Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Fans of the 1995 movie Clueless would probably be a little giddy over this reteaming of director Amy Hecklerling and star Alicia Silverstone. However, the new "comedy" Vamps is a full-on Monet -- from far away, it's OK, but up close, it's a big old mess.

Heckerling catches the tail end of the vampire trend, casting Silverstone alongside Krysten Ritter (TV's Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) as Goody and Stacy, two besties who also happen to be vampires. The two spend their nights working as exterminators, sucking the blood out of rats, and partying a little in between. As Goody says, however, "staying young is getting old." So, the two go out looking for love -- and one even shacks up with a Van Helsing. As if!

Vamps certainly has a great cast and is filled with nods to Heckerling's other films, including Clueless and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. However, thanks to horrible special effects and horrible dialogue, Vamps just kind of bites.

The Picture

The vampire theme and a low budget seems to have sucked a little of the life out of this 1.78:1 transfer. It's decent, but not without faults. Our two main characters come off looking like heroine addicts, which is probably the point. However, the rest of the palette just seems a little off and there's noise sprinkled throughout. Vamps looks great for a 20-year-old movie; unfortunately, though, it's brand new.

The Sound

Despite the vampire theme, Vamps is pretty mellow, focusing mainly on the dialogue. This release's lone Dolby TrueHD track is fine overall. The dialogue sounds is clear and there's some club sounds, group chatter and music that pop into the surrounds on occasion. It's nothing special, but it's fine for what's needed here.

The Extras

You'd think that with all of the history between Alicia Silverstone and Amy Heckerling, there would be a commentary, a featurette or something about how and why the two got back together. There's nothing about the two, the rest of the cast or the production. There isn't even a trailer for the film.

Final Thoughts

This film debuted in theaters about a week before the Blu-ray release. No, seriously; Anchor Bay didn't waste any time -- well, except yours. The Blu-ray is fair at best, but the movie is filled with a series of wasted opportunities. Vamps will surely drive a stake through the heart of any Clueless fans out there.

Product Details

• Actors: Alicia Silverstone, Krysten Ritter, Dan Stevens, Richard Lewis, Wallace Shawn, Justin Kirk, Kristen Johnston, Malcolm McDowell
• Director: Amy Heckerling
• Audio/Languages: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English)
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating: PG-13
• Studio: Anchor Bay
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: November 13, 2012
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• List Price: $24.99