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The director's recent project may have revitalized the idea of African American undead, but the roots of this cinematic category trace back to the Blaxploitation era. One of the most iconic early examples was the 1972 classic Blacula. In that film, the actor's character is bitten by Dracula and cursed with the insulting name “Blacula.” Initially conceived as a stereotype, Marshall transformed the role into something majestic, providing his character an historical origin as Mamuwalde, a proud African prince.

Years afterward, Eddie Murphy seemed to take inspiration from Marshall, enriching his own protagonist's lore in the director's interpretation on the Black vampire subgenre: Vampire in Brooklyn. The protagonist Maximillian is a heir of Dracula whose forebears escaped to Egypt, and later to the Bermuda Triangle, after being persecuted to the brink of extinction. Vampire in Brooklyn demonstrates that Black vampire stories can be funny, terrifying, and intellectually stimulating all at once, securing its position in the hall of fame by juggling all three while honoring the heritage of the category.

Debuted three decades back on October 27th, 1995, Vampire in Brooklyn is now available on Tubi, making it an essential watch if you need a little comedy with your scares this spooky season.

From Zamunda to Brooklyn

Similar to the royal character in Coming to America (the actor's 1988 masterpiece), the vampire lead is drawn to the Big Apple. But rather than traveling from a fictional kingdom to Queens, he arrives from the mysterious region into Brooklyn, aiming to locate and ensure the continuation of his undead bloodline with an heir of his tribe.

The character makes his entrance in New York aboard a ghost ship whose sailors has been inexplicably killed, a homage to Nosferatu. The ship is discovered by ship inspector Silas Green (John Witherspoon) and his nephew Julius Jones (the actor), two of the most humorous personalities in the movie. The inspector then witnesses a dark creature jump from the ship, dart into an alley, and transform into a man — like the iconic routine from the extended Black or White video. Funky Blaxploitation-style music starts, setting the tone for a movie that expertly mixes horror and humor.

Artistic Goals

Fresh off his final entry in the iconic horror series, the director was eager to break from his scary movie image and make a more hybrid genre film (his next film after Vampire in Brooklyn was Scream, which mined horror tropes for both comedy and genuine scares). At the same time, Murphy aimed to subvert expectations by diving into a straight horror rooted in Dracula lore. The clash of those creative goals accounts for the story's detailed beginning of the protagonist's backstory and its generally sluggish start. But when the movie hits its stride, it opens up to its strengths — like its eclectic cast.

The acclaimed actress, as the vampire's love interest, plays police officer Rita Veder, whose relationship with her colleague and romantic lead, detective Justice (Allen Payne), brings a procedural element to the story. Among Black cinema’s most praised actresses, Bassett gives a powerful acting with her co-star, a well-known actor from the time. In the meantime, the lead spends most of his screen time with Kadeem Hardison, forming a hilarious classic comedy pair as Hardison’s Julius Jones becomes the vampire's minion. (Seeing Julius descend further into his macabre part as his skin decays during the movie is a highlight of how the star's comedic style elevates the humor and fear, even when employed by the cast).

Supernatural Romance

When the two leads meet and the stars finally share the screen, the movie reaches its peak — the tension heightens, the fear escalates, and their sinister attraction takes center stage. Max’s plan is to remove everything Rita has in her life and then swoop in. He kills her housemate, drives a wedge between her and her love interest, and even uses Nutty Professor-esque make-up effects to masquerade as a clergyman and undermine her beliefs.

As the plot progresses, it becomes more darkly romantic, featuring metamorphoses and revelations of origins. This results in a final section packed with temptation, as mortality and damnation are at stake. The movie concludes with a stinger suggesting a potential sequel, one that might have materialized had the movie performed better. Vampire in Brooklyn made a modest box office return and got largely critical reception upon release. Over time, it gained popularity as a cult favorite, with critics later praising the filmmaker's work, the electric chemistry the leads, and its clever mix of horror and comedy. The movie flashes moments of brilliance that might have shone brighter had everyone involved been aligned on a cohesive approach, rather than producing the mixed-genre result viewers saw. Nevertheless, Vampire in Brooklyn has rightfully earned its spot in the history of African American scary movies, an overlooked but influential film defined by its daring approach and memorable acting.