Cinefantastique Online

In November of last year, I was contacted by representatives of Canada’s History Channel to be interviewed for a documentary they were making about vampires. At long last, the project has come to fruition: THE REAL VAMPIRE FILES will air Tuesday, September 7 at 8:00pm. I haven’t seen it, and the last time I was involved in one of these was E Channels TEN VAMPIRES WE LOVE, which cut my hour-long interview down to two sound bites, so for all I know I have been squeezed out by more luminary names such as David Skal, who really is the go-to guy for this subject.

Here is a description from the project’s Facebook page:

Dracula, Nosferatu and now Edward are all part of cinema history and the Vampire legend, but is there any truth behind the spine-chilling fiction?

At first bite, the vampire seems to be just the product of our heated imagination, a dark fairy tale. But some folklore’s do hold truths, explain some fears, and satisfy some desires. Indeed, this terrifying monster’s beginnings is a lifetime away from the 21st century vampire – those real people living amongst us who drink human blood and purposely embrace the darkness.

The Real Vampire Files explores the evolution of the age-old myth that has truly become a blood-curdling reality.

Most of my discussion centered on the evolution of the vampire from folklore through literature, cinema, and television, not on any so-called real vampires; hopefully, it provides a little context for the public’s changing attitude toward the subject matter.

Airdates:

• Tuesday, September 7 at 8:00pm
• Friday, September 11 at 7:00pm EST