🔗 Share this article

Ryan Coogler's latest project may have breathed new life into the concept of Black vampires, but the origins of this subgenre date back to the Blaxploitation era. One of the most iconic early examples was the seminal 1972 movie Blacula. In that film, the actor's role is bitten by Dracula and burdened with the insulting name “Blacula.” Originally written as a stereotype, the performer elevated the role into something regal, giving his figure an historical origin as Mamuwalde, a noble royal from Africa.

Years afterward, Eddie Murphy seemed to take inspiration from Marshall, deepening his own protagonist's lore in Wes Craven's take on the Black vampire subgenre: Vampire in Brooklyn. The protagonist Maximillian is a descendant of Dracula whose forebears escaped to Egypt, and later to the Bermuda Triangle, after being hunted to the brink of extinction. Vampire in Brooklyn demonstrates that Black vampire stories can be humorous, terrifying, and intellectually stimulating all at once, securing its position in the canon by juggling all three while honoring the subgenre's legacy.

Released three decades back on Oct. 27, 1995, Vampire in Brooklyn is currently streaming on a popular platform, making it an essential watch if you need a little comedy with your scares this spooky season.

A Tale of Two Cities

Like Prince Akeem in Coming to America (Murphy's classic from 1988), Maximillian is pulled to the Big Apple. But rather than traveling from a fictional kingdom to Queens, he arrives from the Bermuda Triangle into Brooklyn, aiming to locate and ensure the continuation of his vampire lineage with an offspring of his tribe.

The character makes his entrance in New York on a phantom vessel whose sailors has been mysteriously slaughtered, a nod to Nosferatu. The vessel is found by harbor official Silas Green (the comedian) and his relative Julius Jones (Kadeem Hardison), two of the most humorous personalities in the movie. Silas then observes a black wolf jump from the ship, dart into an alley, and transform into a man — like Michael Jackson's Panther Dance from the extended Black or White video. Funky Blaxploitation-style music kicks in, setting the mood for a movie that handily balances scares and laughs.

Directorial Ambitions

Fresh off his final entry in the Nightmare on Elm Street series, the director was keen to move beyond his scary movie image and make a more blended comedy (his next film after Vampire in Brooklyn was Scream, which exploited horror tropes for both laughs and genuine scares). Meanwhile, the star wanted to subvert expectations by diving into a pure scary movie based on vampire mythology. The clash of those creative goals explains the story's detailed beginning of the protagonist's backstory and its somewhat slow commencement. But when the film clicks into high gear, it opens up to its assets — like its eclectic cast.

The acclaimed actress, as the object of Maximillian’s affection, plays police officer Rita Veder, whose dynamic with her colleague and romantic lead, detective Justice (Allen Payne), brings a procedural element to the story. Among Black cinema’s most praised actresses, she delivers a powerful acting with Payne, a well-known actor from the era. Meanwhile, the lead spends most of his screen time with his comedic partner, forming a hilarious Abbott-and-Costello-style duo as Hardison’s Julius Jones becomes Max’s undead lackey. (Watching Julius sink deeper and deeper into his macabre part as his skin decays during the movie is a standout moment of how the star's comedic style elevates the humor and fear, even when employed by the cast).

Supernatural Romance

When the two leads meet and Murphy and Bassett appear together, the film reaches its peak — the suspense builds, the scares intensify, and their sinister attraction becomes the focus. Max’s plan is to remove everything Rita has in her life and then swoop in. He kills her roommate, drives a wedge in between her and her partner, and even uses Nutty Professor-esque prosthetics to disguise himself as a clergyman and weaken her faith.

As the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly Gothic, including metamorphoses and discoveries of heritage. This results in a final section filled with temptation, as mortality and damnation are at stake. The film concludes with a stinger suggesting a possible follow-up, one that could have happened had the movie been more successful. Vampire in Brooklyn made a modest box office return and got largely critical reception upon debut. As years passed, it gained popularity as a cult favorite, with reviewers later praising Craven’s direction, the electric chemistry Murphy and Bassett, and its sharp blend of horror and comedy. The movie shows moments of brilliance that could have been more prominent had all participants been aligned on a cohesive approach, rather than producing the mixed-genre result audiences received. Still, Vampire in Brooklyn has rightfully earned its spot in the history of Black horror, an underappreciated but influential film characterized by its bold style and memorable acting.