July 19th 2015

I came in here with the intention of catching up on a few posts.  Been too long since I bled all over this blog.

Since last time I post, which to my shock was almost a year ago, I've seen a few vampire movies. Haven't read any new books...all the way through that is.  I've been reading books to do with Vodun and Hoodoo more then fictional stuff, but every so often I pick up Vittorio The Vampire by Anne Rice and read a few pages.
No, I have not at this point gotten my hands on Prince Lestat...trust me when I do that you will hear about. 

So what have I got to talk about right now?   The fact the second season of From Dusk till Dawn is scheduled to air in a few weeks.  And I do have a copy of the dvd for season one. I have yet to do a review of it as I have only watched the episodes and none of the special features/extras yet.

September 25th will be the release date for Hotel Transylvania 2.  Which I am extremely hyper for. I don't care that it is a cartoon geared for kids, it stands on it's own.

I did a vampire theme week the other month on my movie blog. At which point, I will come back here later and do write ups for each new movie that I saw in that time frame.

But, to round out year 3 of the movie blog's list of vampire movies...

Year 3 day 131- Vamp U

Year 3 day 130 - Halloween 6 Curse of Micheal Myers

Year 3 day 129 -The Tomb

Year 3 day 128- Doppleganger

Year 3 day 126- The Crow

Year 3 day 125- Knights of Badassdom

Year 3 day 123- Dracula Untold

I will, do full write ups on them too...when I have a bit more time.  I just wanted to come in and post something.

Till later.

Sept 10th 2014

Been a while since I popped in the crypt, but fear not my fearless vampire hunters for I have...nothing cute or funny in my brain this morning.
So I have been doing my One Movie a Day challenge, again/still on my movie blog, and in the last year, have watched a few vampire movies which I've talked about on that blog. And in my laziness, haven't talked about them here.  So here's a short run down.

Year 3 on Day 14... John Dies in the End.  Sort of a sci-fi zombie/vampire movie that has a lot of H.P. Lovecraft elements to it. Brain altering drug that feeds off of it's host because it's an alien type creature.  Comes under the category of non-traditional vampire stories.

Year 3 Day 16... Drop Dead Gorgeous.  This is about a model who dies on set and the crew decide to hide the fact until they finish the shoot. It was a great metaphor for how society views beauty and trends. A very disturbing film, funny as it ends up being, but still very disturbing. Again, a non-traditional vampire story, and clearly falls under the necrophilia category.

Year 3 Day 28...Forever 16.  Made for tv vampire movie about a young vampire who is caught and makes a deal with the police to go back to high school and find a drug dealer. 

Year 3 Day 41 Stepford Wives... Humans being replaced by robots in a zombie like fashion.
Comes under non-traditional, given the need to control, taking their individuality from them. Zombie stories and vampire stories cross lines so often, they almost are one genre...almost.

Year 3 Day 46...Immortal Instruments City of Bones... Vampires, werewolves, witches etc. A young girl finds out she's from a long line of hunters.
Both traditional and non-traditional categories.

Year 3 Day 47...R.I.P.D. A cop who is murdered, is brought back from the dead to continue his work, and find the one who killed him.
Both categories of traditional and non-traditional. It's more of a ghostbusters style film, but the fact the lead character is brought back from the dead makes it a vampire-style film.

Year 3 Day 73  Wolverine...  Wolverine is asked to return to Japan to save a friend from a member of the mob. But soon learns there's more going on then meets the eye.
With a mad scientist, an undead dead guy walking around, and of course Wolverine himself being an immortal creature...This falls into both categories of traditional and non-traditional.

Year 3 Day 77... The Thirst. A woman is kidnapped and taken to a private resort for vampires, after having been told she is one of a long line of royal vampires.

Year 3 Day 97...Twixt.. A writer gets mixed up with a serial killer who is staking young women, believing them to be vampires.

So there's the catch up of vampire movies I've seen so far this year.

Everybody be cool, you be cool

From Dusk till Dawn...the series. 

I just finished watching the first episode of the tv series based on the movie franchise, and dude, I'm right bloody in love. I only heard about this show a few days ago, and thought I'd have to wait god knows how long for it to come out on dvd or something, but Netflix Canada started showing it this week.
The first episode covers the first ten minutes of the original movie, expanding on the back stories of the characters. And I have to say, they did an excellent job getting actors that look enough like the original ones, that it makes you want to break out the old movies.

Only one episode in, and already I know this is on my dvd wish list down the road.

Nove 4th 2013

Did anyone else manage to catch the NBC mini-documentary last week called "Why We Heart Vampires" ?

I've seen about a hundred of these in the past 20 years. Usually, delving into the history of vampires in folklore, and talking to goth kids on why they dig the whole thing.
This was different, for the better. It dealt just with a handful of the more popular movies/tv shows and talked just to actors and producers and writers.

More of an inside look then a general one.  One of the best mini-docs I've seen on any topic in the last few years. 
I don't know if it's online anywhere, or if there is a replay of it, but I suggest checking it out.

And, it was NBC so a good chunk was to promote the new NBC version of Dracula. 

Speaking of the new version...it took me till the middle of the second episode to really warm up to it. The first episode really didn't have me as hooked as I was thinking it was going to.   I like the fact the new tv show is set during the late 1880's, I was a bit worried it was going to be too modern; which seems to be the big trend right now. Making vamps too modern.

Sept 3rd note

Wow, a full month has gone by and I haven't done a vampire film.   Seriously, how did I loose that much track of time?

I would hate to say the 365 Days challenge has been a failure, but I think I might have to say that.  Even with 119 days left to the year, I still need to make up over 296 days.
Just isn't in the budget. 

When I was doing the One Movie a Day challenge last year, I saw how many vampire movies I was watching, and around last September (2012) I got the idea to do the vampire version.  Seemed like the greatest idea ever, at that time.
I had all these vampire movies in my collection and thought it would be cream cheese. You know, smooth, easy.  Plus, I have all these vampire tv shows too.  I even got it in my head to gather up my vampire books with the plan to review one every few weeks.  I also had a ton of "side projects" planned (like the Lost Boys themed recipe which I did, and a vampire themed scrapbook which I'm working on, and a few other movie "props" which I have half the supplies for.)

I think I over thunk it.
I am going to continue on doing the 365 Days, just because I want to finish it.  Just, looks like at the moment, it's not going to be finished in 2013. This is what happens when you let a hobby get out of control, you set yourself up for a big bad. 
I've said it before, the reasons the One Movie a Day challenge worked last year was because I was stuck at home with my knee injury with nothing else to do, and because it was unplanned. I just one afternoon decided to start it while watching a movie.  

Love Ardeth Blood

365 Days- Day 69

movie: Kiss of the Damned
starring: Milo Ventimiglia, Josephine de La Baume
genre: Drama
year: 2012
format: DVD

plot: A vampire couple have their world turned upside down, when the woman's sister comes to stay with them. The couple do not feed on humans and follow the laws of the local vampire community, the sister on the other hands rebels by not just feeding on humans but also by not burying them. Within a week, she's destroyed the relationship of the couple, and blackmailed one of the leaders in their community.

I know, I am breaking away from the franchises because I got my hands on a copy of this film and couldn't wait.
It had a tone to it that reminded me of both the movie the Hunger and of a few vampire films from the 1970's.  The first ten minutes is so rapid fire that it's almost difficult to keep up with.
The look of it is dark and gritty, which vampire films should be.
I have to admit, the accents that all the actors have made it difficult at times to catch all the dialog.

what do i think i learned from this film? Some relationships just can not be repaired.
This film seemed to be about manipulation more then anything else, and the lack of free will.  Right at the beginning of the movie, the lead female bites her boyfriend and pretty much takes away any chance he has to have a choice from then on.

365 Days- Day 68

movie: Vampires the Turning
starring: Colin Egglesfield, Patrick Bauchau
genre: Action, Martial Arts,
year: 2005
format: DVD

plot:After his girlfriend is kidnapped by a vampire, a martial arts fighter ends up becoming a member of a team of vampire hunters in order to save her. And in order to get the advantage, becomes a vampire himself.

Not a lot of plot here. Good guy vamps all around vs the bad guy vamps, with the hunters for hire being almost an after thought. This has many of the main elements from the first two movies in the John Carpenter's series - the way the hunters trap and kill the vampires, the fact they are paid to do so by the Vatican, and that they work as a team to get rid of nests. It's also a Destination Film like the second movie. But, even though it is the third film in the trilogy, and the menu has a shot of the vampire from the first film, it does not have John Carpenter's name the title. 

I have to say, I just finished watching this and can't tell you half of what happened. It's just that forgettable- and I've seen it twice before so go figure.

what do i think i learned from this film? Sometimes the bad guys are the good guys and the good guys are the bad guys.

365 Days-Day 67

movie: The Evil Dead (remake)
starring: Shiloh Fernandez, Jane Levy
genre: Horror,
year: 2013
format: Shaw Video On Demand

plot: A group of friends go to an old family cabin in order to help one of them get off of drugs. Once there, they find that the basement of the cabin had been used by locals for an exorcism, and one member of the group finds the dreaded book of the dead. They end up unleashing something after reading the book

Okay, for starters, yes I've interrupted the John Carpenter's Vampire trilogy. I had the chance to rent the remake of Evil Dead and decided to.
And some of you are thinking, what? how is it a vampire film?  It follows the main rules of hollywood vampirism, dead things back from the dead that bite causing other dead things back from the dead. Which is why the whole zombie thing is a sub-genre of vampires.

This film is one of the best remakes I've ever seen. You keep waiting for the big cameo that you just know in your gut is coming, and if you sit though the whole credits, you get a shadowy one for half a second.

what do i think i learned from this film? Leave the book alone!

365 Days- Day 66

movie: John Carpenter's Vampires 2 Los Muertos
starring: Jon Bon Jovi, Natasha Gregson Wagner,
genre: Western, Drama, Horror, Thriller,
year:2002
format: DVD

plot: A new team of hunters are brought together to battle another master vampire, this time a female, who is trying to recreate the same ritual in order to walk around in the daylight. One of the team members, is a girl who's been bitten but keeping herself in a state of half vampirism by way of drugs. In the end it comes down to who can you really trust?

One of the themes used in this film is the idea of blood transfusions to clean out the blood long enough for the victims to recover if not fully, at lest part.  We also see the idea of a human using vampire blood to fight the vampire, like a drug. We see the hunter become a vampire in order to get the upper hand.

what do i think i learned from this film? At any point, even the strongest individual can become the weakest link.

365 Days-Day 65

movie: John Carpenter's Vampires
starring: James Wood, Daniel Baldwin
genre: Thriller, Western
year: 1998
format: DVD

plot: A group of vampire hunters are slaughtered by a master vampire, leaving only two members and a prostitute who has been bitten. They are joined by a priest as they cross New Mexico with the now half turned girl as bait, while they hunt the master vampire. Along the way, they learn that the vampire they are chasing is more then just a master, he's the original and that he's out for a relic that will help him move around in the daylight.

This is based on the 1991 book Vampire$ (aka Vampire$ Inc. and later re-titled with a plan 'S' in place of the $, after the movie was released) by John Steakley.

This is one of the most original vampire stories I had read, and the movie stays true enough to the book. The lead character is a take no prisoners rebel and that's just what a vampire hunter should be.
I thought the casting was fitting, and the roughness of the characters as well. 
It set the standard for vampire hunter films in the years that followed, and helped to toughen up the genre in general.

what do i think i learned from this film? Rule #1- if your partner gets bitten never let him live.
Rule #10- never let a team member bury another team member alone.

June 21st 2013

Just popping in for a second, to say, if you head over to my movie blog you will see a craft project connected to the movie Twilight Saga New Moon.

And on the 365 Days main part, we are still in franchises.  Still have Underworld, Twilight, Subspecies, Fright Night, 30 Days of Night, John Carpenter's Vampires, Vampire Chronicles, To Die For, Blade, ... I'm forgetting something here... Day Watch and the Hammer films.
Bundles to get to still, not too mention all the other vampire films.

Okay, so if you've been paying attention, I've been doing what's in my collection. There were two films that I rented in the first like week, but everything else used in the 365 Days category are movies/tv shows I've got on DVD/VHS.   I'm hoping to get a Blu-ray player at some point given that everything is either Blu-ray or digital now. But that is neither here nor there.

I had hoped to have a book review every two weeks, but that just did not pan out at all.

Okay guys, it's a toss up right now between Subspecies and John Carpenter's Vampires. But one of those will be the next round of movies.

365 Days- Day 64

Movie: Lost Boys 3 The Thirst
starring: Corey Feldman, Jamison Newlander
genre: Horror
year: 2010
format: DVD

plot: Edgar Frog is hired by a wealthy female author who writes teen vampire stories, to rescue her brother from a head vampire. She tells him that this is the ultimate first vampire, and if he manages to kill this vampire, all others will die with him. Edgar turns to his brother Allan, who is now a vampire himself, for help as well as a female friend who works at the local book store. Before long though, they are joined by a reality star hired by the author. They manage to locate the vampire's lair, but not everything is as it's suppose to be. The hunters find themselves neck deep in a trap and face to face with the head vampire.

This is the final (that I'm aware of) movie in the Lost Boys series. And I have to say, this one stacks up a lot better then the second one in the series. This even uses scenes from the original movie to tie the storyline together.

I liked that they brought the elements from the first movie of having the comic book store, and showing someone continuing the idea of taxidermy. (though not my favourite thing, but good to see they brought that from the first movie)

what do i think i learned from this film? Impalement is always the best way to go, specially when you stab the heart. That and don't dismiss comics, they have a lot of good advice.

365 Days- Day 63

movie: The Lost Boys 2 Tribe
starring: Corey Feldman, Tad Hilgenbrink
genre: Comedy,Thriller
year: 2008
format: DVD

plot: The Emerson kids find themselves in a small surfing town after the death of their parents. Unfortunately for them, the town is also the hot spot for a group of vampires, lead by two of Chris' old surfing rivals. It doesn't take long before the head vampire decides to seduce Chris's sister, in hopes of building his family.

I've gone back and forth over the years on this film. It has it's moments, most of which are when Feldman is on screen. But it's got a lot of dragging in it too.
The original Lost Boys, was a movie that affected my life on so many levels, so when I first heard about this sequel I was beyond thrilled.  The first time I saw it, I was so disappointed that I nearly turned the tv off.  I think I've watched this sequel maybe five times in the last six years. And each time, something different either delights me or makes me want to break the tv.
There are so many elements from the original that are rebooted in this film, and I think that is actually one of the weaknesses. Had they taken one strong element from the original and spent all their energy on doing it properly, instead of trying to remake everything plus the kitchen sink, it would have been a better offering.

what do i think i learned from this film?
The original points that made the first movie so good, were about family and fitting in, but this one doesn't really seem to have a solid point to it. It tries to be about family but in the end it falls way short. 
I don't think I learned much from this on this showing. Who knows, maybe next time I'll get something more out of it?

365 Days- Day 62

Movie: The Lost Boys
starring: Corey Feldman, Corey Haim
genre: Horror, Comedy,
year: 1987
format: DVD

plot: Sam and Micheal move with their mother after she gets a divorce. To their horror, they have moved to what seems to be the murder capital of the west coast, as hundreds of people are either dead or missing in the small sea side town. Soon, both boys have made some new friends, Micheal has been hanging around a group of teenaged bikers, and Sam a couple of guys who work in their parent's comic book store. They soon find out that neither is really what they first appear to be. Micheal's new gang are actually a group of blood sucking vampires and Sam's buddies are the hunters that are set to kill them. Meanwhile, their mom ends up dating the head vampire.

Cult classic!
There is so much to say about this film, but at the same time nothing to say because it's all been said a million times over the last twenty plus years.

What at first seems like just another teen horror film from the 80's, is more a discussion on finding the truth about yourself, and how far you are willing to go to learn it. (as seen in the classic line uttered by David "How far are you willing to go Micheal?" )

What do i think i learned from this film?
I think the film fits better of what have I not learned from it?  This movie single handedly changed the way I think, act, breathe for that matter.

365 Days- Day 61

movie: From Dusk till Dawn 3 Hangman's Daughter
starring: Michael Parks, Marco Leonardi
genre: Western
year: 1999/2000
format: DVD

plot: When an outlaw is saved from death by hanging, he escapes with the daughter of the hangman. While on the run, his gang rob a stage coach, and soon all involved find themselves stuck in the same saloon over night. What they learn is that the hangman's daughter is the princess in a long line of female vampires.

Personally, this is my favourite of the three films.  I have to wonder though if naming one of the main characters Johnny, and another John was suppose to be some sort of inside joke?
This is the prequel, set in the 1800's, and if you want to watch the story happen in order, you would watch this first. 
One of my favourite scenes, is a black and white dance. One of the vampires hypnotizes one of the main characters and we see this strange seduction done like a black and white silent film. It's only about a minute and a half scene but it lends to a sense of humour and comes off like a bit of a tribute to the 1922 version of Nosferatu.

My one criticism of this film is the use of modern style underwear on nearly all of the vampire hookers.

what do i think i learned from this film? You never know who you can really trust in the end, or where you're love will end up leading you. No matter how good your intentions are. And karma is a bitch.

365 Days-Day 60

movie: From Dusk till Dawn 2 Texas Blood Money
starring:Robert Patrick, Danny Trejo
genre: Crime, Western
year:1999/2000
format: DVD

plot: A group of bank robbers plan a job in Mexico, and we see the situations they get themselves into when they mess with the wrong gang.  Ends up, they double crossed a gang of vampires.

It teases you, making you think that Bruce Campbell might be one of the main characters in the opening scene, but he's only in about two minutes of the film, as Bruce Campbell doing a late night movie.

This is the first of the two prequels.  It's a bit confusing, as there are moments that hint at it taking place before the events in the first movie, and hints that it is taking place at the same time as the events in the first movie.

There are some genius points of view in this, from people being filmed in reflections (mirrors, sunglasses, phone booths, to the point of view of a bat flying, and the point of view of weapons being used)  This film starts off with so much promise, the dark comedy and soundtrack make it feel like it's going to rock the roof off, but midway, it looses so much steam. 

I think what makes these films so good, is the fear factor. Being trapped in a small place with a monster.

what do I think I learned from this film? Don't disrespect a bat.

365 Days -Day 59

movie: From Dusk till Dawn
starring: George Clooney, Cheech Marin
genre: Western, Crime
year: 1996
format: DVD

plot: Two bank robbers on the run kidnap a preacher and his two kids, in order to get over the border in order to make their drop. The find themselves at an all night biker bar, where the staff are a bunch of bloodsuckers, literally.

This has to be one of the most popular vampire-westerns around. Not the only one, and not the first, but one of the most popular.
It has part to do with the fact vampires were starting to get a bit soft and this was a well needed kick in the teeth.  It also comes at a time when Tarantino was the biggest thing going.

It managed to mix a few sub-genres together, a great crime/mobster film with a straight up shoot'em up/western. This film manages to be dead on funny with it's dialogue, as well as just bloody enough to be outrageous when it needs to.

what do i think i learned from this film? Faith.  You can do anything as long as you have faith in what you are doing. We see the character of the preacher have to admit to himself that he hasn't completely lost faith in his life or those around him. At the same time, we see the character of Seth have to admit he's lost all faith in his brother, and that the loss of his brother to the vampires is what is best for everyone. 

Just a note

What's going on?

I've been really bad at keeping up this project this year.  But, I'm still working on it. I know, I've lost like another week and a half on it.  Just means I'll end up going way way over the year mark into next year, cause damn it, I will have a full 365 days worth of vampires on this blog.

Bloggers blog for different reasons, and I've sort of lost my way lately.   Last year, when I did the one different movie a day for the year, all I wanted to do was vampire movies, and now this year doing the all vampire project, other stuff keeps popping up to distract me.  But that's life, even for the undead.

But with all that said, the franchises are coming.  Subspecies, From Dusk till Dawn, Blade, Underworld, Twilight, and of course, the Draculas.

I'm sort of spacing out the Dracula films for later in the year as much as I can, given there is going to be a new tv show on NBC in the fall based on Dracula, and want to wait. 

I'll be back over the next few days cramming in as much vamp time as I can on here. Feedback is always welcome.

I've been doing a weekly (okay yeah I've missed a few weeks) series of blog posts over on my movie blog, about vampire films.  Just picking one vampire movie a week and breaking it down, talking about certain themes and stuff.  Some have been really detailed, others have been short and to the point because of lack of time.
So if you ever want to jump in on there and chatter with me, please do.(Weekly Movie Club)

till later

365 Days-Day 58

WWBD?  Part 8


Season 2, Episodes 13 - When she Was Bad

We open in a graveyard, where Willow and Xander are walking home, playing guessing games. We learn that it's the new school year, and the summer was quiet as far as demons go. We also learn that Buffy had spent the whole summer with her dad, and we see the beginning of what could be a romance between Xander and Willow. Just as a vampire runs up to them. Then Buffy appears and saves them.

Xander comments that that was the only vampire they have seen since Buffy had killed the Master, and Willow tells her that they had a ritual to bury the Master while she was gone.
We see Buffy's parents talking back at the house, about how Buffy seems to be distant.
Next day at school, we see Cordelia with her friends, then Giles and Synder and Miss Calendar, (big intro of all the main characters)
When Buffy tells Giles that she slayed a vampire the night before, he nods and tells her that he must consult is books, whereupon Xander admits they bet on how long before he got all serious again.  After school, and big training montage. In which, Giles starts to get worried about how much Buffy's aggressiveness has taken over her, unknowing that she's having visions and nightmares of the Master.
We then are at the factory, where a group of vampires are gathered planning revenge, led by a vampire preacher. The Anointed One at the center of their meeting.

Next day, back at school, the gang are hanging out in the lounge talking about dreams, and Willow nearly admits that she has naught Xander dreams. Giles rushes in telling Buffy that he's killed her once and should be able to again then attacks her, and she rips his face off to expose the Master.   This ends up having been another one of her nightmares, as Buffy wakes up in her room to find Angel sitting in her window. Angel tells her that the Anointed One is putting together an army.
We then see Buffy's mom giving her a lift to school, trying to get her to open up about what is really bothering her. When Buffy tells Xander and Willow that Angel had stopped by, Xander gets all jealous, just as Cordelia shows up.
Later that night at the Bronze, Willow and Xander try to figure out what the problem is with Buffy and her new mean streak. Meanwhile, the group of vampires are at the graveyard digging up the bones of the Master. Back at the Bronze, Angel asks Buffy if she's upset because of him, but she snubs him, flirting with Xander. Cordelia then confronts Buffy in the alley, then gets grabbed by vampires.

Cordelia gets tossed into the basement of the factory and finds Miss Calendar already there knocked out.  On her way home, Buffy sees the open grave where the Master had been buried and panics.
The next morning at school, Giles, Willow, and Xander try to figure out again what is the issues Buffy is dealing with, just as she walks in. She tells them that the vampires are planning to bring the Master back.
Later in the library, the group starts to research the rising ritual, which says that the final element is someone who was close to the Master. Buffy assumes it means her since he killed her.  Just then, a rock comes through the window with a note and Cordelia's necklace. Buffy freaks out on them telling them that she can't babysit them anymore as she goes to save Cordelia.
Angel shows up just as she arrives at the Bronze, and tells him she doesn't trust him either.  They enter the Bronze to find only one vampire and both agree that sending just one vampire seems off.
Back at the library, Giles re-reads the ritual and realizes that they are what the vampires need, the people who were standing beside him when he died. 

Buffy realizes it too and heads back to find the library destroyed, and Xander bleeding. The others having been taken.
Buffy gets the location from the one vampire back at the Bronze by torturing her. 
We see the vampires at the factory, as they start the ritual, just as Buffy, Angel and Xander show up.  After saving the others and killing the vampires, Buffy smashes the bones of the Master to dust.

The next morning, Cordelia and Miss Calendar are talking about what happened, and in Cordelia's way, makes it about how the blood stains won't come out of her clothes. We then see Giles and Buffy talking about how alone she felt and how responsible she feels for having her friends in danger.
Final scene is the Anointed One standing alone in the factory and simply says he hates that girl.


This is the real turning point in the series, where it sort of became the show it was known for. Darker, grittier, wittier.

WWBD? Slayer Fest

Round One

Season 1, Episodes 9, 10, 11, 12

Episode 9- The Puppet Show

We open with a creepy voice talking about being flesh again, while watching the students backstage at the high school.  We then see Cordelia singing off key while Giles is feeling the torture of having to run the talent show.  Buffy, Xander and Willow arrive, mocking him and the other students, only to be caught by Mr. Synder who informs them that they have no choice and have to be in the talent show. We then see the kid with the dummy and right off Buffy has a bad reaction to the sight of it. When Willow asks her why, she simply says she's just always been creeped by them.  The dummy's voice then changes and he starts telling dirty jokes.
We then see a female student in the locker room get attacked, by an unseen demon who once again says he will be flesh.

We then see the gang freaking out about what they are going to do.  The kid with the dummy starts talking to them, the dummy hitting on Buffy.
We then see Synder and Giles talking about the history of the school, and the amount of strange deaths are connected to it. And we learn how much Synder hates kids, people in general.  We hear a scream, and the dead body of the girl is found. Giles tells the group that the girls' heart was removed by someone with a knife, and they right away rule out demon. Buffy tells them that her slayer self is telling her that it is more likely to be a demon.  They start to interview the students, and one tells them that the last person to talk to her was the dude with the dummy.
Buffy goes to talk to the student with the dummy, and walks in on what appears to be the dummy talking on it's own. When the student appears he tells her that he was practicing throwing his voice, then crumples clutching his skull and the dummy starts to mouth off at Buffy. 
Back at the library, the group all figure that Morgan, the puppet guy is a murder, all but Buffy who still seems to think it's a demon. Giles tells her to go check his locker for anything that might prove he's the killer, like the missing heart. She doesn't find anything but Synder catches her, threatening her. Synder thinks she's the murder. Buffy manages to open the dummy case only to find it empty.
We then see Morgan arguing with the dummy, telling him that just can not kill Buffy, even though the dummy tells him this last kill will set him free.
We are then at Buffy's house, her mother teasing her about the talent show. At this point, her mom still has no idea about her being a demon hunter and thinks everything is normal teenaged stuff and gives her advice.

We see the dummy staring through the window at Buffy, then running around her room. She screams and her mom comes in, and Buffy has a normal moment of a kid being scared. Her mom notices the window is open, and Buffy says she never left it open.
The next day, back at the school, Cordelia is trying to get bumped up to the top of the show, but Giles spaces on her, and finally gets rid of her by commenting on her hair.  Buffy walks in and tells the group that Sid the dummy is really alive. Xander and Willow wonder if Buffy is just freaked out too much, and put off the idea that the dummy is just a dummy. But Giles gives them a bit of research that talks about a group of seven demons that can take the form of non-humans, and who every so many years if they collect all the human organs can become human. They still think that Morgan is the main suspect.
Buffy sees the dummy move on it's own later in class, just before the teacher takes the dummy away and puts it in the cupboard. When he goes to collect it later, he sees it's missing, and panics.
Back at the library, we see Xander stole him. This gives Buffy a chance to talk to Morgan alone, while Willow and Giles do research in the demon section, which the dummy overhears.
Buffy runs into Synder in the drama room where he threatens her again. Back in the library, the dummy is missing. Buffy finds Morgan dead, then gets attacked in the drama room.

She wakes up to find Sid the dummy running around on his own. He attacks her with a knife, they fight, each thinking the other is the murdering demon. We find out Sid is a demon hunter who was cursed to be a dummy, but not till after having killed the other six of these demons. They realize that the demon is in the show, and have to figure out which student.
We get a little bit of history on one of the slayers from Sid, who had been alive in the 1930's. He tells her that if they get this last demon, the curse will be lifted and he'll just die. And admits that since he was cursed he's outlived countless demon hunters and slayers.
They realize no one in the show is missing, and have to come up with a different plan. Giles starts to suspect Synder, and follows him, while Buffy goes looking for Sid who is now missing. What she finds is Morgan's brain just left hanging around.

Back at the library, the group start to think they have been lied to by Sid. They then learn that Morgan was sick, and his brain was useless. They realize that Willow and Giles are the next targets. Giles meanwhile is talking to one of the students in the drama room, who is working on his magic act which happens to include a guillotine. Buffy manages to save him just in time, killing the demon, while Xander and Willow untie Giles.
Sid stabs the body in the heart and then dies himself. Just as the curtain opens for the beginning of the show, with everyone standing there.

Under the credits we see Buffy, Xander and Willow doing a scene from a play.



Episode 10- Nightmares

We open with Buffy in what looks to be a part of the Master's lair. The Master is stalking her, and manages to catch her, but just before he can bite her, she wakes up from a dream. Her mom lets her know that her dad will be there that weekend.
We see Buffy and Willow walking in school, talking about how she never sees her dad, and Buffy comments on the fact that they split up the same time she found out she was the slayer.  We see the group in class, and one of the students opens his book to be covered in spiders, at the same time that Buffy sees a young kid in the doorway.  The kid tells her he's sorry about that.

Back in the lair, we see the Master talking to the Anointed One about fear, telling him that it's all in the mind and can be controlled. He then says that something is happening above ground, something powerful that is bringing trouble.
Back at Sunnydale High, we see Buffy getting dropped off by her mom, who asks her why she was screaming in her sleep again?  Buffy is more concerned about hanging out with her dad for the weekend. We then see her and the others talking about the spiders in the classroom the day before, and how did it happen? This gets them talking about some of their fears, and find Giles running around lost in the shelves. Giles tells them that they need to talk to the student who the spiders happened to. They learn that he's a specialist in the topic of spiders, and that he's haunted by nightmares of them, because he feels guilty for having left his brother looking after his pet spiders and they all died.
We then see Buffy go to a class that she's been skipping all year, only to find out there is a test that she was not aware of, and the panic sets in. Before she knows it, class is over and she's failed the test. We see the same young boy from the day before standing in the doorway again, the kid sees another student heading to the basement and tells her she shouldn't go in there. The female student is standing in the basement, and a creature attacks her. The creature simply says  "Lucky 19".

Buffy and Giles then show up at the hospital to see if they can find out who attacked her. While they are at the hospital, they learn that there is a boy in a coma that was attacked the same way.
Back at the school, we see random students have some of their worst fears come true. Like a biker wannabe's mom shows up to embarrass him. Then Xander and Willow walk into class and suddenly Xander is naked.
Back at the library, Giles is poured over newspapers and his biggest fear of not being able to read has come true. Buffy notices a photo of the kid she's been seeing around the school and realizes it's the first victim in the coma.  Giles brings up the idea of astral projection, as being the reason the kid was around school.  Buffy's dad then shows up out of nowhere and tells Buffy that he doesn't want anything to do with her ever again, and that she's the reason they got divorced. This is one of Buffy's biggest fears. Then we see the kid again in another doorway.
Back in the library, Willow and Xander show up, and tell Giles about the naked fear coming true. We then learn that Willow is afraid of being noticed. Giles then realizes that it's all their nightmares coming true. We learn that the kid, Billy, is the reason the nightmare world has become true.
Cordelia's nightmare is that she becomes a major geek with braces and bad hair.   Meanwhile, Buffy has started to follow astral Billy around the school. Just as Buffy starts to talk to him, the creature shows up.

Big battle, and the creature manages to get Buffy on the run. Her and astral Billy exit the school and see a baseball game, where astral Billy hints at the creature being the baseball coach. They then run into a graveyard where the Master buries her alive. Giles, Willow and Xander split up trying to find Buffy, each having their own big nightmares. Willow is forced to star in an opera, Xander is chased by a killer clown, and Giles sees Buffy die becoming a vampire.

Giles tells Buffy that they have to wake Billy up from his coma, in order to return everything to normal. They arrive at the hospital to find total chaos.  They see Billy still in his coma, and astral Billy hiding in the back of the room. The creature then shows up,  and Buffy attacks him, taking advantage of this vampire nightmare self's new strength. Knocking the creature out, she tells astral Billy that he needs to unmask the creature in order to kill him. The kid needs to face his fears.
A mystical light appears, and everyone is back to normal, with Billy coming out of his coma. Just then the coach walks in, unaware that Billy has woken up, and tells Xander that he comes by every day, waiting to see if his Lucky 19 will wake up. When Buffy tells the coach that Billy is awake, he tries to run, but Giles and Xander grab him.
Back at school, the group are talking about how the coach was arrested for what he'd done, as Buffy's dad shows up to pick her up for the weekend.



Episode 11- Out of Mind Out of Sight

We open with Cordelia and her friends talking about the spring dance, and Buffy trips over them spilling everything in her purse. Buffy starts to remember when she was the school queen bee.
In class, we see that Cordelia is actually smarter then they thought, but we learn just as shallow as always. We then see Cordelia's boyfriend in the locker room, and we hear a girl's laugh just before he gets attacked by a flying baseball bat.

Cordelia is then seen bribing students for their vote on prom queen, making Buffy feel even more lost. When Xander and Willow start mocking Cordelia for it, Buffy admits that she used to be the Cordy in her old school.
We then see Synder talking about how there are no dead students there in the school that week as we see Mitch, Cordelia's boyfriend being wheeled out by medics. Buffy goes to check the crime scene but is stopped by Synder, but Willow's quick thinking gets Synder's attention letting Buffy investigate. Buffy sees the word "look" written on the lockers where the attack happened.
In the lunch room, Giles and the group talk about the different kinds of ghosts or someone with telekinesis, trying to figure out what the cause was. 
In the yard, we see Cordelia talking to Harmony about Mitch, and her shallowness is on display. We see a flashback of a similar conversation that happened a few months before and hear a girl's voice say hi, and Cordelia brush them off. Buffy then shows up to talk to Cordelia, just as someone pushes Harmony down the stairs. Synder starts asking what happened, and Cordelia says she fell but Harmony swears someone pushed her. Buffy then hears the girl's laugh again and follows it. She doesn't see anyone but someone bumps into her. She then sees a panel in the ceiling move.

We see two strange guys in suites standing around the outside of the school as the gang walk by talking about ghosts. Xander comments about an invisible people and admits he'd love to be invisible in order to spy on the girls' locker room. They realize it's someone with a grudge on Cordelia because both attacks were on her friends. Buffy decides to hunt down the invisible girl, and Giles tells her to focus on listening, which will play a major role in coming seasons with her slayer powers.
Buffy stakes out the school later that night and hears someone playing the flute. We then see Giles in the library, also hearing strange sounds, only to discover Angel waiting for him.
They talk, and Giles makes the comment about a vampire in love with the slayer and how poetic and sad it is. Angel then tells him something bad is about to happen with the Master. They continue talking about a missing book called the Cotex, which we find that Angel has. Giles then has a moment of fanboyness at the idea of getting his hands on the missing volume.
We then see another flashback of the girl trying to fit in with Cordelia and her friends, totally ignoring her. Back to the present, Cordelia wins the May Queen, and we see the gang standing around the edge of the school yard talking about the list of dead and missing students, with Buffy still certain that Cordelia is the real target. Willow notices the guys in suites just as Buffy reads about one girl named Marcy on the missing list. Her profile says that she played the flute, and Buffy tells them that she had heard someone playing a flute the night before in the school.
Buffy then goes to the music room and investigates, finding a hidden room in the attic where a girl's made herself a home.
We then hear the girl's laugh again right before a teacher gets attacked. Cordelia shows up and saves her, just as something writes the word "listen" on the chalkboard behind them.

Back in the library, the gang are discussing what she found in the attic. And Buffy shows them the yearbook she found, pointing out that no one had anything to say to her. Giles then realizes that it's not really a magical issue that caused her to become invisible but a scientific one. More of a quantum physics. Explaining that because of the way we perceive things, we manifest our own reality, and because the girl felt invisible she made herself become invisible.  Cordelia comes running into the room, and begs Buffy for help because of having seen her bag of weapons. The gang tells her that it's an invisible girl and points out a photo of Marcy, where upon Cordelia says she's never seen her before in her life.
In the attic we hear Marcy talking angrily about Cordelia. We get a bit of insight on Cordelia, and learn that she's just as insecure as everyone else.  The rest of the gang hear the sound of a flute and follow it, which ends up being a trap.  Meanwhile, Cordelia and Buffy are grabbed.
In the basement where Xander, Willow and Giles are trapped, the gas has been turned on, while Buffy and Cordelia are being held at the Bronze.

We see the word "learn" in gold glitter on the wall of the Bronze. We hear Marcy telling them that her plan is to make Cordelia a monster by slicing her up.
Meanwhile back at the school, Angel shows up and gets Willow, Xander and Giles out. We then see Buffy trying to fight Marcy. Closing her eyes, Buffy is able to focus on what she hears and manages to defeat Marcy. Just then, the men in the back suites who end up being FBI break into the Bronze and take Marcy.
We then see the gang walking through the school, and Cordelia thanking them, and we see the beginning of the change in her. Until Mitch shows up and mocks the group.
Final scene is a teacher in front of an invisible class, and as Marcy opens her text book we see she's begun Assassination training.


Episode 12- Prophecy Girl

We open at the Bronze. Xander is talking to what we think is Willow, asking her out, but he's actually practicing what he wants to say to Buffy.
We then see the graveyard, where Buffy is fighting a vampire, a few feet way from where Cordelia and Mitch are parked in car making out. We then see Giles in the library, reading the Cotex that Angel had given him in the previous episode, and we learn that the Master is about to rise. Giles then goes into a panic as he realizes that Buffy is going to die.
Sunnydale is then hit by an earthquake.  We see the Master screaming for joy, then turns to the Anointed One and states in a flat voice "what do you think? 5.1?"

Back at the library, we see Giles looking deflated and worried. We learn that it's the next morning, and Giles hasn't left in almost a day and a half. Buffy shows up and tells him that she slayed three vampires within minutes of each other the night before.
Buffy, Xander and Willow are walking through the yard, and Xander shoos Willow off in order that he can talk to Buffy alone. He starts to ask her out but she has to let him know that it's not going to happen. Xander then reacts by insulting Angel and walking away.
Back in the library, Giles is on the phone when Miss Calendar walks in. They start comparing notes on all the weird stuff that has happened in the last few weeks, and Miss Calendar says that a monk in Europe has emailed her with a message about the Anointed One.  Giles then starts to really pay attention. He tells her to get ahold of the monk and find out everything she can.
We then see Cordelia and her new boyfriend talking, she asks Willow to do some electronic stuff for her, just as Xander tells Willow that Buffy turned him down. He then asks Willow, and she turns him down telling him that it would hurt too much to go with him.
Night time, and Buffy is in the school bathroom, seeing blood pour out of the sink. When she goes to tell Giles, she walks in on him and Angel talking about how there is a prophecy in the Cotex saying that she will die the next night.

Buffy starts to laugh, getting their attention and starts to wonder what the next slayer is going to be like? She breaks down in the middle of the library and tells them that she quits. Both Angel and Giles tell her that she can't, it doesn't work that way.  In a gesture of frustration and fear, she rips the cross off her neck that Angel had given her in episode one.
We then see Willow trying to call Xander, who is laying in his room listening to country music. Next is Buffy pouring over photos of her and the gang, her mother walks in to see if she's okay. She figures it's the prom that has Buffy upset, and shows her a dress that she bought as a gift for her.
Next morning at the school, we see Cordelia and Willow talking about the fact that Cordelia's new boyfriend bailed on her. They then see him and his best friend watching tv in the staff lounge, and when they go to confront them, find them the entire group was slaughtered.
We then see Buffy in her prom dress which happens to be white, as her mother tells her that Willow is on the news.  We then see Buffy sitting with Willow in her room, Willow telling her that it really hit her that life wasn't ever going to be the same.  Willow then comments on liking the dress. Which she's wearing under a back leather jacket. (just like Kristy Swanson did as Buffy in the original movie in 1992)
Meanwhile, in the lair, the Master sends the Anointed One to the surface.
Back in the library, Giles and Miss Calendar are taking about the Hellmouth. Giles then tells her that he's planning on killing the Master himself, just as Buffy walks in and tells him that it's her job she's going to handle it. They argue, then she knocks him out.
Buffy then goes outside, and spots the Anointed One, knowing who he is and willingly follows him.

Back in the library, the rest of the group is there, talking about the end of the world. Xander gets all angry and heads off.   We then see Buffy in the lair, in her dress.
Xander shows up at Angel's and tells him about Buffy running off, and demands that he take him to find them.
Back in the library, they try to figure out where the Hellmouth will open.
In the lair, Buffy and the Master begin their fight, while Angel and Xander make their way through the sewers. Willow and Miss Calendar believe that the Bronze, where the prom is being held, is the spot that the Hellmouth will open and race off there.  But, they only make it half way out the parking lot before a mob of vampires come after them.  
Back in the lair, we see the Master grab Buffy, and tells her that had she not shown up, he'd have been unable to feed and would have been trapped. He bites her, then as he pushes her into a puddle, tells her that he likes her dress. The barrier that has been holding him suddenly breaks open and he goes to the surface. Just as Angel and Xander run in to find Buffy dead. 

Xander refuses to give up and says that since she drowned in the puddle, she can be brought back with CPR. Xander then manages to save her.
Back at the school, we see Cordelia drive up and tell Willow and Miss Calendar to get in the car. Cordelia drives right into the school and they all run for the library. (this is one of those Night of the Living Dead at the door moments)
We see the Master then on the rooftop of the school, gloating.  Back in the lair, Buffy tells them that she feels stronger, different, and they head off to find the Master.
Meanwhile, in the library the floor has opened up and creatures are starting to rise.  We see Buffy, Angel and Xander heading to the school.  The Master is watching from the roof's window.  He's shocked when he sees Buffy standing beside him still alive. They fight and Buffy throws the Master through the window onto a broken piece of wooden table. As he turns to dust, the other creatures and vampires run away, the Hellmouth closed.
We see the whole gang now in the middle of the library wondering what to do now that they saved the world.   Buffy closes out with the line "We saved the world, I say we party."  And then Angel tells her that he really likes her dress.

That brings us to the end of season one.  I'll be back later with the next round of the Slayer Fest...hang in there.