This week, Patreon supporter Matt Bates, the Black Country Vlogger, brings us Innocent Blood (1992) for our Pain and Pleasure theme -- a film that revels in the push and pull between the two. Innocent Blood (1992) came about in a roundabout way, which is fitting for a film that defies easy categorisation. John Landis had originally been developing a vampire project called Red Sleep -- a wild premise about Las Vegas being run by vampires -- before Warner Bros. passed and handed him a first-time script by Michael Wolk. The film had an entirely different trajectory before Landis came aboard -- Jack Sholder had been set to direct with Lara Flynn Boyle and Dennis Hopper in the leads before creative differences saw all three replaced. Landis cast French actress Anne Parillaud fresh off La Femme Nikita, and filmed primarily in Pittsburgh's Little Italy neighbourhood after a location visit changed his original plan to shoot in Philadelphia. The MPAA initially slapped it with an NC-17, forcing further cuts to secure an R rating. Landis described his vision as "a Hammer film directed by Scorsese." It opened in September 1992 to a modest domestic gross but has since built a devoted cult following among fans of horror-comedy and 90s vampire films.

Find Matt here - https://www.youtube.com/c/blackcountryvlogger

TRAILER GUY PLOT SYNOPSIS

In a world where the streets of Pittsburgh run red... one woman has a code. She is Marie. She is beautiful. She is deadly. And she only eats bad people.

But one night she makes a mistake. She doesn't finish the job. And now the most dangerous mob boss in the city isn't just angry... he is immortal.

Sal Macelli is back from the dead and building a vampire army from organised crime. Marie has no choice but to team up with one increasingly bewildered cop. Because you cannot arrest something that cannot die. And you cannot plea bargain with a monster in an Armani suit.

FUN FACTS ABOUT INNOCENT BLOOD (1992)

• Despite revolving around vampires, the word "vampire" is never once spoken in the film

• Dario Argento, Sam Raimi, Frank Oz, Tom Savini, and Steve Johnson all have cameos

• Scream Queen Linnea Quigley appears as a nurse alongside her then-husband Steve Johnson

• Landis hid his recurring "See You Next Wednesday" joke on a marquee in the film

• The glowing vampire eyes used reflective contact lenses combined with a beam-splitter technique

• A POV flying shot was lifted directly from Dario Argento's Opera -- who also has a cameo

• Chazz Palminteri appears in a supporting role -- a Godfather reunion crossed with The Sopranos

• By 1992, Landis hadn't directed horror since An American Werewolf in London -- an eleven year gap

MUSIC

Checkout the parody music from the show on Spotify ⁠here⁠.

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