WiseRatFlames An unexpected masterpiece

Bergorks If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

jessegehrig I have seen this movie, I own this movie, this movie sucks. That this movie sucks, it's not a bad thing, hey it's OK sh*tty movie it's not your fault, somebody made you a piece of crap. Why I like this movie is cause if I'm playing scrabble or something and I want the TV on , Subspecies is a perfect fit, put that garbage on and enjoy. This movie is done by Full Moon Productions, they make amazing just absolute garbage movies, it's like I'm not sure if they want to specifically make awful movies or this is merely like a continuing series of mistakes, movie after movie after movie. If crap is what you are into then WOW did you luck out, you just hit the jackpot!

Scott LeBrun An effective enough vampire tale from Charles Band's Full Moon productions, this has the benefit of being shot on location in Romania, which gives it the kind of truly "stuck in the past", atmospheric feeling inherent to such European locales. Anders Hove plays the incredibly creepy main character Radu, an animal like vampire highly reminiscent of Max Schreck's Count Orlok, with striking long fingered hands. Radu has obtained the Bloodstone, an ancient relic that drips the blood of the saints, and he's addicted to drinking from this thing. Setting his sights on a trio of lovely young female students doing research on the local folklore, he's opposed by his half brother Stefan (Michael Watson), a much nicer vampire. Written by Jackson Barr and David Pabian, based on an idea by Band, and directed by Ted Nicolaou, this is very straight faced stuff and can be taken quite seriously, with a somber mood established right from the beginning. The local colour is extremely effective, with the music score (credited to five people!) giving the proceedings just the right touch. It's sometimes sinister, sometimes touching and romantic, yet does have an air of tragedy to it. The makeup effects by Greg Cannom are well done, and David Allen supplies the stop motion animated title characters. It's hard to feel much sympathy for the three girls - Mara (Irina Movila), Michele (Laura Mae Tate), and Lillian (Michelle McBride) - as they often act pretty senseless (then again, many horror movies would play out quite differently if they didn't have such characters). The actors are okay, for the most part; it's definitely the Danish actor Hove (recommended for this movie by co-star Watson, with whom he'd worked on the soap opera 'General Hospital') that takes centre stage, and he's quite good, giving his villain a real feral quality, not so much speaking his dialogue as hissing it. Genre icon Angus Scrimm, sporting a funny, ridiculous wig, is written out of the movie much too quickly; it would have been nice to see a little more of him. Incidentally, the amusing little title creatures, created out of Radu's blood, really don't have much to do in this story, not as much as naming the movie after them would seem to indicate. But this is still an entertaining enough low budget effort; Nicolaou and Hove would both return for all three sequels. Seven out of 10.

Paul Andrews Subspecies is set in Romania where two American college students Michele (Laura Mae Tate) & Lillian (Michelle McBride) arrive to study local folklore with the aid of local friend Mara (Irina Movila). There they rent rooms in a hotel & become curious about the mysterious ruins of a nearby castle, it turns out that a powerful & evil Vampire named Radu (Anders Hove) lives there who has stolen the Bloodstone from his father King Vladislav (Angus Scrimm). Radu takes a fancy to the three girls & starts drinking the blood of Mara & Lillian, meanwhile Michele falls for a guy named Stefan (Michael Watson) who just so happens to be Radu's brother. Michele & Stefan decide to team up & rid the world of the evil Radu...Directed by Ted Nicolaou this film seems to be quite highly regarded amongst genre fans & while it's not terrible I certainly wouldn't call it very good & I could't really see anything much to get excited about. Subspecies is a rather slow going film, not that much actually happens & while it does try to stay close to certain classic Vampire lore there's all this nonsense about a Bloodstone & some little monsters that grow from the tips of Radu's severed fingers for some reason. Subspecies could have been a half decent film if not for the fact that it's dull, I really can't remember that much about it, good or bad. The character's are alright but some f the dialogue is silly & there's a scene which bugged me near the start when the girls are at the castle ruins & one says they have to go because it's getting dark yet it's still clearly the middle of the day & very bright. There's also a scene where one of the American girls finds a coffin that hotel's attic & doesn't really seem that bothered by it, I am not being funny but is some bloke whose house I was staying at had a coffin in his attic I would be very, very worried if you know what I mean. I don't think I would ever want to watch it again, there's no real threat, the plot is weak that mixes classic Vampire themes with silly subplots & I was distinctly unmoved by it all. Not the worst film ever but hardly the best either.The film looks alright with nice locations & some local scenery although you feel the look is down to the budget rather than the makers attempt a authenticity. There's not much gore apart from a decapitation & some broken off finger tips. For no apparent reason the makers throw in some average looking stop-motion animated monsters that really don't do anything or have much significance to the story.Filmed on the cheap by Charles Band's Full Moon Entertainment production company in Bucharest in Romania, the production values are alright & better than many later day Band productions. The acting isn't great with many of the cast putting in below par performances while genre regular Angus Scrimm has a small cameo at the start. There's a little bit of style here on occasion with a few scene reminding heavily of the original Nosferatu (1922) in particular the bit showing Radu's shadow coming down the stair with his long claw like fingernails standing out.Subspecies is a film that many seem to like for reasons I don't quite see, I thought it was throughly average at best & overall rather dull. Followed by Bloodstone: Subspecies II (1993), Bloodlust: Subspecies III (1994), Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm (1998) & the spin0off film Vampire Journals (1997).

gavin6942 King Vladislav (Angus Scrimm) of Romania is a vampire, but a vampire of light who wants nothing more than to live in peace and harmony with mankind. But his son, Radu (Anders Hove), is a cruel creature to his very heart (which is pretty obvious as soon as you see him). Three lesbian students have come to study local folklore, but find themselves drawn into the vampires legends at just the wrong time: Vladislav has been killed.Who can say anything bad about a film featuring a cameo from Angus Scrimm? Not me. I mean, I had some low expectations after seeing other Full Moon pictures ("Puppet Master" in particular, and "Demonic Toys"). But despite the really bad animated effects of the demons, this film was actually really well done and very fun to watch. Plenty of blood, a good plot and back story (the Bloodstone story was surprisingly refreshing) and even some new angles on the vampire mythos, which you would think would be dead by now. (Maybe I am wrong, but this is probably the first film to feature rosary beads being fired from a gun.) Aside from vampires and blood, you get a share of nudity (gratuitous, but welcome) and I had to notice the excellent score from the composers (not sure who deserves credit, but those involved include Stuart Brotman, Richard Kosinski, William Levine, Michael Portis and John Zeretzka). This is Horror 101 all the way. Heck, you even get two sequels, which is the sign of a true horror film. (Of course, some bad films get sequels, too -- did I mention "Puppet Master"?) The Romanian theme was well-done, and the film even seems to have been made by Romanians if I am guessing their name origins correctly. And the score -- the music -- really stood out for me as a nice change of pace, very mood-setting. I like Richard Band, but I am glad another composer was given a shot because he nailed the atmosphere on the head. If you like vampire films and want a slight variation (one of the Eastern European variety), this is worth seeing.