Stole this from another forum. I came up with the improvement that the number of IMDB ratings a film has is a good metric for the movie's obscurity. If you like, you can try this question with different genres (most obscure slasher you've seen, most obscure martial arts, whatever).
For me the answer appears to be VAMPIRE BURT'S SERENADE, a 2020 vampire musical that starred a former Backstreet Boy. It has only 139 IMDB ratings, which earned it an overall rating of 4.0. (I personally gave it a generous 2 stars).
The Bloodletting (2004) 185 IMDb ratings, overall rating 2.3
At the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival, it won the category "Best Feature Film - Horror"
This was released to DVD in 2004 by Silver Nitrate. They could usually be found in bargain bins. Weird, obscure but modern horror with higher (way higher) quality than Sub Rosa for example - shot on (digital?) video.
The Bloodletting was re-released to DVD by Anchor Bay in 2006. Seems like Anchor Bay bought the entire Silver Nitrate catalogue back then.
I thought the film was decent for what it is, and I can see why it won the award. It is still a bad movie, though.
and yeah, what a great idea for a thread :thumbup:
ETERNITY (2010)
One of the very few South African horror movies, this one deals with so called day walkers.
Not a success when first released and the producer doesn't have a good reputation locally. 😳
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternity_(2010_South_African_film)
Off the top of my head, I'd say Demon Under Glass.
It's got a 5.2 with 296 ratings. I liked it.
Quote from: Trevor on April 27, 2025, 03:43:44 AMETERNITY (2010)
One of the very few South African horror movies, this one deals with so called day walkers.
Not a success when first released and the producer doesn't have a good reputation locally. 😳
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternity_(2010_South_African_film)
Only 69 ratings and a 2.8 score! From the featured user review: "Like having a root canal procedure without anesthetic
'Eternity' is the most apt movie title possible: the movie is so painful it feels like it is never going to end."
Ah, Chainsaw, I was gonna' say DEMON UNDER GLASS - but if someone's already nominated it, it ain't sufficiently "obscure", I guess! I'll have to keep thinking...
Quote from: Rev. Powell on April 27, 2025, 08:53:42 AMQuote from: Trevor on April 27, 2025, 03:43:44 AMETERNITY (2010)
One of the very few South African horror movies, this one deals with so called day walkers.
Not a success when first released and the producer doesn't have a good reputation locally. 😳
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternity_(2010_South_African_film)
Only 69 ratings and a 2.8 score! From the featured user review: "Like having a root canal procedure without anesthetic
'Eternity' is the most apt movie title possible: the movie is so painful it feels like it is never going to end."
Oy 😳😳😀😃🤣
I believe that review is from someone who actually liked the film a little bit 😉😉🐢
I guess it would have to be VAMPIRE HOOKERS (1978).
Quote from: RCMerchant on April 27, 2025, 02:25:41 PMI guess it would have to be VAMPIRE HOOKERS (1978).
yikes :buggedout:
maybe Horrible Sexy Vampire. I recall really disliking it
Quote from: RCMerchant on April 27, 2025, 02:25:41 PMI guess it would have to be VAMPIRE HOOKERS (1978).
I googled that and I see John Carradine plays a character named Reed Richmond, his real name 😀😀
Quote from: RCMerchant on April 27, 2025, 02:25:41 PMI guess it would have to be VAMPIRE HOOKERS (1978).
1.2 thousand ratings, I bet you've seen more obscure ones than that. Not many worse ones, though; you expect a lot from something called VAMPIRE HOOKERS and this movie definitely did not deliver.
Quote from: lester1/2jr on April 27, 2025, 03:32:22 PMmaybe Horrible Sexy Vampire. I recall really disliking it
Only 392 ratings, pretty rare. One of the best titles ever, but I've never seen it or heard anyone say anything good about it.
Quote from: Rev. Powell on April 27, 2025, 05:20:52 PMQuote from: RCMerchant on April 27, 2025, 02:25:41 PMI guess it would have to be VAMPIRE HOOKERS (1978).
1.2 thousand ratings, I bet you've seen more obscure ones than that. Not many worse ones, though; you expect a lot from something called VAMPIRE HOOKERS and this movie definitely did not deliver.
Yeah- it was pretty bad. What little nudity was all shot with a lens that seemed to be covered in Vasoline. And Carradine was almost a walk on. Most of the movie consisted of two sailors hanging out in Philipino dive bars.
It was a chore.
(https://i.imgur.com/BCUZLsJ.jpeg) (https://lunapic.com)
I saw a Polish movie called I LIKE BATS (1986), but it was so confusing that I turned it off. Maybe I'll finish it someday.
Waaaay back in about- I dunno- 1972?- I seen some thing called BEAST OF MORROCO (1968) aka the HAND OF NIGHT as half the bill on Double Creature Feature. Pretty lame. I know my 10 year old self found it awful. I don't recall the other film, but this one stood out for it's incomprehensiveness (is that even a word?)
Quote from: RCMerchant on April 27, 2025, 08:55:18 PMI saw a Polish movie called I LIKE BATS (1986), but it was so confusing that I turned it off. Maybe I'll finish it someday.
Waaaay back in about- I dunno- 1972?- I seen some thing called BEAST OF MORROCO (1968) aka the HAND OF NIGHT as half the bill on Double Creature Feature. Pretty lame. I know my 10 year old self found it awful. I don't recall the other film, but this one stood out for it's incomprehensiveness (is that even a word?)
I LIKE BATS has 355 ratings, pretty obscure. BEAST OF MOROCCO is similarly obscure at 368 ratings.
Maybe the word you're looking for is incoherent (or incoherence)?
Ganja and Hess aka Blood Couple (1973)
^ I wouldn't consider GANJA AND HESS (an excellent film, by the way) obscure at all. It even stars Duane Jones of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD fame! And it has over 2000 ratings.
Emmanuelle vs Dracula 272 ratings on IMDB and 3,2 stars
I got the DVD on the strength of the title, and boy, was I mistaken. Stay away from this one.
Quote from: RCMerchant on April 29, 2025, 10:05:49 PM^ I wouldn't consider GANJA AND HESS (an excellent film, by the way) obscure at all. It even stars Duane Jones of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD fame! And it has over 2000 ratings.
👍👍😊🐢
GRAVE OF THE VAMPIRE (1972) is another one I've never heard of before. Looks good. 😊🐢
Rockula (1990)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockula
Terrible
I just watched DEAFULA (1975) which is in all sign lanquage (with a voiveover for those who don't read sign language). One weird aspect is Dracula's hunchback helper, who has tin cans for hands. Hoo-boy.
It has 133 ratings.
Here it is if your interested-
https://youtu.be/AJD8wZh5RgA?si=gVeNMTU68ouHIoBH
Embrace The Darkness II
Basically, the answer to the question "What if Skinemax did Vampire: The Masquerade?"
Quote from: RipleyJSmith on May 26, 2025, 07:09:23 AMEmbrace The Darkness II
Basically, the answer to the question "What if Skinemax did Vampire: The Masquerade?"
Only 350 ratings, that's pretty obscure!
Quote from: bob on April 30, 2025, 03:51:10 AMRockula (1990)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockula
Terrible
I saw the trailer for that on a VHS rental. That was enough 😳😉🐢
Quote from: Rev. Powell on May 26, 2025, 08:15:04 AMQuote from: RipleyJSmith on May 26, 2025, 07:09:23 AMEmbrace The Darkness II
Basically, the answer to the question "What if Skinemax did Vampire: The Masquerade?"
Only 350 ratings, that's pretty obscure!
I'm surprised it got that many, though to be fair, it was part of a trilogy and all three movies were on regular rotation on Skinemax in the early and mid 2000's.
Vampeggedon
College student film that ended up on various Echo Bridge 20 horror film packs.
Quote from: Newt138 on October 16, 2025, 09:56:47 AMVampeggedon
College student film that ended up on various Echo Bridge 20 horror film packs.
A mere 245 ratings, pretty obscure, though not the most obscure one here.
Probably "Jonathan" (1970)
I bought it years ago on DVD-R from the old Video Search of Miami. I'd like to get a better copy because the colors are washed out.
From IMDB: "Unusual twist on vampire mythology supposes one important difference from most movies: daylight does not harm vampires. With this weakness removed, by the 16th or 17th century vampires have become the aristocracy, controlling government and exploiting the few remaining, destitute humans as food and servants. A desperate group of humans elects young Jonathan to lead a mission intent of destroying all the vampires, but the vampires attempt to foil him at every turn."
Quote from: The Burgomaster on October 17, 2025, 08:57:25 AMProbably "Jonathan" (1970)
I bought it years ago on DVD-R from the old Video Search of Miami. I'd like to get a better copy because the colors are washed out.
From IMDB: "Unusual twist on vampire mythology supposes one important difference from most movies: daylight does not harm vampires. With this weakness removed, by the 16th or 17th century vampires have become the aristocracy, controlling government and exploiting the few remaining, destitute humans as food and servants. A desperate group of humans elects young Jonathan to lead a mission intent of destroying all the vampires, but the vampires attempt to foil him at every turn."
379 ratings for Jonathan, pretty obscure, but knowing you I wouldn't be surprised if you'd seen something even rarer.
Bumping this thread 'cause I was unable to think of the movie that I thought was the most obscure vampire movie I'd ever seen. I finally found the title while browsing Letterboxd but according to IMDB it isn't even close. I also thought of a couple more back in October but I thought someone else had mentioned them but I just reviewed the whole thread and I don't think they had. So:
I would've put money on DEMON UNDER GLASS (mentioned in the first few posts) being the most obscure, but it has 300 ratings on IMDB.
The title I'd forgotten was THE GIRL WITH THE HUNGRY EYES from the mid-90s. The fact I remembered DEMON UNDER GLASS but forgot TGWTHE would seem to indicate its obscurity, but... it's at 600 on IMDB. That's staggering and incomprehensible. It's a very boring movie w/ no recognizable stars or action or sex (though it has a couple nice shots). It is based on a famous short story though so maybe that explains the eyeballs its racked up.
Another one I thought of but didn't mention in October is JUGULAR WINE: A VAMPIRE ODYSSEY (1995). It has 103 on IMDB! That's pretty obscure. I only discovered it 'cause somehow my local Blockbuster had carried it (and I watched everything back in those days). It's almost total garbage, btw, and any attention it's attracted is only due to it (somehow) having small supporting roles played by Henry Rollins, Stan Lee, and Frank Miller... writer/artist of all the greatest "Daredevil" comics, screenwriter of ROBOCOPs 2 & 3, co-director/creator of SIN CITY, and director of THE SPIRIT, one of the worst big budget studio films I've ever seen. Still only 103, though.
But then at last I nominate John & Mark Polonia's HOW TO SLAY A VAMPIRE, which is on the same cheapo DVD boxed set at DEMON UNDER GLASS. Ding ding ding! IMDB says 83! Rev, is that a "winner" so far?
I don't quite get that either. People know the Polonia Brothers but no one knows anyone responsible for DEMON UNDER GLASS or THE GIRL WITH THE HUGNRY EYES. And actually HOW TO SLAY A VAMPIRE is probably the most charming/least irritating Polonia flick I've seen. O the injustice.
I have seen The Girl With the Hungry Eyes, but I barely remember much about it. A few more obscure vampire films I've seen:
Son of Darkness: To Die for II (1991) 393 votes
The Lost Platoon (1990) 301 votes
Midnight Kiss (1993) 283 votes
Vampire at Midnight (1987) 277 votes
The Jitters (1989) 259 votes
Graveyard Shift II (1989) 216 votes