Some directors don't aspire to anything other than to be good showmen. John Landis, his films crammed with references to his idols and powered by an energy that seeks to entertain above all else, is one of Hollywood's most infectious storytellers. Innocent Blood combines two of his greatest strengths, horror and comedy, with a dash of a mob spoof thrown in (the cast contains many future The Sopranos players). Against a Pittsburgh backdrop, it features cameos by Dario Argento and Sam Raimi (George Romero was sick on his cameo-shooting day), Don Rickles melting, and a charming French vampiress (Anne Parillaud) who bites Chazz Palminteri because "he annoyed me." The cast is game, the story is pleasingly modest, and the script is loaded with entertaining one-liners; and the entire production has fun playing with the idea of a mob inundated with the undead. Landis has called this film his "guilty pleasure." It's nowhere near as accomplished as Ghostbusters and Men in Black as far as comedy thrillers go, but with a guiding principal that's more goofy than scary, it's nonetheless a thoroughly enjoyable popcorn movie.