Underrated vampire thriller
"I overlooked this the first time through and I'm glad I finally picked it up."
This listing is for the standard edition Blu-ray/DVD combo. The limited edition slipcover (designed by Earl Kessler Jr.) was limited to 2,000 units and is sold out. The two versions are identical, aside from the slipcover.
Jake (James Raftery) is an apathetic, post-punk vampire who spends his nights cruising seedy music dives for drugged out women to seduce and kill to satisfy his bloodlust. After murdering Zohra, a young Puerto Rican woman, Jake becomes the focus of her brother, Angel, who's desperate to find his missing sister and fears that Jake might be involved in her disappearance...
An ode to East Village sleaze, Jeffrey Arsenault's NIGHT OWL is an unflinchingly gritty modern day vampire story set in a world of dingy, house music playing dive bars, pizza parlors, and other drug and misery filled lower Manhattan locales. Co-starring a young John Leguizamo (The Fan, Summer of Sam) in one his earliest roles, along side Warhol superstar Holly Woodlawn, and photographed in deliberately grimy black and white 16mm, Vinegar Syndrome brings NIGHT OWL to Blu-ray for the first time, newly restored from its original 16mm negative.
directed by: Jeffrey Arsenault
starring: John Leguizamo, James Raftery, Holly Woodlawn, Lisa Napoli, David Roya, Karen Wexler, Michael Musto, Screamin' Rachael
1993 / 80 min / 1.33:1
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.409091 / 5 from 22 reviews.
Review topics: [film, vampires, thriller, story, noir].
"I overlooked this the first time through and I'm glad I finally picked it up."
"Night Owl is a moody urban thriller set in late-night cityscapes, blending noir aesthetics with crime and suspense. The film emphasizes tension, atmosphere, and morally complex characters navigating dangerous environments. Visuals are shadowy and evocative, enhancing the sense of isolation and urban menace. Performances are grounded, giving weight to the film’s exploration of obsession, fear, and ethical ambiguity. For fans of indie noir and character-driven suspense, Night Owl offers a darkly engaging, atmospheric experience rooted in mood and psychological tension."
"Love seeing early films from actors i love"
"interesting film"
"I like"
"A beautiful looking, grainy, black and white film, presented in its original 16mm, 1:33:1 original aspect ratio (so will not appear as full screen). Reversible cover, with alt art. Includes 2 discs, comprised of a Blu and DVD, to cover multiple media generations. A great film to add to your collection, and, if like me, curious to explore John Leguizamo's older, more obscure work. :) Recommended!"
"Great"
"stun of a vampire film"
"I didn't enjoy this film. It was fairly well made and certainly grimy enough, but I didn't really think much of it personally. What it does have however is an excellent house music soundtrack, with plenty of early(ish) 90s 'Chicago' house (in New York). I first got into house in the late 80s and started mixing early 90s (I was too young to play clubs and bars at the time unfortunately!), so I've got a real love for house music from this period. There's an interview with Caroline Munro, which seemed really out of place - the film had really lost me by that point. John Leguizamo makes an early career appearance and is pretty good in the role. I can't really recommend this film because I just didn't enjoy it at all, but it's certainly unusual and I'm sure there will be some who like it."
"I love this movie, and have had a hard time tracking it down. Really glad I was able to find this"
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