Parasite Lady

Director - Chris Alexander (Necropolis: Legion, Female Werewolf)

Starring - Ali Chappell (Scream of the Blind Dead, Girl With a Straight Razor), Arrielle Edwards (Murdoch Mysteries, The Last Supper), and Kate Gabriele (Terrifier 2)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Full Moon Streaming)

Rating (out of 5):

     There is a lot of filmmakers that I love and respect. My childhood was filled with trips to the video store with bigger rentals taking place on Friday so I had an extra day to watch them with Sunday being the day they were closed. The dial up age went through my middle school and high school years with the latter being the year I joined a handful of horror message boards and forums. It was here that I would find a lot of the more modern and indie filmmakers that I absolute love and respect now. As the message boards fell victim to social media platforms I still use these sites to find filmmakers and other figures in my beloved genre that I would miss out on if it wasn’t for social networking. Many years ago, when I was first brought on to Horror Society, I befriended Chris Alexander when he started emailing me press releases for various projects. It was sometime before I realized who he was exactly and from there I had to search him out on my various social media profiles. He is a serious lover of the genre and his contributions include writing, composing, directing, and so on. Currently this long time journalist and writer is working for legendary producer and director Charles Band for his iconic Full Moon Features while keeping the famous horror magazine Delirium in print. I respect the hell out of this man and his love for the genre. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of all the things he’s accomplished in his life but her put in the hard work to get to where he is at. While I respect the hell out of him I will be completely honest about his films. A good portion of them are not for me. These arthouse style horror films doesn’t really appeal to me. I’m too dumb to understand them but I still go out of my way to watch them. Sometime back I was sent the review link for his newest film Parasite Lady. Sadly, I had a death in the family and wasn’t able to finish it. I had started it because I’m always curious about Chris’ films but it was too hectic to finish and give the review the attention it deserved. However, once things slowed down I decided to revisit it and check it out. 

      The film follows a vampire looking for her next victim near an aged carnival. When she spots her next plaything and meal she takes her back to a seedy motel room where she explores her body and feeds and appetite. 

      I’ve seen a good bit of Chris’ filmography and his films are hit or miss with me. While I dig his music work and respect his love for horror and literature, I find his films to be a bit too intelligent for me. I want to like them all but I can’t. Parasite Lady is another film of his that wasn’t for me. It’s a beautifully shot and put together film but for someone who spends his spare time watching films like Thankskilling and Killer Condom it’s over my head. I hate typing this out because I seriously respect the man but this just feels like another overly erotic vampire film for those that know what type of wine pairs well with fish. I don’t mean that as a jab because it’s not but it’s not a horror film for the everyday horror fan. I loved the casting in this one. Ali Chappell and Arrielle Edwards, along with two other equally as beautiful and talented actresses, bare it all in their performances. While it’s a fairly silent film with little to no actions, they carry the film without uttering a word. I wish the film gave them the chance to shine in a traditional acting sense but It was still solid performances from this small cast. The story for this one is where the film lost me. When I watched the film I never picked up that the vampire is an inter-dimensional traveler. I just assumed that she was a normal vampire but I apparently missed something about her traveling through dimensions. I wish the film had a little more focus on some sort of story instead of the heavy petting and blood splatter. Finally, the film has some blood and beautiful cinematography but if you are looking for loads of gore and buckets of blood then you are watching the wrong film. However, if some blood droplets and beautiful women are more your thing then you are in luck. Overall, Parasite Lady just wasn’t for me. It has Chris Alexander’s signature look and style but the lack of a coherent story made it a bit of a chore to finish. I wanted to love it but it was clearly not meant for me. Fans of arthouse style horror may dig it but those of you that like the campy and corny horror flicks like I do then you may want to check out something else from Full Moon.