Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat

“The road to Purgatory is paved with good intentions, and Count Mardulak (David Carradine) wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s seeking atonement for centuries of human carnage, which is why he’s instructed Purgatory’s vampire residents to slather on SPF 100 sunblock, pursue daytime activities…and drink only synthetic blood. But some vampires don’t agree with Mardulak – they want the real thing – and if that means wooden bullets flying in a vampire civil war, so be it! This wild horror-comedy also stars Bruce Campbell, Maxwell Caulfield, M. Emmet Walsh, and John Ireland.”

The Vampire and Western genres are two that don’t often mix, but when they do, you’re sure to see some interesting things. Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat, one of the last in a long line of flops from Vestron, has since gained a cult following, a perfect addition to the Vestron Video Collector’s Series from Lionsgate, digitally restored on Blu-ray for the first time.

The story revolves around a small mining town in the middle of the desert owned by vampires, who keep up appearances from outsiders by occupying local diners and gas stations, while the primary purpose is the operation of a synthetic blood factory that could change the way vampires live forever. When the machinery in the factory breaks down, an engineer who designed the process, David (Jim Metzler) along with his wife Sandy (Deborah Foreman) and their daughters are invited to the small town of Purgatory to fix the problem. Unbeknownst to them, an old rival had unsuccessfully attempted the repairs, and was turned into a vampire, and he’s not about to let the woman who got away once, get away again. This story intertwines with a vampire civil war, and a score to settle from Count Mardulak’s past.

Quite honestly, the story side of things is a mess. First and foremost, it’s hard to get a grasp on who the main characters are you are supposed to be rooting for. While the David, Sandy and children storyline seems to be the most prevalent at the beginning of the film, it’s forgotten pretty quickly once Count Mardulak shows up and the vampire civil war begins to gain traction. There are also story elements that are introduced but not really explored, like one of the children possibly belonging to Shane. So much information and so many storylines are crammed in there just isn’t much time to flesh out characters or deliver on established ideas. One such storyline, although hilarious, is the journey of Bruce Campbell’s character. It suffers from lack of focus, but is one of the better aspects of the film.

Another lack of focus or clear universe building rules that are established is people getting turned into vampires. You’re supposed to think this is a bad thing, right? From all the vampire lore, which is followed basically to the letter in this film, you basically die right then and there and are damned for all eternity. Yet, there are ‘good guys’ that are turned to fight on the side of Count Mardulak. This ‘good’ side of the vampire civil war is fighting so vampires don’t have to drink the blood of humans any more or murder people for food. Isn’t that just being human? For those that were turned just as a means to an end and for the conflict and have to live forever with the consequences, I’d be pretty upset if I were one of these characters. It’s just one example of how jumbled a mess the story actually is, and how poorly it’s written.

Although it does lack focus, the dedication at combining the two genres is admirable. I think the film forgets that it’s a western at times, but when that part of the genre comes through, they really lean into it hard. It can make for some fun sequences, but there is a lot of missed opportunities to truly combine the genres, not just to establish that all guns are firing wooden bullets and from that point it’s just a regular shootout.

Despite being limited in almost every way, the film has gained somewhat of a cult following. It’s absurd, but as I said, can be quite fun if you leave all reason and logic behind.

Video

The film is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.35:1. The transfer looks quite nice for the most part, barring a few inconsistencies in detail, depending on the sequence. The majority of the outside sequences in the daytime are very clear and detailed, providing an excellent example of bright and vivid colors the film can achieve. Some of the darker sequences vary in quality, but overall the film looks good for it’s first time on Blu-ray.

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. This 2.0 track sounds fine for what it is. Although it won’t dazzle with surround effects, dialogue comes through clear and concise amidst the rest of the audio and score.

Special Features

Some great extras on this Vestron release. The 21^st release in the Vestron Collector’s Series, it features a slipcover with the same artwork on the case, as well as a digital copy, something that is recent with these Vestron releases.

• Audio Commentary with Director Anthony Hickox and Director of Photography Levie Isaacks
• Isolated Score Selections and Audio Interviews with Music Historian Randall Larson and Producer Jefferson Richard
• Interviews:
  • “Wild Weird West” – An Interview with Director Anthony Hickox
  • “Bloodsuckers from Purgatory” – An Interview with Special Makeup Effects Creator Tony Gardner
  • “Memories of Moab” – An Interview with Actor Bruce Campbell
  • “A Vampire Reformed” – An Interview with Actor David Carradine
  • “A True Character” – An Interview with Actor M. Emmet Walsh
• Theatrical Trailer
• Still Gallery

Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat has a hard time finding its footing, but has some great sequences and elements to the film that make it an enjoyable experience overall. With these new lower price points from the Vestron Collector’s Series, picking these up and giving them a shot make a lot more sense if you’re a fan of the horror genre and the more obscure titles. Pick this one up today!