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Short Film Showcase: Cold Blood

2011
Dir. Peter Ferris

Shot in and around Belfast last winter, Cold Blood is the second instalment of an unfinished trilogy of short films. It follows the exploits of vampire Elias Mortenson (Peter Ferris) as he travels the world forcefully recruiting vampires under the guise of an acting coach. Working as a stand alone film, Cold Blood hinges on some fertile ideas – particularly in its exploration of the tribulations of a group of young people, unwillingly turned into vampires and attempting to resist their new blood-thirsty instincts (recalling the chilling plight of Claudia from Interview with the Vampire). The makeshift family they create echoes that of the clan in Near Dark – and of course the concept of vampires attempting to reform has been explored in the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Twilight and True Blood.

Aspects of Oliver Twist and Lord of the Flies swirl throughout proceedings as the youngsters are left to fend for themselves. The narrative is a little unclear sometimes, and the pacing muddled – particularly in the numerous scenes featuring the younger cast addressing their dire situation through mainly improvised dialogue. It is hampered slightly by muddied sound quality and issues with lighting – no doubt stemming from its ultra-low budget. The Belfast setting, however, lends the film a gritty feel and several scenes shot with night-vision in which the characters attempt to ‘nocturnalise’ themselves, also provide some creepy imagery. There are a number of rather interesting ideas that are never really fleshed out though – like vampires attempting to cover their tracks by making their bloodbaths look like the result of paramilitary attacks. The deranged opening (a flashback to events in the first film?) features the character of Mortenson claiming his victims in a drama class, and hints at a juicy but never fully realised subtext of how the film industry literally sucks the life out of those desperate to become stars of the screen.
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