Time: 97 Minutes
Age Rating: R18
Cast:
Catherine Deneuve as Miriam Blaylock
David Bowie as John Blaylock
Susan Sarandon as Sarah Roberts
Director: Tony Scott

Miriam, a stunning vampire, preys on NYC clubgoers. When her vampire lover begins to age rapidly, he takes the help of Sarah, an aging expert. But, Miriam seduces Sarah leaving her hungry for blood.

I had been meaning to check out The Hunger for a while. Not only is it a horror movie from director Tony Scott (who’s not known for horror movies), but it is also his first movie. I ended up liking it even more than I was expecting to.

The Hunger is probably one of the more original and interesting vampire movies I’ve seen. It’s a very meditative character drama, with a dark, melancholic and sombre mood throughout, helped by the slower pacing. Scott uses the vampire aspect to address typically human issues, seen in the main characters of the film. It’s a surprisingly existential movie, subverting the tropes of the genre and instead ponders the impermanence of immortality, and how far people would go in the name of self-preservation.

The movie is made even better by the superb performances from David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve, Susan Sarandon, who give a lot to their respective characters and make them feel believable.

This is Tony Scott’s debut film and it’s a very strong first outing from him. It is stylish and beautifully shot with some great visuals, aesthetically pleasing with the dark and gothic imagery, and has a nice atmosphere, helped by the great soundtrack.

The Hunger is a solid first movie from Tony Scott; a stylish and atmospheric vampire movie, with great performances and strong direction. It is one of Scott’s most underrated films, and perhaps one of his best.