Habit (1995) User Reviews

The best vampire film in a long time

[JohnSeal · 7/10 · 17 November 1999]

...or at least since Abel Ferrara's The Addiction (1995).

Until it shows it's hand at the end of the film, Habit is a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable look at the collapsing world of Sam, a semi-alcoholic loser played by writer/director Larry Fessenden. When Sam meets the mysterious Anna at a Halloween party, his life seems to be changing for the better...until people start disappearing and Sam develops an upset tummy. Oh, and Anna starts...biting him. This is a must see for all fans of the bloodsucking genre.

Incredible despite it's zero-budget

[chas77 · 7/10 · 6 January 2000]

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this film was despite it's serious lack of budget. The film follows the trail of an alcoholic restaurant manager, emotionally distraught over the recent death of his Hemingway-esque father and a break up with a girlfriend. He succumbs to an innocent-looking yet mysterious woman at a party and his "downward spiral" begins. There are a few flaws I saw in this movie, namely that if one is going for the "is this real or all in his head?" angle perhaps more should have been developed for the vampire girl. Was she really a vampire or wasn't she? It seems fairly obvious in some scenes that she was but it could be argued that the lead character's shaky hold on sanity made him imagine some of this. A tighter script could have helped. Good sex scenes, which one rarely finds in a horror film, and some better-than-average acting make this film really enjoyable despite some of the script's flaws.

What did I get from this film? #1: Never drink around vampires

[film-critic · 7/10 · 25 May 2007]

Fessenden, who not only does work behind the camera, but also as the main character named Sam, gives us a glimpse of New York city circa 1990. Times seem to be tough, Sam works nights as a bartender and has found (after the death of his dad), that drinking dulls most of the pains. One of our first introductions with Sam is at a party, where he arrives drunk and continues to drink throughout the course of the evening. It is during this party that we meet the somewhat sensual Anna, who immediately locks target with Sam. She entrances him similar to what Dracula did to Miss Mina, but in an eerie role reversal. They continue their gathering outside, but in Sam's drunken stupor, he misses the opportunity to connect with Anna. Not to worry vampire lovers, they reconnect after Anna supposedly snacks on one of Sam's friends – and the two begin a very physical courtship. Oddly, Anna only appears at night, away from friends, and will not tell Sam anything about her. She bits his lip, he thins its foreplay. It dramatically changes when Sam seems to get sick over time, forgetting the simplest of tasks, and eventually driving himself mad with scenarios of what Anna may be doing to him. Of coarse, nobody believes him, so not only does he battle with Anna's vying but also with his friends who seem to believe he is slowly going mad, which becomes the eventual focus to this film. We are left with this surprising question in our minds as Fessenden ends with anything but your moment of zen.

I would like to begin by saying that I thought this was an extremely strong outing for a low-budget director. I wasn't hoping for Troma level, and I didn't get it. I wasn't hoping for another repeat of "Def By Temptation", and thankfully it never showed. What I witnessed with this film was an innovated director reinventing an old genre. Hollywood continues every year to do this type of story, but their moments seem stale and recycled more than innovative and classic. Fessenden uses his mind and truly makes a terrifying film that questions the basics of the vampire genre and relates them to modern cinema. It is almost like a horror version of "Fight Club" except not as strong. He uses violence, nudity, and realism to bring this fictional story into the light of New York City taking us to places that are familiar and at most, extremely spooky. This is not a bad film, but I cannot boast that it is perfect. It is continually flawed, forcing your to focus on the story because at times the acting is laughable at best and his "A to B to C" logic seems too overloaded and detailed. The acting, outside of the verbal slandering of Aaron Beall's Nick, was just poor. This could have been tightened up a bit to create stronger scenes between the characters. I thought Sam was "acting" like he was drunk more than he was, the moments of intimacy seemed to be wanted instead of needed, and as we get closer to the end, the moments between Nick and Rae seem distant and lost. Strength in the words would have tightened up this loose end.

Secondly, I had trouble with parts of the story. I don't want to disregard what Fessenden has done here because I think it is a strong moment in cinematic glory, but just small ends that needed to be less loose. He started so strong with "Habit" that he couldn't keep the momentum flowing until the end. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when he walks by a artist doing nude photos at night – a moment that seems similar to the movie that we are watching, but I loose it when he goes to Rae's grandmother's house and the Thanksgiving dinner there. Fessenden also seems a bit loose on the entire "loosing his father" moments that seem to peak in and out of existence throughout the film. I think that it helps us understand Sam's moments of insanity – especially near the end – but we needed more spent towards his father than at the ocean with friends. There just seemed to be an unbalance in the force. There are my only two complaints about the film (outside the fact I wished there was a director commentary), because I think Fessenden can do a decent job – just don't go off focus.

Overall, I would suggest this film to only a select number of friends – those that appreciate the cinematic art. I say this because to the unwilling eye, this will look like a cheap "B" horror film that teeters on nothing, but I saw so much more than that. I saw a skilled director revisiting his old work to bring back into the public eye. This is a great film about vampires, or at least the idea of vampires – but it is not for everyone. It leaves the story open-ended, giving us a chance to make decisions for ourselves and that, in itself, is what creates the true horror.

Oh, what about that goofy video that didn't seem to fit with the film – I guess I could do without that again, but I digress...

Grade: *** out of *****

Has the quality of a good independant film.

[Semih · 7 June 2000]

This film isn't for people who want wooden stake sticking action. A lot of people will find it very slow. But I found it to be one of the most interesting films that I have ever seen. It vampirism is mostly a sub-plot here. Mainly it is about this guy, Sam, who works at a bar, and who meets this girl after recently breaking up from his girlfriend. The movie talks about lust, betrayal, love, seduction, and frienship. It is filmed with great cinematography. I am not talking about sweeping landscapes, but I am talking about how things around you can look like they are collapsing on you when you start getting paranoid that you have this weird illness. A very good quality picture. I loved it, and I highly recommend it to people who want to see real characters will some real problems.

Best Vampire Movie in 20 Years

[shasgus · 7/10 · 30 October 2005]

I was very impressed with this movie. As someone who has spent part of her youth working the nightlife of lower Manhattan in the 90's, I found this film's portrayal of a downtown bar owner's grappling with addiction and madness real enough to be terrifying.

New York is one of the main characters as Sam, the protagonist deals with the death of a distant dad, and a break up with a girlfriend while starting up with a woman who develops a taste for his blood during sex. Apartments, parks, rooftops and subways have a prominent role in the sometimes claustrophobic and hallucinogenic experience that is NYC in the wee hours. The actor who plays Sam (who is also the director and the writer) is believable as a disheveled youngish bohemian type who has been on self destruct for some time. His sanity is pushed to the limit once he starts to believe that his feeling ill might have something to do with the bite marks that his new girlfriend has been giving him. The actress who plays Anna, the alleged vampire, is a refreshing change from the Gothic fanged hotties of Hollywood, She is a short haired, brunette, and has a quiet yet demanding presence.

While there are scenes that could have used some editing, and plot development that could have used some tweaking, I would recommend this movie to anyone interested in a truly independent, story and character driven movie. If you want a Hollywood gore-fest, don't bother. If you want a creepiness on par with "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Hunger," take a deep breath, and enjoy the ride.

is she or isn't she?

[BigGoon · 6/10 · 15 October 2004]

Contains possible spoilers. If you get this thinking you're going to see Bram Stoker's Dracula or Blade, get back in line for the latest Hollywood blockbuster and drop your subscription to IFC & Sundance because it just isn't that kind of vampire movie. If you like dark-themed movies about self-destruction, then definitely check out Habit. What I like best about this film is that it leaves it up to the viewer to decide for themselves whether Anne is a vampire or if Sam just totally flips his lid. I think that with the death of his father and his girlfriend moving out, that Sam, already an alcoholic, is near the breaking point. When he discovers his new sex interest's unusual fetish, his paranoid, delirious mind runs with her taste for blood and causes him to see her as a vampire. Take note of the scene where Sam is receiving the award for his father: when Anne approaches him and the professor, there is a brief glimpse of her as another woman completely, which could be alluding to her either being completely physically different from how Sam sees her or, if she is a vampire, that she's a shapeshifter. Both possibilities apply depending on how you look at the question of is she real or is it all in his head. I think the same question could apply to the sex scenes: are they real or did they do an excellent job of simulating them?

Grungy New York slice-of-life from Fessenden, with a succubus as a bonus

[athawolsux · 7/10 · 17 March 2022]

I saw this movie on a sort of Larry Fessenden binge, after watching Depraved (2018) and No Telling (1991). Fessenden, as is well known, is a permanently and criminally underrated horror director, writer and occasional actor. Depraved was great, and No Telling, a very early effort, was sort of pointless.

Thankfully, Habit is not pointless. However, the point is not the central plot. Rather, it seems to be a slice of life from a realistic, gritty, early-90s NYC, viewed through protagonist Sam's eyes. Sam is played by Fessenden himself, who probably should have starred in more movies. Sam is an intelligent and seriously underachieving alcoholic who does not know what to do with his life and is "committing suicide on the installment plan." He also just broke up with his girlfriend and lost his father. Fessenden brings an air of wounded vulnerability to the character that makes him very easy to relate to.

Sam's life spirals (further) out of control after he meets Anna, a mysterious woman who turns out to be (SPOILERS) a vampire/succubus preying on men and who has picked Sam as her next victim. This is not a vampire movie per se, though. It seems to have appeared so to critics in 1995, especially coming closely after Interview with the Vampire. That the presence of the vampire is not the central focus can be gleaned from how there is a Van Helsing-type professor character, a certain Mr Lyons who is a friend of Sam's dad, who appears at first as if he'll help Sam with his predicament but whose plot thread goes nowhere. The word "vampire" is mentioned only in one (admittedly pretty weak) scene. However, overall I regard this as a strength and not a weakness.

This is not to say that there are no weaknesses. The minimal budget goes a long way, but Fessenden was too ambitious with his moviemaking and the movie clearly tries to punch above its budget, especially when it comes to special effects. There is some poor editing, which makes certain scenes and scene transitions somewhat confusing. However, despite all that, this is an underrated vampire story from the 90s with life in a grimy New York City as its main focus.

More Film than Plot

[mishalak · 1/10 · 21 April 2002]

I didn't care for Habit. I can see where a certain kind of viewer, those that like movies like Taxi Driver. However for the person looking for a good vampire film I would strongly recommend against this independent film. Nothing much happens in this, it's a 20-minute story stretched out to 112 minutes of nothing.

Habit is an intense sort of character study, I suppose it might be called, the sort more often found in films set at some family's weekend of isolation in spending time together. Classic independent film fodder and thus dreadful boring for anyone looking for action, adventure, or cool visuals.

The best thing that I can say for it is that it seems to leave open the question of if the vampire survives. I think it would be interesting to see a vampire story where the protagonist dies and the vampire simply continues, make a point about predators usually winning against the prey. Also it was rather nice to see something other than Hollywood pretty boy in the role of victim.

But I must emphasize again that this is a movie for people just watching people interact with only a bit of supernatural and people phoning in their performances from too cool for emotion New York.

Great low budget 90s horror film

[funkyfry · 8/10 · 11 October 2002]

A very good, kind of disturbing modern vampire story. Its hero is a guy on the rebound who has a circle of friends, a small inheritance, and no direction in life. He meets an alluring woman who seduces him into sado-masochistic sex addiction, and the film continues to play with the concepts essential to Vampirism and modern life. Good performances from all, particularly Fessenden (also the director) and Aaron Beall as his hypocritical friend. Chilling atmosphere on a very low budget. Some obvious writing, but well executed style pulls it off. Particularly memorable is Fessenden's desperate meat fix, where he licks the drainings out of the bottom of a supermarket meat container. Fans of vampire movies of quality should definately check this out.

Intriguing low budget horror flick

[auteurus · 7/10 · 13 December 2003]

This slow moving independent film turned out be a great genre vampire flick with a cinema verite feel. Despite a low budget, the acting, soundtrack and New York location evokes a mood of gritty alienation as Sam spirals towards self destruction. If you enjoy horror and you don't expect a Hollywood blockbuster, check it out.

7/10

Habit: Not at all what I expected

[Platypuschow · 4/10 · 5 July 2017]

Okay so let me paint you a picture. Guy breaks up with girlfriend, falls apart and turns to alcohol & partying. You still with me? Great. Now what does one do under these circumstances? Get laid? Start a hobby? Hit the dating scene? Post your ex a parcel full of dog poop? These are all viable options but this guy decides to do something different, he decides to date a vampire (As you do)

As you can imagine this is no standard love story, in fact I'm not sure it's a love story at all. Gritty, dark, devoid of any type of humour and doesn't make the easiest watching but still has it's merits. For a start our lead female was oddly enthralling, as far as vampires go shes closer on the scale to Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997) than Leslie Nielsens Dracula in Dracula Dead & Loving It (1995).

Weirdly paced and with an ending that I found a real anti-climax Habit isn't a terrible film it was just made by terrible people who should have turned this premise into something considerably better.

Obscure and very sexy, 90's horror.

[RatedVforVinny · 8/10 · 1 December 2019]

The best vampire movie since George A. Romero's 'Martin'. This one's a bit low-key but very well acted and contains some erotically charged sex scenes. The lead male character played by the wacky Larry Fessenden, complains of feeling weak, drained and a bit sick; which surely is the only downside of being accosted by a truly sexed up vamp, named Anna. Get the 'habit'!

Interesting, though something's not fully right...

[BroadswordCallinDannyBoy · 6/10 · 30 June 2007]

A New York man, Sam, has just split with his girlfriend. He is lonely, but soon becomes interested in a stranger, Anna, whom he meets at a party. However, strange things start to happen and Anna may be hiding something.

It is an interesting and admirable idea to make a horror film based on mood and character rather than gore and nudity. It is much harder as fear has to be conjured up from seemingly innocent things. Horror films of this nature require more build-up and convincing drama so that they can turn it into something frightening later. The drama must be convincing so that the fear spawned out if it is also genuine.

"Habit" tries to get at just that, but it doesn't quite make it though. Certain sequences are really drawn out and by the end almost anyone could feel the fact that the film could be brisker instead of the drawn out hour and fifty minutes. For one the several nightmare sequences are well done, but they aren't really connected and the mysterious aura around Anna doesn't seem complete. However, despite the film's shortcomings it doesn't pad itself with sucker punches and cheap thrills. The sex scenes in particular are non-stylized yet strangely erotic.

Good honest try with no cop-out, but still not all it could have been. --- 6/10

Not Rated. The sexual content makes this one for audiences 16+

So-so low-budget NYC vampire drama.

[capkronos · 5/10 · 9 July 2003]

New York restaurant owner Sam (Larry Fessenden) meets the sexy, mysterious, short haired Anna at a Halloween party and falls head over heels in lust over her. He dumps his bland girlfriend and proposes a relationship, but eventually discovers that Anna's strange, kinky behavior (like blood cravings and never eating, smoking, drinking or going out in daylight) is actually attributed to the fact that she's a vampire.

Good use is made out of various NYC locations, the unknown actors are decent, the songs are good and the script (by the director) is well written. Fessenden, who is missing a front tooth, is also a refreshingly anti-Hollywood type of leading man. He also served as editor and did the sound for this respectable, but often bland, effort, which played several film festivals, including Sundance.

A grown-up Lost Boys meets Taxi-Driver, vampires without the cheese

[Chief-24 · 30 October 1998]

Fascinating movie! Apparently Larry Fessenden is someone to keep an eye on, as his past work (some short films) has been critically acclaimed at Cannes. I don't know how Habit was received, but it is awesome. It takes a familiar theme (vampire/sex/etc.) and completely distorts it into an unexpected, unparalleled cinematic treat. Sort of like a grown up Lost Boys, without the cheesiness. The performances are mesmerizing (Larry himself play the David Yow look-a-like lead alcoholic), the camera work is intriguing, the overall creepy-yet realistic mood all work together to make this a must-see movie for anyone who hates mundane, mainstream fluff.

A slightly different take on the vampire theme in which the protagonist might be imagining that his lover is a vampire and the lover might be imagining that she is a vampire.

[dcox10 · 6/10 · 30 October 2005]

I'll try to be very brief. I think Fessenden could have made a much better movie if he had paid a little more attention to its narrative flow. Film is not medium in which everything that happens on the screen needs to be explained to the viewer. I do think, however, that a director and screenwriter (and to a lesser extent the actors) need to be make an effort to maintain a degree of narrative coherence for the sake of maintaining a connection with the audience.

When the characters Rae and Anna, for example, simply disappear from Rae's grandmother's property on Thanksgiving night their absence is tantalizing because of the sexual tension between them and the question of whether Anna is or is not a vampire. If Anna is a vampire she might have attacked and killed Rae and then, perhaps, fearing discovery returned to New York. Or, she might have returned to the house and the next morning, when everyone was awake, claimed that she had left Rae outside and returned to the house alone.

What Fessenden chooses to do instead is quite odd. The following morning he lets the camera tell us that the two women are not in the house; in fact, he allows the camera to intimate that something unsettling or dreadful has probably happened. The two men, Seth and Nick, sort of stumble around the house babbling incoherently about the fact that the women had not come back to the house. Nick sort of speculates that they probably took the train back to New York. He and and Seth clean up the house and drive back to the city.

At this point I decided that Fessenden was either being too coy or he had lost touch with reality. In other words, the director, screenwriter and lead actor had become confused about who was responsible for doing what. Having two main characters, one of whom might be a vampire, simply disappear into the woods on a full moon night and their boyfriends/ husbands aren't greatly alarmed the next morning is a bit of stretch. Days later both women reappear but, by then, I had stopped caring.

Not What I Expected In A Good Way

[Cenobite136 · 7/10 · 31 October 2023]

Habit is a unique take on Vampire films. It's shot beautifully, and the bleakness of the area of Eastern NY really adds a sense of grimmness/dread to the experience. I mean these characters lives suck, and I'm not sure there is one person even remotely happy in this film. Speaking of characters they are developed well here, and there wasn't one that I didn't like. As far as acting though the protagonists best friend Nic's performance is subpar in some scenes.

The pacing drags a bit in places, and some scenes(the beach) really weren't necessary. The climax was great, and I loved the ending. Overall this film is solid, and works on many levels.

Entertaining enough for a Watch or Two

[nintendovi · 6/10 · 26 March 2008]

While the writing for 'Habit' is so-so, I enjoyed the acting in the movie and thought the main character's portrayal of an alcoholic city guy trying to get over the loss of his father and the end of his relationship was pretty realistic. The supporting characters - the ex-girlfriend and the best friend mostly, was also pretty good, though I didn't care much for the vampire's acting. (She got the job done alright, though, and seemed scary anyway.) The first major event in the movie that I thought showed character growth, was when the main character realized there's more to life than lust and that he needs to start taking care of himself and stop making excuses. The second, which I feel really defines friendship and reliability, was when his friend at first dismissed his claims that his girlfriend was a vampire, but later realized something was wrong and tried to rescue him from the vampiress, charging through his house and breaking down doors to try to help him, possibly believing what he told him now. I think that showed true friendship, going to great lengths on a gut feeling to help a friend, no matter how unbelievable their problem sounds.

It wasn't the most original story and it wasn't the most exciting one, but Habit does a great job of using an unnatural event to help someone with 'bad habits' realize them. Good morals, interesting setting and not a bad watch for anyone that likes a little thrill in their thinking movies. Worth watching a time or two.

bad

[adsears · 1/10 · 23 April 2006]

The bad movie against which I measure all other bad movies. Nothing else ever comes close to bumping it off the worst position. The director seems overfond of shots of himself peeing. Perhaps a fetish for urination is what's required to enjoy this. What ever it takes seems to be something I'm missing. I have never walked out of a movie, but this would have been the first. I was ready to get up and leave after half an hour, but that's when I realized my companion (usually an insomniac)was sleeping peacefully. I felt obligated to finish the the movie so she could sleep, and I've never let her forget the things I'll endure for friendship!

The best Vampire film ever. Probably.

[joesh · 9/10 · 1 June 1999]

A great vampire film full of realistic eroticism, Habit is one of the best small-scale independent films ever made. The film is stunning on many levels- narrative ambiguity (is she a vampire or not?), incredible visuals and a beautifully detailed soundtrack all combine to make a dark and mysterious film that is more interested in character than in gore.

Admirable vampire flick.

[ThrownMuse · 6/10 · 23 April 2007]

Part two of Fessenden's "Trilogy of Horror." After watching this and "No Telling" together, I think Fessenden sets out to convey a message with the backdrop of a horror movie. Unfortunately, it isn't ever clear what exactly he is trying to say! Still, I have a hard time disliking his ambitious work. Fessenden directed, wrote, and starred in this one. He has an offbeat presence that somehow manages to be simultaneously off-putting and charming. He does an outstanding job of portraying Sam, a man falling apart mentally and physically who turns to addiction. At first it's alcohol, and then kinky sex with a new mystery woman that gets a little bloody--but he can't give it up. The atmosphere and set (NYC at night), as well as the depressing music, succeed in making Sam's downfall seem believable. I really appreciate Fessenden's attention to sound--the best things about his films, I think. That said, this movie isn't very scary, the message gets muddled towards the ending, and the lead actress delivers a flat and forgettable performance. Still, it's a very admirable low-budget horror effort.

Hard to watch

[mishka029 · 5/10 · 31 October 2005]

This movie really bothered me. It was incredibly slow and although the sex scenes were really unique, the plot line DRAGGED...this guy was such a drunk you felt bad for him, but after a while it was like COME ON even this guy's addiction was boring... The funny thing I noticed was his front tooth was missing in most of the movie but in the scene at the funeral/memorial for his father he has two front teeth. I dunno...I usually LOVE independent films, but this one dragged on for quite some time. The relationship he has had with the woman that is hooked up with his friend is hinted at throughout the movie, but you never really get a feel for what it was about. What the hell did the boat have to do with anything? Lenny has sex with the girl on the boat, supposedly...then he got sick, how come the main character didn't ever go ON the boat? Then at the end, everyone was on the boat...the biggest tragedy to me was the death of the cat. I hoped our main man would die from scene one when he was drunk off of his butt at the party. Not a very likable guy...

Most compelling film in years

[beachplum · 10/10 · 17 September 2001]

I can't hope to match the eloquence of the other commentors, but to try: The is the best, most compelling film I have seen in years. In fact, it is the only film I've seen in years which I feel deserves the effort of comment. And to think I almost missed it -- I inherited it when a friend closed his video store.

I lived downtown in NYC for 20 years where I had my own bouts with obsession and addiction, have spent time hopelessly ill on the LIE, now live in East Hampton where I have enjoyed the "hypocrisy" of Thanksgiving at a table full of friends and neighbors and have occasionally flung myself into a freezing ocean. I can safely say that this incredibly talented filmmaker and his fellow artists have captured it all beyond words -- which is I guess what film is supposed to be all about. The female lead is beyond exceptional.

On Saturday I asked a film producer neighbor to check out this movie and tell me why these people aren't famous.

Bores you from the Start

[TelevisionJunkie · 3/10 · 7 September 1999]

The video box makes you think this vampire flick is something that shouldn't be missed, but. . .it's overlong and boring. Nothing really happens, there are no spectacular special effects, and they try to make up for lack of story by stringing along 50 sex scenes, but they don't help at all. The acting is alright (I just have to say the main guy needs dental implants though), but they try so hard to make the film sexy and suspenseful that it comes across as contrived and boring. Also, whoever made this film was probably influenced by "Basket Case" (it has the same atmosphere and a nude jogging scene) and "Graveyard Shift" (for it's depiction of vampires). If you see this turkey at your local video store -- avoid it! Rent "Basket Case," "Graveyard Shift" or even the TV series "Kindred, the Embraced" instead!

A Vampire Film Without Vampires

[Jeremiah-8 · 19 October 1999]

Fessenden embodies much that is great about no-budget, maverick filmmaking. I appreciated his color palette of browns and blacks, and like Polanski's `Repulsion' he manages to place you into the heart of a character on a downward spiral while referencing back to the vampire film. The lingering question for much of the film is, simply, is he going bonkers because of emotional stress or is she a blood sucking vampire draining him dry?

Wisely, Fessenden avoids any overt references to vampirism for almost the entire film, allowing the viewer to determine what is happening. He avoids the clumsy exposition which populates so many films. In a brief moment when Sam encounters his ex at a Halloween party, they make no reference to breaking up or ever having been together; he simply asks her how her apartment hunt is going and offers to help her move, and the way theyinteract says it all. The film is filled with moments like this.

It also helps that the film is shot in such a creepy way, giving the mundane aspects of his life a jolt. The major setpieces at a masked Halloween party or at a carnival evoke mystery and dread without resorting to vampires jumping out at you.