Die Vampirschwestern 2 - Fledermäuse im Bauch 
Germany
2014
Opening 16 Oct 2014
Directed by:
Wolfgang Groos
Writing credits:
Franziska Gehm, Ursula Gruber
Principal actors:
Diana Amft, Stipe Erceg, Christiane Paul, Richy Müller, Georg Friedrich
Who would have thought: yet another vampire film that is actually fun for the whole family! Director Wolfgang Gross has made a sequel to his 2012 Die Vampireschwestern (Vampire Sisters), based on several of the 11 books in the series by Franziska Gehm.
Vampire Mihai Tepes, 2676 years old and very good-looking (Stipe Erceg), contrary to expectations, married his great love, a human woman named Elvira. They have charming twin daughters, who couldn’t be more different. Dakaria (Laura Roge) has short black hair and piercings; she wears all black – a real Gothic grufti – and demonstrates a streak of independence. Her sister Silvania (Marta Martin) is blond, sweet, reasonable, and responsible. Because they are half human, they can survive during the day and go to school like other teenagers. As vampires they fly and “flop” (disappear from one corner to reappear in another) and enjoy their mother’s blood casserole. The whole family moved from Transylvania to small Bingburg, Germany (actually mostly near Cologne, with shots around Düsseldorf, Mönchengladbach and Munich. As director Gross says, “Transilvania is in Bavaria.”). It was a difficult move, made harder by their spießiger neighbor Dirk van Kombast (Michael Kessler) who hates vampires, and protects himself with a garlic spray machine. His neighbor Frau Hase tells him to “get a wife,” which he does, but that’s another story.
Dakaria falls hard for vampire rock singer Murdo (Tim Oliver Schultz) of the Krypton Krax Band, and, against her parents’ wishes, attends his rock concert. Silvania goes for protection, which means abandoning their three friends, Helene, Jacob, and Ludo, with whom they had planned to camp out during the summer vacation. The film spins merrily along with special effects, conflicts between friends, parents and neighbors, jealously, and danger from the wicked Xantor, who is the manager of Kripton Krax and arch enemy of Mihai. There are sweet little bloodsuckers named Karl-Heinz and Karlotta, who also fall in love. Tim Oliver Schultz actually sings his songs. Let’s hope that this series continues. (Becky Tan)
