Vampire in Brooklyn

Introducing classy production values and comedy to the blackvampire cycle that surfaced in the '70s, Murphy plays a modern debonair Nosferatu (as well as adding some unnecessary icing to the cake by impersonating an alcoholic preacher and an Italian hood). Caribbean-born Maximillian sails to New York in search of his unwitting blood sister, troubled cop Rita (Bassett). With the help of reluctant ghoul Julius (Hardison), he tries to seduce her with promises of eternal life and untold riches. Things get complicated when Maximillian falls for his blood relative, and she in turn rejects her shy, sensitive police partner (Payne) in favour of the suave vamp. Murphy's choice of director was shrewd: making good use of his biggest budget to date, Craven brings his knowledge of the genre to bear, allowing time for humour while ensuring that the requisite shocks arrive on cue. Bassett brings a little extra to her role as a woman torn between the calling of her blood and fear for her eternal soul. There's some scary fun to be had here.