Subspecies
Subspecies (1991) follows three college students, Mara, Michelle, and Lillian,
as they begin a study on Romanian culture and superstition in the small town
Prejnar. They are befriended by Stefan, a student studying nocturnal animals.
It is revealed that the nearby Castle Vladislas has been caught in a power
struggle between vampire brothers Stefan and Radu. Centuries prior, King
Vladislas was seduced and cursed by a sorceress who eventually gave birth to
Radu. After banishing Radu's mother, the king met a mortal woman. She gave
birth to Stefan, who prefers to live in the open, and loathes his vampire
heritage. To gain control over the Bloodstone, a relic that is said to drip the
blood of the saints, Radu kills his father. In an effort to hurt his brother,
Radu turns Mara and Lillian into vampires. Stefan, having fallen in love with
Michelle, helps her try and free Mara and Lillian from Radu's control. Stefan
drives a stake through Radu's heart and severs his head with a sword, killing
Radu. Unfortunately for Stefan, Radu bites Michelle before his brother can kill
him, which forces Stefan to turn Michelle with his own blood in order to keep
her from becoming like Radu. As Stefan and Michelle sleep, Radu's minions set
about resurrecting their master.
Bloodstone: Subspecies II
Bloodstone: Subspecies II (1993) picks up directly after the events of the
first film, with Radu's minions, the Subspecies, reattaching Radu's head and
removing the stake from his heart. Radu finds Stefan and Michelle sleeping, and
immediately kills Stefan. The rising sun forces Radu to seek refuge; Michelle
wakes at sunset and finds Stefan dead in his coffin, with the Bloodstone still
in his hands. Michelle flees to Bucharest with the Bloodstone, hoping to
contact her sister, Becky, for help. Radu, with the help of his mother,
"Mummy", sets out to find Michelle and the Bloodstone. Becky arrives in Romania
and with the help of Lieutenant Marin, Professor Popescu, and US Embassy Agent
Mel Thompson, attempts to find her sister. Radu eventually captures Michelle,
who has been fighting her craving for blood since Radu took the Bloodstone. Mel
and Lieutenant Marin do not believe Popescu and Becky, so the two of them go to
a nearby crypt where they believe Michelle might be. Popescu is murdered by
Mummy, while Becky is also captured and given to Michelle to feed from, as a
way for Michelle to shed her mortal ties. Instead of killing her sister,
Michelle stabs Radu in the face with an enchanted dagger, and sets fire to
Radu's mother, who flees the room in flames. Becky and Michelle attempt to
escape the catacomb, but Michelle is halted by the coming sunrise. Becky
promises to return that evening, but as Michelle descends back into the tomb
she is grabbed by Radu's mother and carried off.
Bloodlust: Subspecies III
Picking up where Subspecies II leaves off, Bloodlust: Subspecies III (1994)
finds Michelle deep in the catacombs with Radu's mother, who brings her son
back from the dead with Michelle's blood and the enchanted dagger that killed
him; Radu, his mother, and Michelle return to Castle Vladislas. Michelle
promises to obey Radu if he teaches her everything that he knows. Radu takes
Michelle out hunting so she can enhance her powers, while Mel contacts a former
operative of the CIA for help. While trying to rescue Michelle, Radu's mother
quickly kills Mel's CIA friend, and knocks Mel unconscious. In an effort to get
Michelle to stay with him forever, Radu kills his mother when she attacks
Michelle. Becky arrives to save Michelle, but before everyone leaves, Michelle
takes a gun from Becky, which contains silver bullets, and shoots Radu. The
rising sun slows Michelle, so she is placed inside a body bag that was brought
along; the delay allows Radu time to catch up to the group. Wanting the
Bloodstone, which was taken by Michelle, Radu attempts to barter the group's
lives in exchange for it. Becky throws it over the roof's edge, and when Radu
attempts to follow it he is engulfed in the rays of the Sun. Radu's body bursts
into flames and falls from the castle wall. Becky and the group make it to
their car and drive off. Radu's burning corpse is left smoldering and impaled
on tree brances, with his burning blood dropping to the ground; the flames go
out and the blood morphs into new subspecies.
Vampire Journals
Vampire Journals (1997) is a spin-off of the Subspecies film series, featuring
the vampire Ash. Vampire Journals follows Zachary, a vampire with a conscience,
who hunts the vampire bloodline that sired him. After witnessing the love of
his life get turned into a vampire, Zachary destroys both her, and his master,
and former protégé of Ash, Serena. Zachary, armed with the enchanted sword of a
great vampire slayer called Laertes, seeks out the rest of Serena's bloodline
to eradicate them. Zachary travels to Bucharest to find Ash. Zachary uses Ash's
penchant for music and women to bait him out into the open for attack. Ash sets
his sights on pianist Sofia, but is thwarted by Zachary during his first
attempt to take Sofia. It is revealed through a conversation between Ash and a
seer that Zachary's coming was expected and that the two are destined to fight;
however, Ash is to be the victor. Ash does not give up on acquiring Sofia, and
hires her for his nightclub. Over the next few nights he drains her of blood,
so that he may turn her into a new apprentice. He also makes a deal with
Zachary: he will give Zachary a consort, protection from the Sun, and allow
Zachary to see Sophia if he leaves the city the following night. While Ash is
preparing to sire Sofia, he gives his daytime consult Iris the key to Zachary's
room, so that she may dispose of his sleeping body in the sunlight. Seeing that
his obsession with Sofia will ruin both their lives, Iris releases Zachary
instead. Zachary arrives too late; Sophia has already accepted Ash's blood.
Fighting off a weakened Ash, Zachary and Sofia escape from the nightclub. Ash
follows them, but the rising sun becomes a problem. Zachary manages to get back
the sword and kill Ash, whose body falls into the Sun's rays. Zachary and Sofia
then find refuge in a nearby closet.
Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm
Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm (1998) begins with a badly burnt Radu able to find
refuge in his crypt. A car accident takes the lives of everyone but Michelle,
who is discovered by a stranger named Ana. Upon seeing Michelle's reaction to
the sunlight, Ana takes her body to her former professor, Dr. Nicolescu, who
quickly determines that Michelle is a vampire. When Michelle wakes, Dr.
Nicolescu promises to cure her of her vampirism. Dr. Nicolescu is a vampire
himself, but uses science to allow him to be immune to vampire weaknesses, with
the exception of needing blood, and hopes to use Michelle to get the blood
stone and therefore a cure for his condition. With his strength restored, Radu
travels to Bucharest to claim the financial wealth one of his previous
"fledglings", Ash, who has acquired in the Vladislas. Radu enlists Ash's help
to track down Michelle, while Ash's own fledgling, Serena, attempts to play
Radu and Ash against each other. Radu discovers Michelle's location, and Dr.
Nicolescu agrees to give her to Radu in exchange for three drops of blood from
the Bloodstone. Radu agrees, but it was only a trick to allow Dr. Nicolescu the
opportunity to capture and stake Radu. Michelle arrives releases Radu, and the
two flee to safety. Serena arrives immediately after and gives Ana a key to the
Vladislas crypt, where Radu is, with instructions to kill Radu. Ana and Dr.
Nicolescu arrive at the tomb, but Radu awakens and kills Nicolescu. Radu turns
his attention to Ana, but Michelle slices his throat, allowing Ana enough time
to decapitate Radu. They burn his body and take the Bloodstone. Ash and Serena
are waiting at the opening of the crypt, but a caretaker, hearing Ana's
screams, opens the crypt and spills sunlight inside. Michelle is hidden in a
coffin and transported out of the cemetery, while Radu's head sits on a pike
burning in the sun.
