The Hunger 

Directed by Tony Scott

Starring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon

Released in theaters Apr. 29, 1983

Available on various streaming services, including The Criterion Channel and Amazon Prime

The blurb from The Criterion Channel promised a “sensual slice of modern gothic horror” with Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie as “cinema’s most stylish vampires.”

That, The Hunger delivered. And more. There was Susan Sarandon, early in her career, and a host of compellingly odd secondary characters, including a brief Christopher Walken cameo. (See if you can find him.)

The movie is based on a book of the same title, written by Whitley Strieber. I liked it. The plot is engaging. The direction and cinematography are artsy-fun and experimental. The style is high-David-Bowie. The music is great. And the sensuality – well, we are talking about Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon enraptured in bloodsucking lust!

Critical Reception 

This is not a movie for your basic horror movie fan. It was panned by almost all the critics when it came out.

* “The Hunger is an agonizingly bad vampire movie, circling around an exquisitely effective sex scene. Sorry, but that’s the way it is, and your reporter has to be honest.” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, Oct. 2004)

* “The movie reeks with chic, but never, for one minute, takes itself too seriously, nor does it ever slop over into camp.” (Vincent Canby, New York Times, Aug. 2004)

Later reviews were better. Some much better. One called it “a cinematic work of art that has stood the test of time.”

You can watch the trailer here.