The Addiction (1995)

The American horror film, The Addiction (1995), directed by Abel Ferrara and written by Nicholas St. John, tells the story of Kathleen Conklin, an introverted philosophy graduate student at New York University. One night, she is attacked by a woman who goes by the name ‘Casanova’, and soon begins to exhibit classic signs of vampirism such as avoiding sunlight and losing interest in food. Her behavior becomes more aggressive and she even propositions her dissertation advisor for sex and steals money from him while he sleeps. Her friend Jean, also a doctoral candidate, notices a significant change in Kathleen’s demeanor. And it is during finals week in the library that Kathleen meets a female anthropology student.

They head to the woman’s apartment to study, where Kathleen bites her neck. While the young woman weeps in disbelief, Kathleen coldly remarks ‘It’s not my indifference that’s important, it’s your shock that requires examination’. Later, at a deli, Kathleen runs into an acquaintance known as ‘Black’. She propositions him for sex and they leave together, but she soon attacks him on a vacant street. On campus, Kathleen finds Jean and rants about the weight of guilt before sinking her teeth into her neck and draining her blood. Strolling down the street, she encounters Peina, a vampire who claims to have nearly conquered his cravings and has become almost human. He takes her in and attempts to help her overcome hers by recommending William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch for her to read.