Unearth a forgotten gem of 1980s horror with Len Anthony's Vampires, also known as Abadon. This cult classic delivers a unique and bizarre twist on the vampire genre, blending elements of supernatural horror with a mad scientist premise. Set within the eerie confines of a secluded private art school in New England, the film stars Duane Jones (of Night of the Living Dead fame) as Dr. Harmon, an occult investigator, and Jackie James as the sinister headmistress, Madeline Abadon.
When a bright scholarship student, Ione (Orly Benyar), arrives at the Abadon School, she soon discovers a dark secret lurking beneath its prestigious facade. Students are mysteriously disappearing, and a palpable sense of unease hangs in the air. It's revealed that the school's headmistress is using a bizarre machine, created by her deceased scientist husband, to drain the life energy from the young female students in a horrifying quest for immortality.
As Ione delves deeper into the school's disturbing history and the strange occurrences, she encounters Dr. Harmon, who unveils the terrifying truth about Madeline Abadon's energy-sucking experiments. Can they stop the immortal headmistress and her life-draining device before more students fall victim to her vampiric science?
"Vampires" offers a heavy dose of 80s schlock cinema, complete with campy moments, a distinctive synth-heavy soundtrack, and a thought-provoking, albeit unconventional, take on the vampire mythos. This low-budget horror film is a must-see for fans of unconventional horror, energy vampire stories, and those who appreciate the unique flavor of direct-to-video cult movies from the decade of excess. Experience the chilling suspense and surreal atmosphere of Len Anthony's "Vampires"!
About Len Anthony's Vampires
Len Anthony's Vampires, released in 1986 (also sometimes listed as 1988), is a horror film that offers a peculiar spin on the traditional vampire narrative. Instead of relying on bloodlust, the movie centers around the concept of energy vampires created through scientific means.
The story unfolds at a private girls' art school called Abadon, where the headmistress, Madeline Abadon, uses a machine to extract the life force or energy from her students. This bizarre procedure is her method of achieving immortality. The film follows a new scholarship student who uncovers these sinister activities with the help of an occult investigator.
Key elements of the film include its low-budget production, the presence of Duane Jones in one of his final roles, and its distinct 1980s aesthetic, characterized by synthesizer music and a somewhat campy tone. It's considered a cult film due to its unusual premise and execution.
Notably, Vampires was initially intended to be the second segment of a horror anthology film called Fright House. However, it was later released as a standalone feature and sometimes paired with Fright House on VHS under the latter title. The film, also known as Abadon, presents a unique blend of science fiction and horror, deviating from traditional vampire lore to explore themes of immortality, energy transfer, and mad science.
50 Similar DVDs
Here are 50 DVDs that share thematic elements, genre, or tone with Len Anthony's Vampires. This list includes a mix of traditional vampire films, 80s horror, low-budget cult classics, and movies with similar "energy draining" or mad scientist themes:
Night of the Living Dead (1968) - Classic low-budget horror starring Duane Jones.
Fright House (1989) - The anthology that Vampires was originally part of.
Near Dark (1987) - A stylish and gritty vampire film from the 80s.
The Lost Boys (1987) - Teen horror with a vampire twist, iconic 80s.
Lifeforce (1985) - Sci-fi horror with energy-draining alien vampires.
Vamp (1986) - Horror-comedy with bloodsucking creatures.
Fright Night (1985) - Teen horror where a neighbor is a vampire.
Evil Dead II (1987) - Campy and gory horror sequel.
Re-Animator (1985) - Mad scientist horror with dark humor.
From Beyond (1986) - Another bizarre horror film from the Re-Animator team.
Society (1989) - Body horror with a strange social commentary.
Brain Damage (1988) - A parasitic creature controls its host.
Basket Case (1982) - Low-budget horror about a deformed conjoined twin.
Street Trash (1987) - Gross-out horror with melting victims.
Frankenhooker (1990) - Horror-comedy about reanimating a prostitute.
Class of 1984 (1982) - Exploitation film set in a troubled school.
Troma's War (1988) - Low-budget, over-the-top action-horror.
Toxic Avenger (1984) - Another classic from Troma Entertainment.
Chopping Mall (1986) - Killer robots in a shopping mall.
Manhunter (1986) - Psychological thriller with horror elements.
Hellraiser (1987) - Clive Barker's iconic horror film.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - Slasher with a supernatural killer.
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) - Slasher revival with supernatural elements.
Prince of Darkness (1987) - John Carpenter's supernatural horror.
They Live (1988) - Sci-fi horror with social commentary.
The Blob (1988) - Remake of the classic sci-fi horror.
Bad Taste (1987) - Peter Jackson's low-budget splatter film.
Braindead (1992) - Jackson's extremely gory zombie comedy.
Sleepaway Camp (1983) - Cult classic slasher film.
The Evil Dead (1981) - Sam Raimi's original horror masterpiece.
Phantasm (1979) - Surreal and bizarre horror film.
Videodrome (1983) - David Cronenberg's body horror exploring media.
Scanners (1981) - Cronenberg's film about people with psychic powers.
Rabid (1977) - Another Cronenberg film with a vampiric element.
Martin (1977) - George A. Romero's realistic take on vampirism.
Blacula (1972) - Blaxploitation horror with a vampire.
Scream Blacula Scream (1973) - Sequel to Blacula.
Ganja & Hess (1973) - Experimental vampire film.
The Hunger (1983) - Stylish vampire film with David Bowie.
Interview with the Vampire (1994) - Gothic vampire drama.
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) - Francis Ford Coppola's lavish adaptation.
Blade (1998) - Action-horror with a vampire hunter.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) - Teen comedy-horror with vampires.
Subspecies (1991) - Low-budget vampire film series.
Nadja (1994) - Indie vampire film with Elina Löwensohn.
Cronos (1993) - Guillermo del Toro's vampire film.
The Addiction (1995) - Philosophical vampire film.
Dark City (1998) - Neo-noir sci-fi with energy-draining aliens.
Hardware (1990) - Cyberpunk horror with a killer robot.
Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989) - Japanese cyberpunk body horror.