🔗 Share this article

The director's recent project may have revitalized the concept of African American undead, but the roots of this subgenre trace back to the Blaxploitation era. Among the most iconic early examples was the 1972 classic Blacula. In that motion picture, the actor's character is bitten by Dracula and burdened with the demeaning name “Blacula.” Originally written as a caricature, Marshall elevated the role into something regal, providing his character an historical origin as Mamuwalde, a proud African prince.

Decades later, Eddie Murphy appeared to draw inspiration from Marshall, deepening his own character's mythology in Wes Craven's take on the Black vampire subgenre: Vampire in Brooklyn. The protagonist Maximillian is a descendant of Dracula whose forebears fled to Egypt, and later to the Bermuda Triangle, after being hunted to the edge of annihilation. Vampire in Brooklyn demonstrates that tales of African American undead can be humorous, frightening, and intellectually stimulating all at once, securing its position in the hall of fame by balancing all three while honoring the subgenre's legacy.

Debuted three decades back on October 27th, 1995, Vampire in Brooklyn is now available on Tubi, making it an essential watch if you want a little comedy with your scares this spooky season.

An Urban Vampire Story

Like Prince Akeem in Coming to America (Murphy's classic from 1988), Maximillian is drawn to New York City. But rather than traveling from a fictional kingdom to Queens, he emerges from the Bermuda Triangle into Brooklyn, aiming to locate and ensure the survival of his undead bloodline with an heir of his clan.

Maximillian arrives in New York aboard a ghost ship whose crew has been inexplicably killed, a nod to Nosferatu. The ship is discovered by ship inspector Silas Green (John Witherspoon) and his nephew Julius Jones (Kadeem Hardison), two of the film's funniest characters. The inspector then observes a dark creature leap from the ship, run into an alley, and transform into a man — reminiscent of the iconic routine from the longer Black or White video. Funky Blaxploitation-style music starts, setting the mood for a film that expertly mixes scares and laughs.

Creative Visions

Recently after his last installment in the iconic horror series, Craven was eager to break from his horror reputation and create a more hybrid genre film (his next film after Vampire in Brooklyn was Scream, which exploited horror tropes for both laughs and real fear). At the same time, Murphy aimed to subvert expectations by diving into a pure scary movie based on Dracula lore. The conflict of those creative goals accounts for the story's detailed beginning of Max's origins and its generally sluggish start. But once the film hits its stride, it opens up to its strengths — like its eclectic cast.

Angela Bassett, as the vampire's love interest, plays police officer Rita Veder, whose relationship with her partner and love interest, detective Justice (the actor), brings a crime-drama edge to the story. One of African American film's most praised actresses, Bassett delivers a commanding performance alongside her co-star, a well-known actor from the time. In the meantime, Murphy spends the majority of the film with Kadeem Hardison, creating a hilarious classic comedy pair as Hardison’s Julius Jones becomes the vampire's minion. (Seeing Julius descend further into his ghoulish role as his skin decays during the movie is a highlight of how the star's comedic style elevates the comedy and horror, even when utilized by the cast).

Dark Seduction

When the two leads meet and the stars finally share the screen, the film hits its stride — the suspense builds, the fear escalates, and their sinister attraction becomes the focus. Max’s plan is to remove all Rita has in her life and then swoop in. He murders her roommate, creates conflict between her and her partner, and even uses Nutty Professor-esque prosthetics to masquerade as a preacher and weaken her beliefs.

As the plot progresses, it becomes more darkly romantic, featuring transformations and discoveries of heritage. This results in a final section packed with seduction, as life and eternal punishment are at stake. The movie concludes with a teaser suggesting a potential sequel, one that might have materialized had the movie performed better. Vampire in Brooklyn earned a moderate financial success and got largely critical reception upon debut. As years passed, it gained popularity as a beloved classic, with reviewers later applauding the filmmaker's work, the electric chemistry the leads, and its clever mix of horror and comedy. The movie flashes moments of brilliance that could have been more prominent had all participants been in agreement on a cohesive approach, rather than delivering the mixed-genre result viewers saw. Still, Vampire in Brooklyn has deservedly secured its place in the history of African American scary movies, an overlooked but impactful film characterized by its daring approach and memorable acting.