with the weaker characters being Frank and Alexandra in the pilot. For the most part these are a great collection of modern vampire shows. Do not go into it expecting Buffy or Dark Shadows. These are a very modern vampire story with shades of the Godfather in it. Kindred might not have had the absolute genius of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but it was still a very good and original show(and paved the way for shows like Buffy and Angel). If you were a fan of the show at all or just like vampire stories buy this set. You won't be disappointed.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Modern Vampire Story!!!, October 12, 1999

By A Customer

I am a big fan of the vampire myth and I must say that I am a BIG fan of Kindred: The Embraced! This series sheds some awesome light on the world of the vampire (or KINDRED as they are called in the series) by deviding vampires into clans with distinct cultural and social differences. The casting in these films is superb! Mark Frankel and Patrick Bauchau turn in awesome performances as the Prince (Julian Luna) and his sire and confidant (Archon Raine). I recommend this series to anyone who loves the vampire myth and wants to see it in a different (and wonderful) light!!