fist of the vampire

Whenever I sit down to review low-budget independent horror movies, especially those released by cult distributor Brain Damage Films, I make an honest, concentrated effort not to hold them to the same standards as their Hollywood-generated brethren. Less-than-stellar acting, wonky direction, and cheap special effects are almost always par for the course, and for the most part, they're relatively easy to overlook. Assuming, of course, that the project in question comes packaged with a decent story and a director who understands the limitations of his budget.