The 1970's was not a fun time to be a vampire. Suffering from the same camp spoofery that molested science fiction and Batman a decade before, vampire movies of the 70's were reduced the weary confines of blaxploitation (Blacula), lesbian sex romps (Vampyros Des Lesbos) and dry, low budget, English costume dramas with plunging bodice necklines (Hammer Horror's not-so-finest). All of this, slowly, started to come to end with the premiere of Universal's sumptuous, over-the-top, 40th anniversary remake of Dracula starring Frank Langella in 1979. Spooky castles, sea fogs, bats, candelabras, capes and scary sex made a marked return which, in turn, inspired many filmmakers to take vampires seriously again and even explore the definitions of what it means to make a “vampire movie”.

Tony Scott's The Hunger was one of those very early films that dared to step out into new horizons, inspired by the events of the time. Post-punk dominated the alternative music scene by this stage with Death Rock sweeping across America. The famous Bat-Cave Nightclub had opened in London . Early contemporary Goth and Post-Punk culture began to take root and a darker and seemingly more dangerous part of the Eighties nightlife-scene began to spring up across the UK and the US. Based on the novel by Whitley Strieber (who's other film-adapted novels include Wolfen, the supposed true-life alien-abduction account Communion, and the disaster film The Day After Tommorrow, this experimental vampire movie tried to adapt the old folklore of vampires into the modern age and capture the spirit of the time.

The project was originally to be helmed by director Ridley Scott who, coming straight off Alien” seemed a perfect choice. Ridley, however, pulled out after learning that David Bowie was involved and went onto direct Blade Runner” (a movie that deals with coincidentally similar themes) and passed the director's chair to his younger brother Tony (future director of such Bruckheimer-popcorn epics such as Top Gun, True Romance, Crimson Tide, and The Last Boy Scout). French sex-bomb Catherine Deneuve was cast as the Egyptian vampire Miriam with Bowie in tow as her human companion/lover. Susan Sarandon, at the time dubbed a scream-queen after her appearance on the Rocky Horror Picture Show, was cast as the human victim of the film's bizarre love-triangle. Master makeup artist Dick Smith was hired to achieve some of the film's stunning aging effects which rivaled his Oscar-winning work on Amadeus.

Right from the opening titles – set to Bauhaus's Bela Lugosi's Dead – we become aware this is not an ordinary vampire movie. There are no mentions of fangs, capes, no haunted castles or vanquishing sunlight. The word “vampire” is never mentioned and the bloodsucking condition is vaguely outlined as a genetic trait which could be passed on to non-vampires like a temporary virus whilst true vampires were in fact a different creature altogether from human beings. This departure, part of the experimental nature of the film, proved to be its downfall during the film's theatrical run.

The Hunger 's reception was poor upon its initial release. Many critics complained about its slow pace and found its different take on bloodsuckers-of-the-night too left of field. However the movie was praised for its stunning cinematography (practically a Tony Scott trademark these days) and fine attention to detail. In fact it was the movie's overabundant atmosphere and style-over-substance that made it a hallmark cult film in the years to come and is considered to be one first to establish the Glamour-Goth style that dominates so many modern-day movies and video games.

The movie is also heralded as one of the most accurate portrayals of early Eighties night-life culture and trendy underground fashion. Most of all the film was notorious for its steamy lesbian sex-scene between Sarandon and Deneuve, perhaps suggesting that the 70's grip on the vampire was still holding strong. The film was a box-office flop, but retains popular cult status amongst Goths, vampire-fans and avid enthusiasts of the cinema nocturne.