In a very weird way, watching the original 1992 Buffy the Vampire Slayer feature film proves what a genius Joss Whedon once was. That anyone could take such a lousy, inept movie and turn it into a long-running and beloved TV series is an almost miraculous feat few could achieve. Unfortunately, beyond that, I find little reason to suffer through it (the movie, not the show).
Also regrettably, beyond the film’s own failings as a piece of art or entertainment, Whedon’s personal troubles and toxic behavior in later years would sully his career and feel like a betrayal to fans of his work. I prefer not to think about that too much, especially when discussing what is arguably already the worst thing with his name attached to it. Why rub further salt into the wound? The TV version of Buffy remains dear to my heart and I’d like to hold onto that love, irrespective of its creator’s faults. This movie, on the other hand… Yeesh…
| Title: | Buffy the Vampire Slayer |
| Year of Release: | 1992 |
| Director: | Fran Rubel Kuzui |
| Watched On: | Blu-ray |
| Also Available On: | DVD Various VOD rental and purchase platforms |
Of course, Whedon himself was incredibly disappointed with the film, perhaps more than anybody. Frustrated by its production, final result, and disastrous reception, the writer worked tirelessly to rework and reboot his original concept into a much superior television show. I’d think anyone would have to respect that, even if they don’t respect the man.
Often forgotten, the movie is technically canon to the show, though a viewer doesn’t necessarily need to have watched it first. Its plot, which shows how the title character became a vampire slayer in the first place, is only briefly recapped in the first episode of the series, where she starts off already established in the role.
Here played by Kristy Swanson, Buffy Summers is portrayed as an airhead teenage cheerleader at a Los Angeles high school. Concerned almost exclusively with fashion and dating, Buffy is recruited by a so-called Watcher named Merrick (screen legend Donald Sutherland, wasting time with this nonsense and full-well knowing it), who insists that she’s the latest in a long lineage of Slayers, young girls chosen by destiny to protect the world from undead monsters. Buffy naturally thinks this guy is a nutcase and wants to get back to preparing for the next school dance, until Merrick proves to her that vampires are real and that she has an innate knack for using her gymnastics training to kill them.
On its face, the premise is sound enough for what should be a fun horror comedy. The TV show would certainly prove that out, and even expand it to some surprising dramatic depth. The movie, however, was so watered down by studio-mandated rewrites and borderline incompetent direction that it bore little resemblance to whatever Whedon wrote. Perhaps the worst of its sins is that the performances are so broad and the staging of scenes so poorly handled that the film makes even the dialogue, one of Whedon’s greatest strengths as a writer, seem terrible.
Rutger Hauer does the best he can as lead vampire villain Lothos, but is let down by the material. Paul Reubens is likewise left stranded as a comic relief henchman who loses one arm in an early scene. As much as he tries to make the character funny, he has next to nothing to do the entire movie. Even Luke Perry, cast as Buffy’s love interest due to his heartthrob status on teen soap Beverly Hills 90210, should have been capable of more than he’s given, which isn’t much beyond douchey soul patch facial hair and… frankly, that’s about it, really.
Also wasted are Stephen Root, David Arquette, and future two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank. The latter has about three lines of dialogue as part of Buffy’s entourage of shallow friends, all of whom wear outfits I’m pretty sure got recycled in Clueless a few years later.
All these characters would get dropped for the TV series, which kept only Buffy herself, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar as much less of a stereotypical ditz. The movie has no Sunnydale, no Giles, Xander, or Willow. All the mythology about the “Hellmouth” was developed entirely for the television version. The vampires don’t even get dusted here. They just fall over dead when Buffy stakes them.
Directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, the film lacks any sense of energy or comedic timing. A select few bits of Whedon’s wit strain to break through their flat delivery, but the majority never make it. The vampires are cheesy as hell, and mostly just stand around waiting for Buffy to stake them. Their plastic fangs, as well as Lothos’ vampire costume and cape, were clearly purchased at a Halloween pop-up shop. Unlikely to be intentional, the obvious edits from Swanson in close-ups to stunt doubles in wide shots are just about the only thing funny in the entire project. Well, that and the wardrobe department’s strange fixation with making sure the outlines of Swanson’s nipples are visible through every shirt, blouse, or sweater she wears. (Seriously, it’s troubling after a while.)
Kuzui remained credited as an Executive Producer on all seven seasons of the Buffy series and all five of its Angel spinoff. I have to assume that means her strength was more in producing than directing. Whether a better director could have livened this up at all when still dealing with so much studio interference is uncertain, but Kuzui’s direction sure didn’t help any.
This review may feel weighed down by comparisons between the Buffy movie and the TV reboot to follow. I’ll concede that as I write it. Nonetheless, the true legacy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is on television. Even if technically its genesis, the film is merely a footnote in the show’s history, a piece of trivia acknowledged but best left unwatched.
The Blu-ray
Twentieth Century Fox released the 1992 Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Blu-ray in 2011. A reissue of what I assume to be the same disc with different case art followed in 2017. I have the earlier one.
Video quality on the Blu-ray is adequate, if unexceptional. The 1.85:1 image looks to be too bright overall, with very flat contrast. Grain is often prominent and appears to be poorly compressed. In its favor, the early 1990s neon colors are suitably vibrant.
The soundtrack is provided in a choice of lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 or lossy Dolby Digital 2.0. Directional sound effects are sparse enough that I hear little need for 7.1 encoding over a standard 5.1 track, but that’s not something I’ll argue against. The DTS is also set for a very loud default that I had to turn down a few decibels over my usual settings. However, even after level-matching, the DTS mix has way more bass and power than the Dolby Digital option. Right from the Fox fanfare at the opening, bass hits hard. The musical score throbs pretty well in general, but really gets rockin’ during the school dance scene.
Bonus features on the Blu-ray are limited to a 4-minute Electronic Press Kit featurette where Donald Sutherland practically rolls his eyes at being part of this thing, a trailer, and some TV spots.
Related
- Joss Whedon (writer)
- Donald Sutherland
- Rutger Hauer
- Stephen Root
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