Kathleen, a philosophy student in New York, one night falls victim to a strange attack. An elegant young lady grabs her, pulls her into a dark corner and bites her in the neck, leaving two small holes. In the days that follow, Kathleen finds out that she has acquired a virus that attacks her soul and not just her body. She tries in vain to continue work on her doctoral thesis, but realises she has to fight increasingly hard against a new and unknown lust for blood. In the end she succumbs to the need and roams the streets of New York in search of victims. She soon meets a man, Peina, who belongs to the New York vampire set. Peina teaches Kathleen what she has to do to avoid detection; in exchange, Kathleen meets all his needs. Following Peina’s instructions she passes her doctorate with flying colours. The party she gives – to which both the living and the dead are invited – degenerates into a vampire orgy. Kathleen faints and is taken to hospital, but she knows she can’t die, because she is doomed to eternal life. ‘Abel Ferrara has made a vampire movie – and who better to do it? After all, his penchant for violence, religious iconography, and shadowy streets seem tailor-made for the genre, as does his fascination with self-destructive characters.’ (Piers Handling, Toronto Catalogus)
