Sleepwalkers (film)
Encyclopedia
Sleepwalkers is a 1992
American
horror film
based on an original screenplay by Stephen King
and directed by Mick Garris
.
energy vampires who feed off the lifeforce of virgin women. Though they normally maintain a human form, they can transform (partially or fully) into human-sized bipedal werecat
s (presumably their natural form) at will. They are considerably more resilient than humans and have powers of both telekinesis and illusion. Their one weakness is cats, who are not only able to see through their illusions but whose claws are capable of inflicting severe to fatal wounds upon them. They also maintain an incestuous relationship.
Charles and Mary have taken up residence in a small Indiana town, having recently fled Bodega Bay, California
(where they used the aliases
Martha and Carl Brodie) after draining and killing a young girl there. Charles attends the local high school, and there he meets Tanya Robertson in his creative writing class.
Tanya does not suspect the real reason why Charles is interested in her; to take her life force for both himself and his mother, who is starving. At first, it seems that Charles has genuinely fallen in love with Tanya (to the dismay of his jealous mother). On their first date, however, a picnic at the nearby cemetery, Charles attempts to drain the life force from Tanya while kissing her. Tanya tries frantically to ward off Charles by bashing his head with her camera, scratching his face, and ultimately plunging a corkscrew into his left eye.
As it happens, Deputy Sheriff Andy Simpson (who had earlier tried to pull Charles over for speeding and passing a stopped school bus, and seemingly trying to run down a young school girl) drives by the cemetery and notices Charles’ (now undisguised) car. When Tanya flees to him for help, Charles attacks Simpson and kills him. When Charles then turns to resume feeding off of Tanya, the deputy’s cat, Clovis, rises to the occasion and nearly kills Charles by scratching him in the face and chest. Mortally wounded by Clovis, Charles staggers back home to his mother who is able to make both of them "dim", i.e., turn invisible, and thus keep Charles from being arrested when the police storm their house.
Knowing that the only way for her dying son to survive is to feed, Mary attacks the Robertson household, killing the entire sheriff's department and severely wounding Tanya’s parents in the process. She kidnaps Tanya and takes her back to her house, where Charles by this time is all but dead. Mary revives him, and Charles makes a final attempt to drain Tanya’s life force. However, Tanya plunges her fingers into Charles’ eyes, killing him. Tanya manages to escape with the help of the sheriff who is later impaled on the picket fence surrounding the house by Mary. Several of the cats that had been gathering around their house throughout the movie, led by Clovis, jump on Mary and claw at her until she bursts into flame, killing her. The movie ends with Mary lying ablaze on her driveway and Tanya hugging Clovis, her savior.
Cameos:
1992 in film
The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
based on an original screenplay by Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
and directed by Mick Garris
Mick Garris
Mick Garris is an American filmmaker and screenwriter born in Santa Monica, California.-Biography:He is best known for his adaptations of Stephen King stories, such as directing the horror film Sleepwalkers starring Madchen Amick and is the creator of the Showtime series Masters of Horror...
.
Plot summary
Charles Brady and his mother Mary are Sleepwalkers — nomadic, shapeshiftingShapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
energy vampires who feed off the lifeforce of virgin women. Though they normally maintain a human form, they can transform (partially or fully) into human-sized bipedal werecat
Werecat
A werecat is a therianthropic creature of folklore, horror, and occultism, described as being a shape-shifter similar to a Werewolf....
s (presumably their natural form) at will. They are considerably more resilient than humans and have powers of both telekinesis and illusion. Their one weakness is cats, who are not only able to see through their illusions but whose claws are capable of inflicting severe to fatal wounds upon them. They also maintain an incestuous relationship.
Charles and Mary have taken up residence in a small Indiana town, having recently fled Bodega Bay, California
Bodega Bay, California
Bodega Bay is a town and census-designated place in Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 1,077 at the 2010 census. The town is on the eastern side of Bodega Harbor, an inlet of Bodega Bay on the Pacific coast....
(where they used the aliases
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Martha and Carl Brodie) after draining and killing a young girl there. Charles attends the local high school, and there he meets Tanya Robertson in his creative writing class.
Tanya does not suspect the real reason why Charles is interested in her; to take her life force for both himself and his mother, who is starving. At first, it seems that Charles has genuinely fallen in love with Tanya (to the dismay of his jealous mother). On their first date, however, a picnic at the nearby cemetery, Charles attempts to drain the life force from Tanya while kissing her. Tanya tries frantically to ward off Charles by bashing his head with her camera, scratching his face, and ultimately plunging a corkscrew into his left eye.
As it happens, Deputy Sheriff Andy Simpson (who had earlier tried to pull Charles over for speeding and passing a stopped school bus, and seemingly trying to run down a young school girl) drives by the cemetery and notices Charles’ (now undisguised) car. When Tanya flees to him for help, Charles attacks Simpson and kills him. When Charles then turns to resume feeding off of Tanya, the deputy’s cat, Clovis, rises to the occasion and nearly kills Charles by scratching him in the face and chest. Mortally wounded by Clovis, Charles staggers back home to his mother who is able to make both of them "dim", i.e., turn invisible, and thus keep Charles from being arrested when the police storm their house.
Knowing that the only way for her dying son to survive is to feed, Mary attacks the Robertson household, killing the entire sheriff's department and severely wounding Tanya’s parents in the process. She kidnaps Tanya and takes her back to her house, where Charles by this time is all but dead. Mary revives him, and Charles makes a final attempt to drain Tanya’s life force. However, Tanya plunges her fingers into Charles’ eyes, killing him. Tanya manages to escape with the help of the sheriff who is later impaled on the picket fence surrounding the house by Mary. Several of the cats that had been gathering around their house throughout the movie, led by Clovis, jump on Mary and claw at her until she bursts into flame, killing her. The movie ends with Mary lying ablaze on her driveway and Tanya hugging Clovis, her savior.
Main cast
- Brian KrauseBrian KrauseBrian Jeffrey Krause is an American actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Leo Wyatt on the WB Network TV series Charmed from 1998 to 2006.-Background:...
... as Charles Brady - Alice KrigeAlice KrigeAlice Maud Krige is a South African actress. Her first feature film role was as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon in the 1981 Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire...
... as Mary Brady - Madchen AmickMädchen AmickMädchen Amick is an American actress best known for playing Shelly Johnson on the cult television series Twin Peaks and its 1992 prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.-Early life:...
... as Tanya Robertson - Lyman WardLyman WardLyman Ward is a Canadian actor.-Biography:Ward was born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada and graduated from Saint Malachy's Memorial High School in the class of 1958, and then in 1963 from St...
... as Donald Robertson - Cindy PickettCindy PickettCindy Lou Pickett is an American actress best known for her 1970s role as Jackie Marler-Spaulding on the CBS soap Guiding Light; her role as Dr. Carol Novino on the hugely popular television drama St...
... as Helen Robertson
- Ron PerlmanRon PerlmanRonald N. "Ron" Perlman is an American television, film and voice over actor. He is known for having played Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast , a Deathstroke figure known as Slade in the animated series Teen Titans, Clarence "Clay" Morrow in Sons of Anarchy, the comic book character...
... as Captain Soames - Jim Haynie ... as Sheriff Ira
- Dan Martin ... as Andy Simpson
- Lucy BoryerLucy BoryerLucy Boryer is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Janine Stewart on the comedy-drama series Doogie Howser, M.D. Recurring in the first season; she was promoted as a main cast member in second season until the end of season three...
... as Jeanette - Glenn ShadixGlenn ShadixWilliam Glenn Shadix Scott , born William Glenn Shadix, was an American actor, known for his role as Otho Fenlock in Tim Burton's horror/comedy film Beetlejuice and the voice of the Mayor of Halloween Town in The Nightmare Before Christmas.-Early life and education:Shadix was born in Bessemer,...
... as Mr. Fallows - Sparks ... as Clovis
Cameos:
- Stephen KingStephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
... as Cemetery Caretaker - John LandisJohn LandisJohn David Landis is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He is known for his comedies, his horror films, and his music videos with singer Michael Jackson.-Early life and career:...
... as Lab Technician - Joe DanteJoe DanteJoseph "Joe" Dante, Jr. is an American film director and producer of films generally with humorous and science fiction content....
... as Lab Assistant - Clive BarkerClive BarkerClive Barker is an English author, film director and visual artist best known for his work in both fantasy and horror fiction. Barker came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories which established him as a leading young horror writer...
... as Forensic Tech - Tobe HooperTobe HooperTobe Hooper is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the horror film genre. His works include the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , along with its first sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ; the three-time Emmy-nominated Stephen King film adaptation...
... as Forensic Tech - Mark HamillMark HamillMark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
... as Lt. Jennings (uncredited)