Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

My Best Friend Is a Vampire Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 27, 2023

When scenarist Tab Murphy, after having submitted what were evidently countless screenplays to studios which were rejected outright, was tasked by his agent to finally write something commercial that someone might actually be interested in, you know, buying, Murphy had the sudden brainstorm that while there had been both I Was a Teenage Werewolf and I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (both in 1957), there had never been I Was a Teenage Vampire. While this film went through a few interstitial title changes, that teenage vampire concept is the underlying conceit of this kind of sweetly funny enterprise. The film came out during a spate of so-called teen sex comedies, and not so coincidentally this film actually opens with a dream sequence which sees a sexually aroused nerd named Jeremy Capello (Robert Sean Leonard, pre-Dead Poets Society) having a horrifying vision of first being more or less seduced by a number of scantily clad young women only to be ultimately thrown to the ground and accosted by a harridan nun, evidently channeling Lorena Bobbitt or something like that, with a very large pair of scissors. And the whole vampirism aspect is actually "achieved" with another at least attempted sexual liaison Jeremy ends up having with an older woman named Nora (Cecilia Peck).

If films like Vampire's Kiss attempted to ply an "is he or isn't he?" ambiguity to whether or not someone actually is/was a vampire, this film has no such pretensions, and it's actually probably better for it. Instead, there's an undeniably sitcom-ish aspect to Jeremy having been "turned" by one of those iconic bites to the neck, and then having to contend with being both a hormonal teenager and a "creature of the night". The result is actually surprisingly sly at times, helped by a screenplay that thankfully knows how ridiculous the underlying plot conceit is, and simply goes for whatever laughs it can with the premise.

There's some felicitous casting in the film that is actually mentioned in some of the supplements as having attained some "meta" meaning after the fact, as Fannie Flagg is on hand as Jeremy's worried mother, in a role that was evidently originally slated to be played by Kathy Bates. When another, evidently more career boosting, role was offered Bates, she asked to be released, agreeing to stay in a much smaller part, though of course she would later go on to have one of her most memorable roles be in Fried Green Tomatoes, which of course owes its very existence to Fannie Flagg. One way or the other, Flagg is amusing as a mother who is, suffice it to say, worried that her son is something completely different from a vampire.

Other humor is derived from two of the many supporting players, David Warner and Paul Willson, as McCarthy and Grimsdyke, a kind of Keystone Kops version of Van Helsing (and partner?). René Auberjonois offers some fun moments as a vampire named Modoc who appears to help mentor Jeremy into his new lifestyle. The basic "conflict" boils down to a two handed approach, with one hand being Warner and Willson out to rid the world of vampires, and the other one being Jeremy attempting to come to terms with how he's going to get Darla (Cheryl Pollak), the girl of his dreams, in his present state.

The result is not especially innovative or provocative, but it's unusually sweet natured and generally quite genially amusing. As alluded to above, this almost has the feeling of being a pilot for a sitcom, and so it has any number of rote "type" characters, but that at least provides a baseline of familiarity that allows some of the comedy to proceed without a bunch of unnecessary setup.

My Best Friend Is a Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

My Best Friend is a Vampire is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films' Vestron Video Collector's Series imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. As tends to be the case with these Vestron Video Blu-ray releases, there's not a wealth of technical information imparted other than "digitally restored". While somewhat variable in quality at times (more about that in a moment), in the many brightly lit outdoor moments, this transfer pops quite winningly, with a healthy palette, generally great detail levels, and an organically resolving grain field. There are other moment in both interior and exterior locations where the color timing seems to skew slightly toward the yellow and/or green end of things, and there are a couple of passing dimly lit moments that can look pretty rough, with a splotchy, relatively undetailed, appearance. Age related wear and tear is really rather minimal, though tiny blemishes can still be spotted.

My Best Friend Is a Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

My Best Friend is a Vampire features DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options. The surround track provides a decidedly more immersive experience, both in terms of ambient environmental effects but probably even more especially with regard to a source cue suffused soundtrack, one which has a noticeably more energized midrange and low end on the 5.1 track. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.

My Best Friend Is a Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with director Jimmy Huston and film historian Nathaniel Thompson


• A Most Alternative Lifestyle (HD; 19:03) is a fun joint interview with writer and associate producer Tab Murphy and production executive Ken Aguado.


• Gabbing with Grimsdyke (HD; 12:28) is an enjoyable interview with actor Paul Willson.


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:38)


• Teaser Trailer (HD; 1:28)


• Still Gallery (HD; 6:26)

Additionally, a digital copy is included and packaging features a slipcover.

My Best Friend Is a Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Some of the supplements get into the nascent days of Kings Road Entertainment, which at the time of this production had just burst upon the scene with All of Me, and was looking to cement their status with another major hit. Kind of hilariously, Kings Road's website has a list of its properties which are "available for remakes", including this film. My Best Friend is a Vampire turned out not to be a box office bonanza, but looking back on it now, it's a sweet if slight film that offers some fun moments and winning performances. This release isn't stuffed to the gills with supplements like some of the other Vestron Video outings, but the supplements that are here are quite enjoyable, and technical merits are generally solid as well. Recommended.