This is a gem of a movie made as a Mockumentary film in the style of such classics as Christopher Guest’s This is Spinal Tap (1984) and Best in Show (2000).

In the opening credits we are told that the New Zealand Documentary Board have been following a group of Vampires who share a house together.

Although they are the undead they still have to face the mundane problems of paying rent, trying to get entry into nightclubs and keeping the peace with the local constabulary when they turn up at their home after complaints of noise disturbance.


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Our host, 400-year-old Viago (Taika Waititi) talks directly to the camera in that awkward embarrassing manner of someone who is not used to being filmed. He is an old fashioned dandy dressed in frilled shirts and talks with a German accent with a slight lisp. Viago introduces the audience to the rest of the group.

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Viago (Taika Waititi)

Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), a 190-year-old who looks like he just jumped out of an Adam Ant video and thinks he is really cool.

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Deacon (Jonathan Brugh)

Vladislav (Jermaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords) is over 800 years old and is a real ladies man and regrets his past when he regularly tortured his victims.

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Vladislav (Jemaine Clement)

Petyr (Ben Fransham) who is a carbon copy of the Max Schreck’s Nosferatu (1922) who never speaks but permanently looks like a monster.

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Petyr (Ben Fransham)

Petyr is the stay at home type while the other three immortals just love having fun, going to night clubs and sucking on humans.

The funny thing is that when they go out in their clothes from the relevant centuries from when they were turned, they actually don’t look out of place.

There is a funny moment when they bump into a pack of Werewolves in human form and there is a lot of banter between them and one of the werewolves keeps swearing only to be reprimanded by the Alpha Male Anton (Rhys Darby also Murray from Flight of the Conchords and also seen in The Boat That Rocked) by saying “What are we? We’re Werewolves…not Swearwolves!”

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Werewolves not Swearwolves (Rhys Darby middle)

All of the characters get their turn to have a one on one with the camera, all except Petyr who remains silent and mysterious.

The whole episode is leading up to The Unholy Masquerade Ball where all of the local Wellington creatures get together for a party including Zombies.

This comedy horror hits the right spot and you have to remind yourself that this isn’t a real documentary (how could it be, there aren’t such things as Vampires…are there?)

The film works because all the actors involved are playing their roles seriously rather than for laughs so when the funny incidents happen they don’t seem forced. The special effects are also quite impressive.

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Viago, Deacon and Vladislav

The film was written and directed by both Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi who knew each other at the University of Wellington. Then later Clement met up with Bret McKenzie and the formed Flight of the Conchords which I can thoroughly recommend.

What we do in the Shadows is well worth a viewing but just a warning that although this is a comedy there is also quite a bit of blood and gore.

Special features:

  •  Behind the Shadows
         How they filmed speciial effects (blood sucking blood bath scene)
  •  Deleted scenes
  •  Interviews
         With the characters
  •  Video extras
  •  Promo videos
         Characters

Check out the trailer:

FOUR out of five stars.

DVD / Blu-ray out on Monday April 13