Buffy the Vampire Slayer was released in 1992 by 20th Century Fox. Directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, the film tells the story of a cheerleader from Los Angeles who learns her destiny is to hunt and destroy vampires as the chosen one of her generation. It’s a coming-of-age story where a vapid high-schooler learns there is more to life than boys, clothes, and being popular.
- Release Date
- July 1, 1992
- Director
- Fran Rubel Kuzui
The film written by the controversial Joss Whedon received mixed reviews – he, himself, was not a fan of the film and quite vocal about his disappointment. Because of this, he went on to create his own television series of the same name. If nothing else, we can thank the movie for that. If you can set the movie aside from its TV counterpart and ignore all the things it did wrong, there is so much this movie did right. Some might even say it slayed.
10 Stacked Cast
Before Sarah Michelle Gellar took on the role of Buffy Summers, there was Kristy Swanson. Her Watcher was played by Donald Sutherland, who was roaming around in a very suspicious trench coat, busting into locker rooms and throwing knives around like it was no big deal. The man is iconic. Luke Perry took a break from his 90210 role as Dylan to play Buffy’s unlikely romantic interest, Pike. The man could have had chemistry with a wall. Before Stephen Root was mumbling about staplers, he was trying to get Buffy & Co. to go to class. Paul Reubens and Rutger Hauer played the head vampires – does it get much better than that? They were no Brat Pack, but the cast from top to bottom was impressive.
Before They Won Oscars
What’s even more special is that while the film certainly had star power, there were also future celebrities and other names of note littered throughout the feature. Hilary Swank played Buffy’s try-hard best friend in her first movie role. Ben Affleck and Seth Green played blink-and-you’ll-miss characters. Seth Green, ironically, ended up as a series regular in the TV version, playing a werewolf named Oz. David Arquette portrayed Pike’s best friend Benny. Other names of note were Wentworth Miller, who went on to star in Prison Break, Thomas Jane, Sasha Jenson, and Ricki Lake. It’s nostalgic fun to see actors before they were leads.
9 The OG Valley Girl
Before there was Cher Horowitz, there was Buffy Summers. She was created by Joss Whedon to subvert the stereotypical female horror film victim, who was blonde and helpless. A blonde valley girl with superpowers had never been done before – especially a snarky, tough chick with a keen fashion sense. Yes, she’s the Chosen One, but she also wants to go to the school dance, attend college, move to Europe, and marry Christian Slater before she dies. Buffy is where hairspray and killing vampires collide. And now the LA native is a badass cultural icon.
Kicking Ass Without Breaking A Nail
Most human superheroes have gadgets or some sort of special suit that makes them invincible, but Buffy’s strength comes from within. She’s a normal teenage girl with the power to save the world from vampires. There aren’t a lot of superheroes out there who have to worry about homework and getting to class on time. Buffy’s humanity is always at the forefront, making her relatable, real, and empowering. The Slayer is proof that femininity and strength are not mutually exclusive. She’s ordinary and extraordinary all at the same time, and that’s what makes her even more of a bombshell.
8 Unpretentious Fun
The film definitely does not take itself seriously. If anyone is expecting Oscar-worthy performances, editing, or storytelling, you will be gravely disappointed. It’s silly, it’s cheesy, and the special effects are so ’90s they will make you cringe. But these reasons are precisely what make it so fun. It’s the first film of its time to make vampires campy and funny. While Lothos (Hauer) portrays the stereotypical seductive vampire who can bend anyone to his will with a single glance, or in this case with a violin, the rest of the vampires are pretty ridiculous – they can even fly in this version, because of course they can.
So Bad It’s Good
Flying vampires are a very clear indication of how unbelievably hokey this film is. They also have massive crinkly elf ears and red-stained lips like a toddler who has been drinking fruit punch out of a bowl. The first quarter of the movie is spent watching Pike run around town chugging on a flask, half coherent and slurring, while Merrick (Sutherland) creeps around in full winter wear like some sort of serial killer. Buffy’s friends talk like they belong in the Californians sketch from SNL.
In a bizarre choice, Buffy gets cramps when vampires are near. “My secret weapon is PMS,” Buffy sighs. Lothos looks like he busted out of the Victorian Era, powder-faced and all. The bad is what makes it so great.
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7 Bombshell of a Superhero
Dark, immortal lore mixed with the life of a girl just trying to get through high school is such a fun way to explore vampire mythology. Having to hide who you are during a time when you’re still figuring out who you are is part of what makes Buffy such a great hero. She’s young, she’s blonde, and she’ll kick your butt. She also has to go to school as if any of it matters anymore, and it’s just a breath of fresh air to watch a girl who seemingly has it all get uncomfortable in her own skin and try to figure out what’s important to her. It’s Buffy’s humanity that makes her such an incredible hero to watch.
The Blonde Assassin
Navigating how to kill the most powerful vampire there ever was and finding a dress for the school dance are both equal priorities for Buffy. She’s not perfect. She’s still learning that there are consequences for every choice she makes, and it serves as a parallel to growing up in general. Nobody knows what they’re doing. There is a special vulnerability to Buffy’s character in resisting her destiny that makes her so relatable. Audiences want to root for her. She’s an amazing character and while many people feel she was more amazing when played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, this version of Buffy cannot be denied.
6 ’90s Pop Culture
Buffy the Vampire Slayer captures the essence of the early ‘90s brilliantly. From yellow leather and letterman jackets to Doc Martens, hi-tops, and dreams of Christian Slater, the movie definitely pays homage to the times. Back when malls and photo booths were all the rage and the news didn’t spike your blood pressure, the ’90s were a much simpler time. This movie celebrates the days of answering machines, spandex, and scrunchies.
It’s Retro
The array of colors and patterns used to mix and match every outfit is actually impressive. It’s as if the wardrobe was sponsored by Lisa Frank. Kids today will never understand that hanging at the mall and popping into the movies was the ultimate social event. Before the days of pagers, phones, and social media, that’s where all the gossip happened.
Buffy’s social life, fashion choices, and hairstyles change during her transformation into becoming the Slayer, letting go of letterman jackets and colorful jazzercise ensembles of the ’80s and embracing a more Pearl Jam-inspired grunge look. Very time appropriate.
5 Absurdly Hilarious Dialogue
The script is phenomenal. Written by Joss Whedon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is witty and full of quirky characters. It skillfully balances humor with darker, supernatural themes, making it both a fun and self-aware take on the vampire genre. Whedon’s script appeals to the expectations of horror and teen movies of the time with layers of irony and satire. It’s fresh and different, which in a world of IP-driven content and remakes is all anyone can ask for these days.
Does the Word Duh Mean Anything to You?
Buffy’s bubblegum pop responses to Merrick’s gruff and serious warnings about vampires are so oil and vinegar, it’s entertaining to watch these two navigate each other as human beings. The lingo and airheadedness of her clique at school is hysterical – especially when they try to come up with an environmentally aware theme for the school dance and one of the suggestions is forest fires. When the ozone layer is suggested, one girl’s response is, “Yeah, we gotta get rid of that.” The script is popcorn-worthy.
4 The Unlikely Love Story
While most movies in the ’80s dabbled with romance involving nerds, makeovers, bets, or exchange of favors, Buffy the Vampire Slayer does something completely different. It matches the most popular girl in school with the drunk, rebellious townie.
Pike is a local mechanic who spends his time boozing with his buddy Benny. He’s a motorcycle-riding, leather jacket-wearing drifter living in a motel who is the complete opposite of Buffy’s boyfriend, who is a clean-cut, All-American basketball player who looks like he belongs in a Crest ad. But it’s the fight against vampires that brings them together, and it turns out they are exactly what the other one needs.
The Cheerleader and the Slacker
Bringing two people together from different worlds is always a fun time. That’s why the romance in The Notebook and Titanic is so good. There’s something for everyone. Pairing Kristy Swanson’s fashion-obsessed, ditzy Buffy with the greasy mechanic was unexpected.
It certainly helps that Pike was played by Luke Perry, who is arguably the OG rat boy. He’s scruffy, unathletic, and lanky with a rebel without a cause vibe to him. They continue to save each other’s lives, and he becomes one of the few people who knows Buffy’s secret. By the time he shows up to surprise her at the school dance, everyone is smitten, and it all makes perfect sense.
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3 Paul Reubens’ Death Scene
Another instance of the film never taking itself too seriously is Amilyn’s (Reubens) death. Buffy stakes him and what ensues is so over the top and absurd, you almost can’t believe it wasn’t left on the editing room floor. But it stayed and the cinematic world is forever grateful. After being staked, he groans, stumbles around, and dramatically collapses, only to groan more while kicking the wall in a prolonged, melodramatic exit that lasts for a full minute.
Overdramatic Perfection
Bravo! Reubens crushes this scene with hilarious exaggeration and commitment. It’s probably one of the things Whedon hates most about the film, but who cares? It’s bloody brilliant. What could have been a quick death is stretched into the longest, funniest demises in movie history. It’s another highlight of the movie’s campy, irreverent tone and one of the best moments in the film. RIP Pee-Wee.
2 Parenting at its Prime
The lack of parental supervision in this movie is a true testament to the independence of growing up in the ’90s. Before cell phones and shared locations, kids ran wild. Literally. The free-range, hands-off style of parenting is much more relaxed than anyone would be comfortable with today. Buffy’s parents are always going away for the weekends, leaving her home alone. They really have no idea what’s going on in her life throughout the film and while it seems unrealistic now, it is very on par with the way things were at the time.
Bye-Bye Bobby
Buffy’s parents have no problem leaving her at home with her boyfriend while they take a night out on the town. Her mom even says, “Bye bye Bobby!” as she leaves. When Buffy’s boyfriend asks if she thinks his name is Bobby, Buffy replies, “It’s possible she thinks my name is Bobby.” And that really sums up Buffy’s parents in a nutshell.
After spending the evening in a cemetery, Buffy is dropped off at home by a man three times her age late at night and no one seems to mind. Granted, ring cameras didn’t exist yet at the time, but Buffy lives a life unsupervised. Buffy’s parents really aren’t a factor in the movie at all other than they exist. The movie is very different from the TV series in that regard.
1 A New Vampire Era
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ushers in an entirely new take on the bloodthirsty monsters. It isn’t just sunlight, garlic, and crosses that could kill a vampire, but one chosen girl from her generation that has the power to fight them all on her own. A vampire’s fear of wooden stakes is replaced by a sassy blonde teenager from Los Angeles. And setting the story in a modern California town instead of a castle in Transylvania really changes the perspective and range of vampires as previously portrayed by the dark, macabre depictions of Dracula.
ReVAMPed
Vampires had always been pale-faced, cape-wearing, slicked-hair, O-positive fiends who took themselves way too seriously. This movie introduces a whole new generation of vamps who could be your best friend, on the basketball team, or sitting right next to you. They are able to blend into society a bit more, for the most part, instead of sticking out like pilgrims who time-traveled from the past.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduced the modern-day vampire who wasn’t always this sexual, alluring man who turned into a bat. It’s a new age of vampires who could probably use some training on how to take advantage of a fight when the numbers are on their side, and it’s so fun to watch.