Macabre Theatre (TV Series) Renfield the Undead (2011) User Reviews

IT'S A DEATH SENTENCE

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 31 December 2018]

It seems Renfield ( Phil Nichols) is alive and living in Bayou City as a vampire. Two rival vampires want to revive Dracula. Between the three vampire Bayou City has been plague by a butcher and an insect infestation. The cops are looking for the killer, while our rival vampires go at it.

The production was shamelessly filmed on a set that didn't have a lot of props. The acting was bad and at times campy, especially during that Renfield jail fight. The vampire teeth caused our actors to speak with a slight lisp as they couldn't handle the fake dentures.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity

This is awful

[jacobjohntaylor1 · 4/10 · 23 February 2020]

I am some you like horror movies. And I like Dracula movies must of the time. This movie stinks. It is not scary unlike Dracula (1931) or Dracula (1992) or Dracula 2000. This just and awful movie with a awful story line. It also has awful acting.

I am Count Bleh! Velcome to Castle BLEH!! Seriously, don't watch this.

[johnnytbananas · 1/10 · 23 November 2011]

Every good review of this film was written by people who were IN THE FILM and they flag every bad review to get it taken down. Having said that.....

If you love vampire movies, or movies in general, then Renfield: The Undead will leave you feeling sadder than an SPCA commercial. On the other hand, if you like movies that suck so bad you wouldn't watch them with Hitler's eyeballs, then you, sir, are in for a treat. I honestly regret my decision to sit through this orgy of boring nonsense in its entirety. It sucked away my will to live. Is there some way to prematurely induce Alzheimers so I don't have to live with these memories? No amount of morbid curiosity justifies sitting all the way through a movie this bad, and not even Tom Servo and Crow could lighten these proceedings to a bearable level. Imagine, like, two HOURS of an ugly guy giggling manically and pawing at the air. Writer/actor Phil Nichols makes Uwe Boll look like Steven Spielberg, and Renfield: The Undead makes Dracula- Dead and Loving It look like Gone With the Wind. Oh my GAWD, I feel like I'm being punished for liking vampire movies. Why do you hate vampire movie fans, Phil Nichols? Are you trying to show us the error of our ways? As a big-time vampire movie buff I've sat through my fair share of GOD AWFUL crap, but this movie takes the blue ribbon of defeat. It isn't a bad idea to take vampires back to their Gothic horror roots; in fact, under normal circumstances I would welcome the attempt, but this movie fails on every level possible at once. The actors can't act, the writer shouldn't write (OR act, God help us), the computer-rendered sets look like PlayStation 1 cut scenes circa 1995, and the entire premise is a transparent dry-hump of Bram Stoker's classic novel. The plot, and I use that word loosely, consists of a series of ultra-weak vampire fights which are unintentionally hilarious AT BEST.

The rest is all bland, poorly-delivered dialogue and terrible, TERRIBLE British accents. The overall experience is like drinking a warm, flat Dr. Pepper. Renfield: The Undead has got to be one of the all-time worst vampire movies of all time, ever.You know, I think I've wasted enough of my life even talking about Renfield: The Undead. People of Earth, you have been warned. Congratulations Phil Nichols, you have made me seriously consider giving up liking movies AND vampires altogether.

Reinfield a lousy movie

[rui-ribeiro-327-319884 · 1/10 · 26 March 2012]

Watched Reinfield last week, it is frankly a waste of time.

The plot line is loose and confusing at best, if there is any. The opening is confusing too, seeming like a bad remake of Pan's Labyrinth.

The references to Bram stoker's Dracula are cheesy and too weak. The film seems more in line with Rock Horror Show, in spirit, than with Dracula.

The effects are non-existent, the actors weak, and frankly, the movie doesn't help them.

If it is supposed to be a comedy, it doesn't show. They try, but not good enough for my taste.

In short, very bad movie, don't waste your time and money.

Best portrayal of Renfield ever!

[themermaidseawitch · 9/10 · 21 January 2022]

Phil Nichols not only did the special effects make-up, but played the BEST rendition of Renfield ever! Very clever and creative film. I watch a ton of horror and vampire movies, this one is a gem!

"I'm a vampire, dumb-ass!"

[walkingdead-fan50 · 10/10 · 5 November 2011]

I received my copy of Renfield the Undead from Amazon.com, and was super excited to finally see this movie I'd been hearing about for years! I followed all the coverage on Dreadcentral, and also other movies done by the special effects makeup artists from facades fx. This movie was the creation of facades artist Phil Nichols, who wrote, produced, created the special effects and creatures for, as well as taking on the lead role of Renfield, himself. An ambitious thing to do. But it paid off, in my opinion.

I am a big fan of other FX men turned film makers, John Carl Beachler ("TROLL") Tom Savini ("Night of the Living Dead"), Greg Nicotero ("Walking Dead"). Phil Nichols seems to have taken a page from these guys' book, and created a really bad ass vampire comic book universe steeped in Bram Stoker's Dracula story.

As a special effects artist, Phil Nichols work is bad ass!!!!! (It's the only thing that salvaged Boggy Creek!) But as an actor... WOW! Who knew? Man this guy can act! He has the same kind of presence as The late Great Vincent Price, or... even better: Robert Englund (THE REAL FREDDY! Now and forever!). Renfield's madness and maniacal antics mixed with the awesome creature makeup and fx make this move a real feast for the old school Fx fans like me.

And here's something: normally I'm a zombie fan exclusively. I can't stand that slasher crap, masked killers with kitchen knives or big hammers and chainsaws. Yawn. ZOMBIES are the bomb. But, I have to give a nod to Renfield The Undead, for it's really unique style, and a lot of good fun. Dark humor abounds. And A very cool and creepy Dracula played by an actor named John Stephens. And I thought bringing the story into a modern day time was something new and wild. And the cops believing Renfield to be a serial killer, was a nice spin.

Now this movie does have its problems, like any low budget movie. I will say the beginning scene with the large breasts was really gross. And it seemed out of place with the rest of the story. No explanation as to why suddenly a vampire is biting a pregnant chick with big jugs. But there it was. And the actor who played the young twerp vampire sucked at an English accent. I could even hear some Texas twangy in there a few times. Who is that guy anyway?

the chick playing Mina (the bitch vampire leader) over acted a few times. I'm guessing this is all due to the director, who we all know from his suck-fest *S*I*C*K. Despite this, he somehow pulled off a half way decent job of telling this story.

I did like the scenes between Renfield and the city coroner, in Renfield's crypt where he reveals to her his story. How he became a vampire, and basically a flash back of the Dracula story. really cool, as it's back in Victorian times. There's even a lesbian kiss between Mina and Lucy, who according to the end of the movie, will be featured in the sequel.

This movie also features two scream babes from the Texas horror scene: Julin (Spirit Camp, Boggy Creek, Cherry Bomb) and Denise Williamson (Boggy Creek, School Girls from Outer Space, Spirit Camp), and possibly the creepiest Dracula ever.

Some of the cgi backgrounds are really video game looking, but again I attribute this to the low budget and not being able to afford good cgi artists. I can forgive that, because it seems like they spared no expense on the makeup effects! The vampire bites were big ugly gruesome wounds, and there is a KICK ASS decapitation and beheading scene where Renfield pulls a guy's head off with the spine hanging off of it... it's gross city, but so bad ass!

There was even a spider vampire! That was freaky cool! I'd never seen that before, and it was a cool surprise.

I liked this movie a lot, it surprised me how much I did like it. I'm glad I have it in my collection. I was disappointed by the lack of any special features other than the trailer. But maybe they will release a blue ray with behind the scenes special features sometime in the future.

My wish is that Phil Nichols will take on the zombie genre and make a cool zombie flick next! I would love to see what he would do as an Effects artist with zombies! Now that would really be bad ass!

Truly a Blood Good Time!

[creeps-1 · 10/10 · 30 January 2011]

Inside a comic book world...

comic book movie. N. Renfield, the mad slave of the evil vampire Count Dracula, is now himself an insane vampire stalking a modern day metropolis (Bayou City). Known as "The Bayou City Butcher", a serial killer, Renfield is relentlessly pursued by Paul Cranston (Paul Damon), a driven British detective who always gets his man. Renfield is also sought by Mina Harker (Roxy Cook), now a vampire, and her half vampire son Quincy (Tyler Tackett). It is a thrilling game of cat and mouse in which Renfield reveals his ancient history with the vampire lord Dracula, and battles not only the mortals of Bayou City, but the forces of darkness as well.

Directed by Bob Willems (S.I.C.K.), written and produced by and starring in the title role is SFX Master Phil Nichols (Boggy Creek 2010, Walking Distance, Arlington Road, Powder). Featuring amazing Vampire Creature FX and SPFX Make-up by Facades Fx Make-up Lab (Boggy Creek 2010, Walking Distance), and copious amounts of blood, this is no tween-age romp through the roses. This is Buffy meets Blade in a blender! "Renfield: The Un-Dead" is a vampire movie that has fangs! Featuring great creature effects, visuals, action, scares, laughs, and a gripping story of madness, monsters and blood, it is a bloody good time!

Winner of two gold REMI awards at the WORLDFEST-Houston for Horror and Best SFX Makeup, Renfield rises on DVD October 25th!

If you like vampire movies with real bite, this movie is for you! If you like comic book movies this movie is for you! Renfield is the every man's antihero, and he is fun to watch! But don't take my word for it... get your copy and see for yourself!

Bloody good - beware spoilers!

[laesaelea · 10/10 · 10 April 2023]

Spoiler alert! I was lucky enough to watch this movie premiere on my birthday with my Vampire court in Dallas, so I may be biased. But even if I'm biased, I think my review is detailed enough for you to make your own choices.

These are some of my favorite actors and they blend so well in this movie to bring all of the characters to life!

I highly recommend watching this movie if you are a fan of action, horror and comedy. It's also important to note that the film is a psychological thriller too, you have to keep wondering how each character is going to react in their situation with their individual problems and they did a good job of keeping me guessing!

One of the biggest takeaways I had from the movie is that if anyone is experiencing psychological abuse and manipulation, they should seek help and probably distance themselves from the people who are perpetuating the problem.

I was wondering if Dracula would be a good or bad guy being played by Nicholas cage because he can do both! Dracula is most definitely not a good guy in this one, but the way Nicholas played him makes me just want a little more, he's on par with cruella deville and hisoka (from hunterxhunter).

There is a LOT of blood, so much blood that I was sure someone probably slipped on blood on set and probably busted a tailbone. There are a TON of adult themes and I would not recommend for anyone under 18 at all. That being said, plenty of minors have watched horror movies and this one is one of the best if you're just starting out. Why? Because it's not just horror, it has a lot of intentionally funny moments that draw you in, so much relatability to the characters you never thought you would connect with, and plenty of situations you see in daily life, your family and the workplace that make you somewhat invested in the characters.

There were plenty of times I was surprised for the main characters! The scene at the end was so sweet but it left me believing there would DEFINITELY be a part 2 since they left the pitcher ON THE COUNTER! I will definitely be watching this again and I will be buying the movie when it's on DVD. I want to see how Renfield adapts to life after Dracula and then as soon as he's comfortable, BAM guess who's back?! I'd definitely watch a part 2!

Best bad movie I've seen in centuries

[gleasonmalachij · 10/10 · 25 July 2022]

This movie has a low score because people take it too seriously. Yes, the plot is pretty whack, and the tie in with Dracula is tedious at best.

Still, some of the script is actually very compelling. I always wanted to see what would happen if poor Renfield got out of the cell, he got the most raw deal in literary history.

There is a lot of good acting in this movie, and some of the make-up and effects are absolute gold.

The rules break themselves constantly which is annoying, yes, but if we isolate scenes and forgive some continuity errors (some vampires decay to skeletons and others just evaporate) then it's still a good ride.

10/10, the ending promises a sequel and we bloody better get one.