The Hunger

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The Hunger

R,

1983,

1h 37m,

Horror

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Watchlist

Watchlist

64%

39 Reviews

Tomatometer

66%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

John (David Bowie) is the lover of the gorgeous immortal vampire Miriam (Catherine Deneuve), and he's been led to believe that he'll live forever, too. Unfortunately, he quickly deteriorates into a horrible living death, and Miriam seeks a new companion. She soon sets her sights on Sarah (Susan Sarandon), a lovely young scientist, who quickly falls under Miriam's spell. However, Sarah doesn't warm up to the concept of vampirism easily, leading to conflict with Miriam.

Critics Consensus

Stylish yet hollow, The Hunger is a well-cast vampire thriller that mistakes erotic moments for a satisfying story.

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Simran Hans

New Statesman

Jan 7, 2021

The film's enduring quality is its ineffable coolness, which feels inextricable from Scott's supposedly lowbrow music video origins.

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Raoul Hernandez

Austin Chronicle

Nov 18, 2008

More style than substance, and perhaps simply an excuse to get Denueve and Susan Sarandon, Miriam's post-Bowie love, in bed together.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Nov 18, 2008

In his feature debut, director Tony Scott, brother of Ridley, exhibits the same penchant for eleborate art direction, minimal, humorless dialog and shooting in smoky rooms.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jul 3, 2026

4/5

…Tony Scott's oddball vampire movie The Hunger has visual poetry even if the narrative is improbable to say the least...this is style over substance, but such grand style as this is a rare occurrence even in early 80s cinema…

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Sharai Bohannon

A Nightmare On Fierce Street Podcast

Jun 9, 2026

3.5/5

A pretty amazing directorial debut for the late Tony Scott. It's not perfect but it's easily one of the strongest and most engaging movies in his filmography.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Oct 21, 2025

3.5/4

Less a straightforward vampire or horror film intent on scaring its audience than a hypnotic, immaculately shot juxtaposition of moods, The Hunger is foremost a haunting sensory experience.

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Hermione W

Mar 29, 2019

The Hunger isn't going to please everyone. It's very slow and if you don't like arthouse movies you'll likely give up on it. I like indie films and I love a good vampire movie so this was my kind of movie.

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Albus S

Mar 1, 2019

Exquisite work of fantastic and erotic art

Leia M

Oct 12, 2018

Aesthetically, the stylized lighting and electronic score-sound and vision, in Bowie parlance-create a mood somewhere between erotic dream and mortal nightmare, an uncanny feeling where nothing seems real and Nothing, das Nichts, seems real, ever approaching and terrifying. Unfortunately, the movie never capitalizes on that tension, its plot so ultimately thin that it lacks either the courage to exist in sheer ambiguous suspense or to sink its teeth into a realm of sheer fantasy where sex and death co-exist. Instead, the ending of the movie slips into simple, bloody shock, forgoing sublime gothic tonalities for campy body horror-and a confounding, illogical, studio-induced final scene that leaves the worst taste in your mouth.

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Ron W

Mar 6, 2018

A TOP NOTCH VAMPIRE THRILLER, WITH A KILLER SOUND TRACK. ALTHOUGH A BIT DATED, IT IS WORTH EVERY MINUTE OF YOUR TIME. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS FORAY INTO HORROR, THAT IS WELL CASTED AND INTERESTING UNTIL THE VERY END. THUMBS UP FOR PERFORMANCES BY CATHERINE DENEUVE, DAVID BOWIE AND SUSAN SARANDON.

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Harry L

Aug 20, 2017

Don't listen to the nay sayers, this is one of the best vampire movies ever made. Catherine DeNeuve and David Bowie are so amazingly stylish and sexy, just like vampires are supposed to be.

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Hagrid R

Aug 6, 2017

Watched it again after nearly 10 years. Still loved it. Well acted curiousity.

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Tony Scott

Director

Catherine Deneuve

Miriam Blaylock

David Bowie

John Blaylock

Susan Sarandon

Sarah Roberts

Cliff DeYoung

Tom Haver

Beth Ehlers

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Synopsis

John (David Bowie) is the lover of the gorgeous immortal vampire Miriam (Catherine Deneuve), and he's been led to believe that he'll live forever, too. Unfortunately, he quickly deteriorates into a horrible living death, and Miriam seeks a new companion. She soon sets her sights on Sarah (Susan Sarandon), a lovely young scientist, who quickly falls under Miriam's spell. However, Sarah doesn't warm up to the concept of vampirism easily, leading to conflict with Miriam.

Director: Tony Scott
Producer: Richard Shepherd
Screenwriter: James Costigan, Ivan Davis, Whitley Strieber, Michael Thomas
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Peerford Ltd., Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 29, 1983, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 14, 2014
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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