Many cinema fans look to the IMDb website to discover who directed or wrote a script for a film, however often the real backstory is often an uncharted path for a flick to be conquered. Therefore, let’s sink some fangs into this unbelievable mess, first the original story was entitled ‘Nightlife,’ which led to writing process from hell. First, Samuel Goldwyn Jr. (The Visitor [1979]) bought the rights but demanded a rewrite to make it more commercially viable, therefore writer Jeffrey Hause dropped out of college and his buddy David Hines joined together to work on a better version. However, somewhere in the process we turned the comedic story about the dangers of rampant sex and scourges that plague society and pulls down humanity while presenting the heroes to battle vampires living in abandoned buildings. They lost the initial intent of a teenage comedy with sexual aspects, something Samuel Goldwyn Production team leader Calvin Yokum enjoyed immensely. At this point it was still two years away from actual production and David was off to get married but a delivered date for script was met with groans and plenty of yelling, producer Dimitri Villard (Hide and Go Shriek [1988]) and tossed the script onto the floor in disgust. Jeffrey was given one last attempt and three months later returned with a better product, almost nothing remained from their story concept, barely any paychecks for two-years’ worth of work (bypass the agent route.)
In late 1984 first time director Howard Storm and his writer Jonathon Roberts reworked the script again, making it fit to the trend in 1985 for the teenage marketable crowd, with a generic formula and nothing standing out from the pack. All three of Jeffrey’s actor recommendations were rejected; The Countess role was written for Elvira and a bookstore role it suggested Vincent Price another scratched. However, the biggest rejection and in hindsight could never see Michael J. Fox portraying the lead actor role of the character Mark. Although the reason, Goldwyn Jr. was thoroughly convinced Fox would never be able to carry a film to box office success, later in July of 1985 Back to the Future earned $388-million and Teen Wolf released in August banked $33-million. Storm took an extraordinary time to film Once Bitten, a production lasting 45-days, leading to a disappointment resulting in theaters with $9.9-million, although of the 5-movies released by Goldwin Entertainment it was the top earner. It earned a firm cult status thanks to the constant airplay on cable television; and condemnation from United States Catholic Conference; and Jim Carrey’s rising star power. Oh, this film has three actors who starred in the famed Friday the 13th franchise, read on to discover who.
Jim Carrey and Lauren Hutton
We, are sadly introduced to a pastel sleeping quarters which appears formerly as an adjacent room to an indoor pool with neon lighting, sort of like Frightmare’s [1983] mausoleum as a beautiful 400-year-old Countess (Lauren Hutton (The Cradle Will Fall [1983])) awakens from her luxury sized coffin by her very stylishness assistant Sebastian (Cleavon Little (Double Exposure [1982])). However, all is not well for her, as she has encountered a problem in the hedonistic world of Los Angeles/Hollywood the lack of a virgin. The story has her seeking a male virgin of age which is needed to bite him three times on his inner thigh by Halloween to keep youthful, strangely two plot holes develop for the observant viewer, two of the vampires in her family are women, so why not prowl them too: a bit sexist. The second hole, she waited all year to complete the task in just using one city, she should be more opportunistic.
Meanwhile we meet Mark Kendall (Jim Carrey (The Bad Batch [2016])), a highly frustrated virgin high school student who is constantly denied by his girlfriend Robin Pierce (Karen Kopins). During a make-out session in Mark’s ice cream truck in a parking lot, he is interrupted by a guy (Dominick Brascia (Friday the 13th: A New Beginning [1985])) who has an ice cream desire. Shortly afterwards Robin denies him again, as Mark wallows in despair the parking lot turn a humping session. The next night his best friends Jamie (Thomas Ballatore) and Russ (Skip Lackey) encourage Mark to cruise to Hollywood, in the hopes of scoring, along the route seeing some of the oddest characters and theater marquee showing Fright Night [1985]; before venturing into Press-A-Date a singles bar. Her vampire clan has tracked and informed the Countess of her freshest prey after their meeting she and Mark venture back to her mansion. An interesting side note there must be a fascination with lamp styles for the set decorator Jerie Kelter (Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives [1986]) since just in the living room there is over 10 lights, in a home for vampires. By the morning Mark us unaware he was bitten and believes he’s no longer a virgin and over the next day he starts bizarre vampiric tendencies. Countess obtains her second transfusion of virgin blood in the dressing room, but she realizes his girlfriend has a strong bond, which serves as competition.
This battle between the Countess and Robin spills over into the high school dance as they compete for Mark’s devotion. However, Robin realizes that he is turning into a true Dracula and seeks out information by heading to an obscure bookstore. I found this to a copied scene from The Howling [1981] but the part was originally written for Vincent Price, though it went to Peter Elbling (Demon Seed [1977]) who has a poor Indian accent which was supposedly done to be funny – it is not. For the final act, Robin is kidnapped to lure Mark back to the mansion for the third bite and has a chase scene as Mark tries to stay out of the Countess’ bite. Herein one will notice the Cabin Boy Vampire (Stuart Charno (Friday the 13th Part 2 [1981])), who’s knocked out by Robin on her way with Mark to engage in kinky sex in a coffin returning him back to a lustful man foiling the evil intentions of the Countess. She ages to an old bitter woman yet still alive.
Jim Carrey as Lame Vampire Look
Either another plot hole or an option for a sequel, Russ and Jamie who accompanied Mark in the rescue of Robin are seduced by the two female vampires, of which one was Moll Flanders (Carey More (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter [1984])) their fates were left ambiguous.
The movie had a lot of strange choices for tone and style throughout the first, the oddest had to be the drive into Hollywood with guys looking for girls. It was showcased as a hip and glamorous place, with one supermodel woman walking a lion and later ‘model shoot’ on the Sunset Strip while pretending to be at the beach, the actual location was only a few miles away. I believe most horror fans could name two things about vampires what we expect for the crypt and their look, herein the countess rests in neon pascal crypt and her homes are some sort of port modernistic furniture with plenty of large windows. Carrey must hold the award for the lamest looking Vampire ever, as the special effects team transforms him his hair slicked back and wearing all black, oh wow! Sadly, a lot from the original never was in the final product and filmed scenes of many vampires eating live cockroaches as cut, sorry fellow sickos.
Lauren Hutton, Cleavon Little, Jeb Stuart Adams, Carey More and Joseph Brutsman
Well, there you have it folks a comedy that isn’t funny or scary. Otherwise, it’s a harmless goofy story which begs to ask was Mark the last virgin in Los Angeles, Jamie seems to be thoroughly unable to ‘score.’ The farce of teenagers and troublesome topic of sex, as well some offensive stereotypical unfunny moments pull down Carrey’s horror film debut, yet it is classic to watch his dance moves, otherwise see it once and skip it.
TAGLINES:
- Mark Kendall just found out that his one-night stand has been around for centuries.
- A one-night stand with eternal complications!
- A tasty comedy.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089730/
IMDb Rating: 5.6/10
Baron’s Rating: 4.5/10