Embrace of the Vampire

Released in 1995 during what can only be descried as actress Alyssa Milano's naughty phase, Embrace of the Vampire was one of a handful of movies Milano starred in to shake-up her image, leave the role of Samantha Micelli from Who's the Boss behind, and move forward into more adult roles.

Even as a B-movie erotic thriller Embrace of the Vampire is far from successful. The goofy attempt at serious melancholy vampire story is far less memorable than the amount of skin the actress flashed in the film.

Milano stars as Charlotte, a 17 year-old college freshman nearing her 18th birthday on which she plans to lose her virginity to her boyfriend (Harold Pruett). Her world is shaken by a vampire (Martin Kemp) who believes Charlotte to be the reembodied soul of his lost love. The vampire begins invading the dreams and subconscious of the young woman opening her up sexually and trying to draw her into his web.

During this sexual awakening Charlotte's behavior becomes erratic, including a little lesbian experimentation with an older woman (Charlotte Lewis), causing concern for both her boyfriend and friends (Rachel True, Jordan Ladd). The film ends with Charlotte's love for her boyfriend being too strong for the vampire to break who is forced to slink back into the darkness from which he appeared.

Had the film not cast a child star who has continued acting and remained in the public eye her entire life odds are Embrace of the Vampire would have been completely forgotten. Because of Milano, and the amount of nudity required for the role, the film has found some acceptance from the actress' fans.

Directed by Anne Goursaud, who would team-up again with Milano to put another nail in her childhood acting career with Poison Ivy II, the movie is stuck with a wide range of questionable performances and a ridiculously over-the-top (but neither campy nor fun) vampire that makes it hard to take seriously (which, despite the set-up, is what the movie needs the audience to do).

Charlotte's journey itself has moments, and Milano certainly doesn't shy away from the script's demands of her for this performance, but with the script constantly jumping from sexual awakening to ridiculous vampire film to teen exploitation the result is an inconsistent (although occasionally very sexy) mess.

[Anchor Bay, Blu-ray $19.99]