Production company Black Mandala is unleashing a thrilling new vampire feature titled Landlord. Director Remington Smith helms the dark production, twisting traditional monster rules with a clever new take. Classically, a vampire requires an explicit invitation to cross a home’s threshold. However, this ancient rule vanishes completely when the creature legally owns the property.
International Praise for a Neo-Western Nightmare
The unique film blends neo-Western grit, American independent filmmaking, and terrifying supernatural horror. As a result, the feature earned significant critical praise at its world premiere at Grimmfest. The project was also selected for the prestigious Frontières Buyers Showcase at Cannes’ Marché du Film. Industry executives quickly praised the movie’s bold themes and relentless tension.
A Routine Job Turns Deadly
The horrifying narrative unfolds during a sweltering summer heatwave in Louisville, Kentucky. A nameless bounty hunter arrives at a rundown apartment complex searching for a stolen briefcase. What seems like a routine recovery job quickly turns into an absolute nightmare. The hunter realizes the white building owner is a bloodthirsty vampire hunting his own tenants freely.
The terrifying Landlord brutally murders the mother of a young tenant named Alex. Therefore, the reluctant bounty hunter steps up as the young boy’s sole protector. Together, they must fight through a corrupt town where housing ownership equals total power. The unlikely duo battles both human greed and supernatural bloodlust to survive the night.
Practical Effects and Retro Scoring
Smith grounds the terrifying narrative directly in the gritty textures of everyday working-class life. Sun-bleached city streets and worn apartment interiors give way to dark, oppressive nights. The production also relies heavily on brutal practical gore effects rather than digital visuals. Composer Joe Stockton delivers a brooding, John Carpenter-inspired synth score that amplifies the claustrophobic dread.
A Dedicated Creative Ensemble
The film stars Adama Abramson alongside young co-star Cohen Cooper as Alex. Additionally, William McKinney and Lance Gerard round out the cast. Cinematographer Nate Spicer captures the sun-drenched Kentucky heat through vivid camera work. Director Remington Smith wrote the original script and produced the feature alongside a passionate creative team. Genre fans can look forward to a relentless, blood-soaked commentary on modern housing survival.
While we wait for Landlord’s premiere date, check out the new trailer below.
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