When “Bogieville” director Sean Cronin was quoted last month, saying, “Is it taboo, or just plain vampire science that our bloodsuckers can sense when it’s a woman’s time of the month?” I was a little put off. Was this going to be a raunchy vampire road movie filled with menstrual-munching monsters, or was the British filmmaker just being cheeky?
Thankfully, in the film’s cold open, I got my answer when a young woman pulls up to a gas station and realizes she’s started her period. As she heads to the restroom, it’s clear that the scene is setting up the introduction of the vampires, and sure enough, just moments after settling into a bathroom stall, the film’s first bloodsucker shows up like a shark that smelled blood in the water and with just as many teeth. Though a bit unnerving, and very clear the vampire goes in to drink straight from the tap, I think the scene was handled well and sets the tone for the somewhat primal aspects of the “Bogieville” vampires.
From here, “Bogieville” quickly introduces us to our cast of small-town southern folk and gives us our first taste of the somewhat inconsistent southern accents from some of the film’s non-American actors. At the heart of the story are Ham (Arifin Putra; “The Raid 2”) and Jody (Eloise Lovell Anderson; “The Last Gunfight”), a young couple who both find themselves out of work on the same day, unable to pay rent and ready to hit the road in search of a fresh start.
As the duo drives into the night searching for that next big opportunity, a car accident lands them in a derelict trailer park. There, they stumble upon a caretaker named Crawford, played by Jonathan Hansler (“24 Little Hours”). Crawford is willing to take them in and give them a fresh start, doing work around the property, so long as they follow some rather strict rules. Hansler shines in the film, especially as he peels back the layers of Crawford’s somber backstory, his ties to the trailer park, and the ‘people’ who live there. Here, we find the heart of the film, which explores themes of family ties, gratitude, and the lengths people will go to hold onto and protect the ones they love.
Once in the trailer park, we quickly learn that Crawford is the caretaker for more than just the park; he’s the caretaker for an entire community of vampires born of a series of unfortunate events years earlier. Director Sean Cronin does some double duty here, also starring as Madison, the acting leader of this vampire coven that has relied on Crawford to keep their existence a secret. We also learn that Crawford taking the couple in is part of a plan for the long-term survival of the park residents. And of course, to keep the couple there, we’re also reminded that “Bogieville” vampires can smell when it’s your time of the month, something foreshadowed earlier in the film when Jody packs tampons before skipping out on rent. Once Jody starts, the park residents have her scent, and there’s nowhere to hide.
The film’s trailer makes it look like an action-packed vampire flick, but in reality, it’s about a community of vampires, the tribes within that community, and the trials and tribulations they face to remain undetected and survive. In this way, I found “Bogieville” to be a refreshing take on the vampire flick, as it focused on the hardships of being a monster with an element of humanity, rather than focusing exclusively on the human survival aspect.
Most of the action seen in the trailer arrives by the third act, and unfortunately, the outcomes make a lot of the themes that made you care about some of the characters and their backstories all for naught.
Overall, despite not being anything like what I expected, I enjoyed “Bogieville” and appreciate what Cronin did with a nominal budget of around $300,000, especially regarding the look of the vampires and special effects. The film suffers from some pacing issues due to its trying to balance the story of Ham and Jody, the vampire storyline, and the small town Sheriff and Coroner trying to figure out what’s eating the townsfolk all at the same time. I think this also hurts the narrative a bit. Ultimately, I think most horror movie fans who are into vampires should give this one a shot.
“Bogieville” is available now on VOD via Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home, among other premium digital channels.
