The Addiction

The Addiction
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAbel Ferrara
Written byNicholas St. John
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyKen Kelsch
Edited byMayin Lo
Music byJoe Delia
Distributed byOctober Films
Release dates
  • January 25, 1995 (1995-01-25) (Sundance)
  • February 18, 1995 (1995-02-18) (Berlin)
  • October 6, 1995 (1995-10-06) (United States)
Running time
82 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$302,393

The Addiction is a 1995 American vampire horror film directed by Abel Ferrara and written by Nicholas St. John. Starring Lili Taylor, Christopher Walken, Annabella Sciorra, Edie Falco, Paul Calderón, Fredro Starr, Kathryn Erbe, and Michael Imperioli, the film follows a philosophy graduate student who is turned into a vampire after being bitten by a woman during a chance encounter on the streets of New York City. After the attack, she struggles coming to terms with her new lifestyle and begins developing an addiction for human blood. The film was shot in black-and-white and has been considered an allegory about drug addiction and the theological concept of sin.[1][2]

The Addiction premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 1995, and was screened at the 45th Berlin International Film Festival on February 18, 1995, where it was nominated for the Golden Bear.[3] The film was theatrically released in the United States on October 6, 1995. Despite underperforming commercially, the film received positive reviews, with Taylor's performance earning critical praise. At the 11th Independent Spirit Awards, Ferrara was nominated for Best Feature and Taylor was nominated for Best Female Lead.[4][5]

Film critic Peter Bradshaw named The Addiction as one of his top ten favourite films in a 2002 Sight and Sound poll.[6]

  1. ^ Pollard 2016, p. 96.
  2. ^ Sánchez, Rodríguez; Antonio, Juan (2011). "Vampirism as a Metaphor for Addiction in the Cinema of the Eighties (1987–1995)". Journal of Medicine and Movies. 7 (2). Universidad de Salamanca Press: 69–79.
  3. ^ "Programme 1995". Berlin International Film Festival. Archived from the original on May 8, 2005. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
  4. ^ Dretzka, Gary (January 12, 1996). "Film Nominations are Independent-minded". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on May 21, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  5. ^ "The Addiction Blu Ray Review (Arrow Video)". Today's Haul. August 6, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  6. ^ "The Addiction (1994)". BFI. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2023.