Stunningly restored and rescanned in 4K, Jake West’s cult British vampire film rises from the grave looking fresher than ever.
Lilith Silver (Eileen Daly) is an immortal vampire living in ‘90s London, killing (literally!) two birds with one stone by working as an elite assassin. Her livelihood (and life) is threatened when a group of vampire Illuminati kidnap her boss and lover, Platinum (Kevin Howarth). Further complications arise when she finds out the head of the Illuminati is the vampire who turned her, Sethane Blake (a brilliantly sinister turn from Christopher Adamson). All that, and she has to deal with the attention of the law.
The film’s already a cult favourite, and this 4K restoration bolsters its reputation and looks absolutely fabulous. Director Jake West has painstakingly cleaned up the original 16mm print, and the results are extraordinary. For those who’ve only seen the VHS or DVD releases, you’ll see the movie in a whole new light. Sure, it’s still a low-budget British flick, and as such has some shortfalls, but it totally holds up in terms of both story and execution. The cinematography is impressive, with plenty of low-angle shots, but the star of the show is Dena Costello’s costumes. Eileen Daly became iconic in her rubber jumpsuits, and that stylishness is present throughout, with plenty of long leather coats and knee-high boots. It’s a very self-aware film, with Lilith hanging out with the goths of the London scene, who haven’t a clue about the real bloodsuckers in their midst. A welcome appearance from genre legend David Warbeck adds more gravitas.
The 4K Blu-ray release comes packed with extras. The feature-length documentary Vampires Forever is worth the price of admission on its own. It charts British vampire culture that seemed prevalent in the ‘90s, and it touches on areas other docs don’t even think of, with plenty of talking heads who actually know what they’re on about rather than spouting the usual BS. Other extras focus on the making of the film, naturally, as well as the restoration process and various other interesting items. With over nine hours of bonus footage, there’s plenty to get your teeth into.
RAZOR BLADE SMILE is available on 4K Blu-ray from Nucleus Films on April 20th.
