I, Desire TV movie (1982) 4.7 out of 10 ⭐

4.7 out of 10 stars Time to read: 3min

BASIC PLOT:

David Balsiger's life is working out just the way he wants it to. He's finishing up law school, his girlfriend Cheryl, who's a nurse, has just moved in with him, and it seems like he's going to get everything he ever wanted. Until one night, something weird happens at his night job.

David Naughton as David Balsiger

David's been working the late shift at the morgue to put himself through law school. Most of the time it's quiet, and he gets a bit of studying done. But one night a murder victim comes in with a strange cause of death. The victim, Milton King, was completely exsanguinated after picking up a street walker on H0ollywood Blvd. Mr. King was found at a seedy motel without a drop of blood left in his body. Nobody thinks much of it at first, until other men start dying in the exact same way. But David has another reason to be suspicious. The night Milton King was brought in, an unusual priest showed up at the morgue and asked to see the body. David agrees, after all it's not unusual for a body to get last rites. But while the priest is in with the body, a Rabbi shows up and asks to see Mr. King as well.

Brad Dourif as Paul

No one knows who this odd priest is, why he wanted to see the body, or how he disappeared so quickly fromc the morgue, but it's enough to peak David's interest in the whole matter.

Marilyn Jones as Cheryl Gillen

David becomes even more concerned when nurses at the hospital where Cheryl works, start getting assaulted. Two nurses who worked the blood bank, were both attacked, one severely.

David can't ignore the coincidences even though they lead to something impossible -vampires.

Barbara Stock as Mona

One night while walking around Hollywood Blvd, looking for any kind of clue that would help him make sense of this mess, he sees the priest who asked to see Mr. King. It turns out his name is Paul, and he is a priest, who's been defrocked because he wouldn't shut up about vampires.

Brad Dourif is excellent as defrocked priest, Paul

He tells David he's been tracking "Her" from city to city, telling David things that weren't released publicly. Before David can ask him anything else, he disappears. David tries to contact Detective Jerry Van Ness with all of this new information, but as soon as he mentions the word vampire, the Detective stops listening.

Dorian Harewood as Detective Jerry Van Ness

All at once, David's life is falling apart. His girlfriend moves out, the police don't believe him, and he's falling behind at school.

Is David right? Are vampires real? How is Paul, the defrocked priest, involved? Are David and his girlfriend really in danger? Or are things not really as they seem?

WHAT WORKS:

*BRAD DOURIF full stop. He's fantastic as the crazy, defrocked priest. He pulls it off too perfection (like he always does), and takes his tiny role, and steals the show with it.

Brad Dourif is fantastic!

*THE AMBIANCE IS REALLY WELL DONE

The filmmakers do a good job of creating several moods - an ominous, seedy motel, a high end '80's apartment, a working class apartment, etc. Setting the scene matters, and they do a good job here.

The high end 1980's apartment is awesome!

WHAT DOESN'T WORK:

*COPS CAN'T ARREST YOU FOR PAYING SOMEONE TO TALK TO YOU

While David is walking around Hollywood Blvd, looking for prostitutes who might have seen something, he comes across an undercover cop. He doesn't mention a sex act, but she says he has to pay to talk to her. When he agrees, she arrests him. That's complete bs. Every pundit on TV is paid to talk, it's not against the law.

*THE PACING IS A BIT OFF

There's a lot of action at the beginning, and then there's a huge stretch before anything happens again. It's not a deal breaker, but it is a bit off.

This hairdo pisses me off

*CHERYL, THE GIRLFRIEND, IS A BIT OF A B*TCH

She doesn't believe David, she doesn't support him, instead she gives him a number to a therapist. If she thinks he's really in extremis (she is a nurse after all), she shouldn't leave him alone, but a few days after she moves in with him, she moves right back out. She's constantly questioning their relationship, and she's very unlikable. Also, (and I know this has nothing to do with anything) but her hairstyle is very distracting. I grew up in the '80's, and I would have hated this hairstyle in 1982 (when the movie was made).

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION:

This is a fun, silly romp back to when we had entertaining movies of the week. It's not "believable", it's not meant to be. It's a fun vampire movie, not too violent or sexual. It's Barbara Stock's second role, and she's stunning as "Mona". It's also a fun bit of nostalgia. The 80's apartment is awesome with some pieces I'd love to have.

CLOSING NOTES:

*THIS IS A MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE, please keep that in mind before you watch/rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so you expectations should be adjusted.

*I HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE FILM, or production in ANY way. I'm not writing this as a favor, or because I was paid.

*CERTIFIED HUMAN WRITTEN REVIEW This review was NOT written in full, or in part, by a bot. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews (less trolls and fanboys), and better entertainment. Hope I helped you out.