Bled Dry

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“A fun, insightful, informative and addictive read. As a fan of both the classic and ‘modern’ vampire I appreciated the effort and love put into this tome. Adrian has crafted an awesome ‘book of the dead’. It not only tackles the Universal and Hammer runs of vampire movies but also delves into films that were inspired by the very nature of the monster. This isn’t just an essay about Lugosi and Lee and their imitators, this is a deep dive into the misfit sons and bastard children of the vampire genre. I discovered new movies, and gained information about movies I thought I was pretty well-versed in. Like his ‘Scream’ series, Adrian writes as both a fan and a scholar. It’s not a ‘dry’ book by any means. It is colorful. Blood red, in fact. Awesome interviews with masters of the genre like Tom Holland and Mick Garris illuminate the dark corners of the vampire’s castle. A sit-down with Dedee Pfeiffer offers a first hand account of one of my favorite, underrated vampire movies ‘Vamp’. I was pleased to see that the ‘vampire video age’ wasn’t left out either. The Subspecies series is a particular guilty (not guilty) pleasure of mine. Also provided is some of the technical stats of the films…like budget and box office gross. For a filmmaker like myself, I find those little details fascinating. From Varney to Dracula to the Karnsteins to Jerry Dandridge to the California bloodsuckers in The Lost Boys to Deacon Frost & Blade…you’ll find your pet vampire here. It’s like as if Captain Kronos wrote a book. Buy it. Invite it in. Highly recommended.”

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“Bled Dry expertly examines the history and evolution of the vampire in film through a wide lense. This isn’t just a crash course in the most popular vampy titles; it seeks out the subtler influences and nuanced tributes, as well. Even as a lifelong devotee of horror, I learned a lot here. I especially enjoyed the interviews and those moments where the author’s geekery poked its head out to say, “Hell yes, vampires!” before straightening its tie and returning to the scholarly task at hand.”

Adrian Talks About Bled Dry on Phoenix FM!

Adrian Talks About Bled Dry on the Final Girl Friday Podcast!

Bled Dry Features in Scream Magazine!

No other genre in cinema calls upon the use of the human imagination as much as the horror genre. A world that we dare to enter, a world in which our darkest nightmares become a reality as we are met head-on with some of the most sinister creatures ever created. Over the years we have been introduced to many on-screen villains that have caused even the most hardened of viewer to check the back seat of their car at least once, or think again before planning that camping trip deep into the woods. Of all the monsters and maniacs that have been plaguing our dreams as we sleep, I cannot think of a more vile and evil creature as one of the very first to enter our world of fiction – the vampire. For many, the vampire film was perhaps our first introduction to the horror genre. Whether through the discovery of a lucid gothic Hammer tale on late night television, or that random video rental during the ‘80s of Fright Night (1985), after finding that stunning cover art impossible to resist.

The vampire represents a primal fear within all of us, a fear that both captivates and terrifies. Sometimes flawed, these cursed immortals were once just like us, and this is perhaps the true appeal after so much time. The shapeshifter can enter the perceived safety of our existence through skilled manipulation and deceit, while offering the victim something they will find hard to resist and eventually succumb to. They are arguably the most skilled and intelligent of all horror villains, and it is of no surprise that they have managed to hold our attention for decades.

– Adrian Roe