Innocent Lila (Cheryl Smith), raised by the local preacher (Richard Blackburn), receives a letter stating that her gangster father is dying and wants to see her to gain her forgiveness, but she must come alone. The letter was actually composed by Lemora (Lesley Gilb), a vampire, who controls the town of Asteroth and is holding Lilaâs father. The journey will force Lila to confront lewd ticket-takers, offensive bums, forest undead, and her own desires.
Very European in flavor, Lemora is less a horror film, and more a dark fantasy. Itâs a dreamlike fairy tale. Little Red Riding Hood, in all her childhood glory, goes to grandmotherâs house and meets a lot of wolves, sometimes as lecherous mortals, sometimes as raving zombies, and sometimes as stimulating vampires. It becomes clear that in the world of temptation, depravity, and human weakness, Lemora may be the best thing going. Innocence is not a fine quality to keep. Lilaâs journey is her sexual and sensual awakening.
Donât look for that âsexual awakeningâ to produce any graphic nudity. This is a PG movie. Much has been made of the lesbianism in the âbathing scene,â but thatâs usually from people who havenât seen it; metaphor is all youâll find in Lemora.
Writer/Director Richard Blackburn claims the movie is about repression. Critics say itâs about the loss of innocence. The statements are close, but Blackburn was going for more of a triumphant realization, not a sad bow to reality. He comes close.
Thereâs a lot to like about Lemora: A Child’s Tale of the Supernatural. It has a strong mood, an unusual setting for a vampire film (southern United States of the 1930s), and a stunning lead in Cheryl “Rainbeaux” Smith (who went into exploitation flicks and died at age 47). It isnât just another vampire film, but something unusual.
However, the low budget drags in down. A few more dollars on makeup effects would have helped, but the real problem is the need for professionals at the top, and the money wasnât there to hire them. Blackburn, directing his first and only feature, does his best with this labor of love, but lacks the skill to make the film sing. The pacing is uneven, and the picture has a flat, video feel. Camera angles vary from dull to unnecessary. He needed to retain a fight choreographer (along with a DP who knew how to film a fight) as Blackburn was forced to change the ending in postproduction because his climatic battle looked silly. More money might have allowed Blackburn to fix the sound; there are numerous times when the looped dialog doesnât synch with the actorâs lips. For low budget fare, this is OK, but it needed to have a real budget.