Vampires have invaded the tiny Canadian town of Dundurn, Saskatchewan thanks to director David Schultz, who is currently filming the teenage vampire drama Rufus. Why anyone would willingly go into the frozen hell hole that is the North is beyond me, but according to Schultz, the windswept winter landscape really fits the tone of the story, which he says was born out of a decision to write “a vampire picture that wasn’t really a vampire picture.” Plus, there are some excellent movie tax breaks up there.
In this upcoming indie film, a troubled teenage vampire discovers what it means to be human. Rufus is the fusing of a blood and guts vampire movie, an emotional humanity drama, and a teenage romance. It’s all sewn together with a rebellious outcry on the state of conformity.
Rufus stars Canadian actress Kelly Rowan, best known from the hit TV show The O.C., Kim Coates from Sons of Anarchy, and British newcomer Rory Saper as Rufus, the lonely vampire who longs to be human.
My first thought on this film was that it’s yet another angsty vampire movie trying to cash in on the success of other angsty vampires movies.
But in a past interview Schultz said that he isn’t interested in imitating films like Twilight.
“I’ve never seen those movies,” he said. “You could take the vampire out of this story, and it would still play.”
He then added that the title character is “not really a vampire”—although he has many vampiric traits—and the film’s focus is not on the paranormal, but on the secrets we all hold and hide.
“We all have our own demons,” said Schultz, adding that the film’s setting in a small town makes this angle even more complex.
“In small towns, you’re not allowed to be different,” he said. “Most people know each other’s secrets.”
Hmm… honestly, I am not sure how I feel about Rufus yet. I’m not loving the idea, but I don’t hate it either. It’s one of those things I’ll have to see more of before making an opinion.
What do you think about Rufus so far? Does it sound like a vampire movie you would want to see?
Schultz says he is aiming for a fall 2012 theatrical release.
– Moonlight
Sorry to be off topic, but is it just me who sees Vampires.com as a template (site name, top row of links, nosferatu graphic) but no other content on IE, but on Cometbird I can view the site normally?
People still use Internet Exploder? >;^D
I just checked, Vampires.com was just fine in IE9 on my computer.
(first time I’ve used IE to view a website in over a year…)
Thanks! Guess it’s just my system then.
Now, about the film: Teen “Fangst” might be a bit more palatable to many of us on Vampires.com when it’s served with an “indie” flavor. More of a “parallel world Twilight” than an “anti-Twilight”. Hopefully there’s less fawning by the human female and less moping by the vampire male (ha ha).