Vampires Suck! Review and Interview!
Ready to Laugh??? “Vampires Suck” is a Comedy You Can Really Sink Your Teeth Into!
Spoof movies have kept audiences rolling in the aisles for years (think “Scary Movie”) and “Vampires Suck” is the latest movie in the genre to carry on the tradition. The “Twilight” inspired parody has viewers laughing so hard their sides still ache a couple of days later. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
“Becca Crane” is new in town and quickly falls for classmate “Edward Sullen.” But something is weird about Edward and his family. Turns out, he is actually a vampire. Things get even more complicated when she starts developing feelings for her best friend, “Jacob White,” a solid guy who ends up being a Werewolf.
The hilarious spoof may not go over so well with fans who take their love of “Twilight” seriously. However, any non-twilighters that were forced to sit through endless viewings of the movies with friends or family will love “Vampire’s Suck!” The movie stars Jennifer Proske as “Becca” and “90210’s” Matt Lanter as “Edward.” Bonus material on the Blu-ray 2 Disc set includes deleted scenes and a gag reel for even more laughs that you didn’t get to see in the theater.
Pick up “Vampires Suck: The Extended Bit Me Edition” at most places where movies are sold. Or you can order on-line here! amazon.com
Introducing Actress, Jenn Proske, Who Plays “Becca Crane!”
Though playing “Becca Crane” in “Vampires Suck” was Jenn Proske’s big screen debut, the actress actually grew up doing theater and recently graduated from Boston University with a degree in Theater. Making the transition into film and television is something the young talent is very excited about. Jenn recently took time to talk with us about making the movie, growing up in an artistic family and what purchase the DVD release has her making.
“My first role was when I was six,” Jenn tells us of when she first started acting. “I was in a play, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I was one of the Dwarfs. It’s been since I was really young.”
It was kind of inevitable that she would be creative, given that her parents jobs. “I grew up in a very artistic family. My Mom was a professional dancer. My Dad’s an artist. It’s what I’ve known and what I’ve loved forever… pretty much my whole life. As far as switching to TV and film, because I’ve grown up in theater, that just happened after I graduated from college and moved to L.A. last year.”
Her parents support was a huge stepping stone for the young girl with big aspirations. “I grew up in an environment where I was always encouraged to follow my dreams. My mom was the choreographer at the Children’s theater where I kind of grew up. So she was choreographing the plays and musicals that I was in. When I wanted to go to college for acting, they were supportive and my Mom helped me through that. I’m so lucky.”
After graduation, Jenn had some big decisions to make. “I went to Boston University and to be honest, I thought about moving to New York. Theater was what I knew and what I loved. Some opportunities presented themselves in New York and I performed off Broadway. I had been gone for four years in Australia and Boston. I missed my family and they live in Orange County [California] so I’m like an hour and half away. For me, it was… I missed my family so much and I’m a homebody. ‘Well, there’s an acting place near my family. Why don’t I do that?’ I decided to do that instead of New York.”
Once settled in Los Angeles, she wasted no time in aligning herself with a good team of people and that ultimately lead to landing a starring role in “Vampires Suck.” “When I move to L.A., I found an amazing manager and they were sending me out all the time for auditions. They tell me where to go and give me the script to prepare. I was called in for the role of ‘Iris,’ the Alice Cullen character from Twilight. I told my managers, ‘I don’t know if I’m right for Alice.’ They said, ‘Go in, do your best.’ And I did. I got called back two weeks later. They said. ‘No, we want you for Becca, the lead instead.’
Jenn was thrilled about landing her first big role but there was hardly anytime to celebrate. “It was so fast! I booked the role on a Friday and then flew out on Tuesday. It all happened really fast. I met with the directors and basically talked about it with them. For me it was… I read the books, for myself. They asked me to prepare the role as if I had booked Bella in Twilight. As if I had replaced Kristen Stewart years ago. I read the books as if I were Bella and tried to think about what it was like when she first met Edward and what it was like when she first got to Forks and all of that. Then I watched the movies because she’s obviously such an iconic character. I just basically tried to imitate her vocal patterns and her mannerisms. I actually changed my voice for the part. I spoke much, much slower than I usually talk. From then, it was just kind of watching the movie. I probably watched them over 100 times, just to get every little nuance.” The hard work paid off because making the movie was so much fun. “We have an amazing cast and a really great crew. The energy was just so good. I had a great time!” she raves.
Does she have a favorite scene? “The break-up scene between Becca and Edward in the woods was probably my favorite scene to shoot… just because we were in the middle of the woods, in Louisiana for a week together, the cast and crew. Every bad thing that can happen to Becca during that scene happens. I got to do a lot of different gags during that. It was really fun!”
Jenn confesses that doing the physical comedy was a little bit scary. “To be honest, I was terrified. I feel much more comfortable in drama actually. Before this, I didn’t consider myself a comedian or someone who was funny. Comedy scares me a lot more. The one thing that I’m not afraid of is committing myself 550 percent. I don’t mind looking stupid or throwing myself into weird situations, so I had a lot of fun with the comedy. It’s scary but it was a lot of fun. The physical stuff is just about commitment and not being afraid.”
The actress tells us that she was a fan of spoof movies before this part came along. “I love the spoof movies. I love to laugh. I think Jason and Aaron are brilliant with their little nuances and references. They have such a good pulse on pop culture.”
When she isn’t working, Jenn is just your typical young woman. “I love to read. I read a lot. I hang out with my family a lot. I go out with friends and find coffee shops. I love to dance! So I go dancing with my friends a lot.”
She also spends some time on the computer, keeping in touch with fans. “I’ve got a Web site and I’ve got a Facebook and Twitter. I personally update all the time and I communicate with fans that way. It’s amazing! I’ve been able to talk with people all over the world! It blows my mind a little bit, hearing from fans from such amazing places. It’s unbelievable!”
If asked, Jenn would tell aspiring actors and actresses to work on their skills every day. “My best advice would be to be positive and believe in yourself and be proactive. The key to making it in this business or the key to just surviving is being proactive and just making sure that you’re doing everything possible to making every day count. Meet with people, take classes, always make sure that you are furthering your craft and furthering yourself. I think this business is really hard. If you can stay positive and proactive, you’ve got a leg up for sure.”
Jenn is taking her own advice and meeting with people, auditioning for roles and continuing to learn everything she can about acting. “Vampires Suck has opened so many doors. Right now I’m loving meeting with people!”
She is taking a little time to enjoy the release of “Vampires Suck” on DVD and Blu-ray. “I haven’t seen the bonus features on the Blu-ray or DVD yet. I can’t wait to see! I don’t have a Blu-ray player but I’m gonna buy one just so I can see it!” She might as well invest in one now. With talent like that, the credits will be adding up in no time.
Visit her official Web site here: http://www.jennproske.com/index.htm
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