When Vampires Suck co-directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer look into a mirror, is there a face staring back at them? When they approach an automatic sliding door, does the scanner detect the presence of a soul? Is there a deeper reason for the astonishing lack of humanity in their five parody films together, including Vampires Suck, a Twilight send-up? They are Wayans’ alums (they of Scary Movies) but either would not or could not absorb that family’s aim-to-please shamelessness. The best bad culture can still have a point-of-view and can sometimes even resemble a triumph of vision (like Tommy Wiseau’s The Room). Watching Vampires Suck is to have an abyss stare back at you.
This article appears in Aug 26 – Sep 1, 2010.
