Private Project

Bloodsucker's Handbook

(Originally titled "Enchiridion") Set in 1966, Bloodsucker's Handbook is the story of Father Noah Gregory, a young priest who is approached by federal marshals with an unusual request: help them deal with a vampire they have taken into custody. Drawn in by the vampire's narrative, Noah's own life begins to take strange twists. And when the vampire disappears, things get very weird.

  • Mark Beal
    Director
    Life Study
  • Mark Beal
    Producer
    Life Study
  • Katie Elrod
    Producer
    Somebody Up There Likes Me, The Horse Bride, For Serious
  • Cory W. Ahre
    Key Cast
    Sacrament, Pick-Axe Murders Part III: The Final Chapter, The New Adventures of Baby Jesus
  • Joel Jeremy Herrera
    Key Cast
  • Jessica Bell
    Key Cast
  • Dustan Costine
    Key Cast
    Old Boy, The Campaign, GI Joe II: Retaliation, Meeting Evil
  • Larry Boozer
    Key Cast
  • Tam Jackson
    Key Cast
    Revolution, Neonatal, Left of Center
  • Seraluna Sanchez
    Key Cast
    Life Study
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Surrealist, Horror
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 21 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    August 9, 2012
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Eerie Horror Fest
    Erie, PA
    October 12, 2012
    World Premier
    NOMINATED: Best Feature
  • Red Wasp Film Festival
    Bryan, TX
    October 20, 2012
    WINNER: Independent Spirit Award
  • Texas Independent Film Festival
    College Station, TX
    May 4, 2013
  • Texas Frightmare Weekend
    Dallas, TX
    May 11, 2013
  • Blood Bath V Film Festival
    Dallas, TX
    October 19, 2013
  • San Antonio Horrific Film Fest
    San Antonio, TX
    August 30, 2014
  • Horror-on-Sea Film Festival
    South End, UK
    January 24, 2015
    UK Premiere
  • Cannes Underground Film Festival
    Cannes, France
    March 25, 2015
    European Premiere
  • Cinemafantastique Film Festival
    Vancouver, BC
    July 11, 2015
    Canadian Premiere
  • HorrorQuest Film Festival
    Atlanta, GA
    October 17, 2015
    WINNER: "Best of Quest"; WINNER: Best Supporting Actor (Joel Jeremy Herrera)
  • Madhouse Movies Film Festival
    Tampa, Florida
    WINNER: Best Actor (Joel Jeremy Herrera)
  • AggieCon 47
    Bryan, TX
    April 2, 2016
  • Singapore World International Film Festival
    Singapore
    April 8, 2016
  • New York International Film Festival
    New York, NY
    April 8, 2016
  • International Vampire Film and Arts Festival
    Sighisoara, Transylvania
    May 28, 2016
  • GenreBlast Film Festival
    Culpepr, VA
    United States
    August 20, 2016
    WINNER: Best Actor in a Feature Film (Joel Jeremy Herrera)
  • Hong Kong World International Film Festival
    Hong Kong
    China
    September 18, 2016
  • Northeast Wisconsin Horror Festival
    Oshkosh, WI
    United States
    October 9, 2016
  • Prison City Film Festival
    Huntsville, TX
    United States
    March 1, 2018
Distribution Information
  • Wild Eye Releasing
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Mark Beal

By day, Mark Beal is a quiet municipal employee in the public communications office of a city government. By night, a mad creator of odd art films. His previous film "Life Study," screened at the Red Wasp and Naperville Film Festivals. He is currently in post production on a prequel to "Bloodsucker's Handbook."

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Bloodsucker's Handbook" is not so much a vampire horror as a surrealist film with a vampire character. My intention is for the surrealism to sneak in gradually -- the story begins in a straight-forward fashion but eventually there is a point where the viewer has the realization: "Whoa, this is really strange!" The tagline, "Embrace the weird," was drawn from the response of one viewer after seeing an early cut of the film.