Radu is back. Honestly, if you grew up browsing the dusty shelves of a local video store in the nineties, that long-fingered, drooling silhouette is probably burned into your brain. Full Moon Features was churning out a lot of junk back then, but the cast of Subspecies 2 managed to pull off something surprisingly atmospheric. We aren't talking about a big-budget Hollywood production here. This was shot on location in Romania right after the revolution, and you can practically feel the damp cold of the stone walls through the screen.
It’s gritty. It's gray.
While the first film set the stage, Subspecies II: Bloodstone is where the series actually found its footing. A huge part of that comes down to the core group of actors who didn't just treat this like a paycheck in a foreign country. They leaned into the camp, the gore, and the genuine Transylvanian Gothic vibe that director Ted Nicolaou was chasing.
The Unforgettable Face of Radu: Anders Hove
You can't talk about the cast of Subspecies 2 without starting with the man who made the franchise. Anders Hove. Most people recognize him as Faison from General Hospital, but horror fans know him as Radu Vladislas.
Hove’s performance is weirdly physical. He isn't a suave, Dracula-type vampire. He's a monster. He’s greasy, he has those ridiculous elongated fingers, and he’s constantly salivating. It’s gross. But Hove brings this strange, tragic patheticness to the role that makes you keep watching. He plays Radu like a drug addict who is also a king. In the sequel, we see him dealing with the aftermath of his "death" in the first film, and Hove plays that desperation perfectly.
He spent hours in the makeup chair getting those prosthetic fingers attached. If you watch closely, he uses them to communicate more than his actual face sometimes. It’s a masterclass in low-budget creature acting.
Denice Duff and the Transformation of Michelle
In the first film, Michelle was played by Laura Tate. For the sequel, Denice Duff stepped into the role, and let’s be real—she is Michelle for the rest of the series.
Duff had a tough job. She had to pick up right where the last movie ended, waking up as a fledgling vampire. It’s a role that requires a lot of heavy lifting emotionally because she’s the audience surrogate. We’re experiencing the horror of becoming a monster through her eyes. Duff brings a certain elegance to the part that balances out the grime of Radu.
What’s interesting about her performance in Bloodstone is the chemistry. Or lack thereof? It’s a twisted, predatory dynamic with Radu. She isn't just a damsel; she’s fighting her own nature throughout the entire runtime. Duff’s background in photography and her later work as a director probably helped her understand the visual storytelling Nicolaou was going for. She knew how to catch the light in those dark Romanian ruins.
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The Supporting Players Who Grounded the Chaos
Kevin Spirtas plays Mel, the guy trying to save Michelle. Most fans remember him from Days of Our Lives, and he brings that soap opera intensity to the role of the worried American. He’s fine, but he mostly serves as a plot device to move the action along.
The real standout in the supporting cast of Subspecies 2 is Melanie Shatner. Yes, William Shatner’s daughter. She plays Rebecca, Michelle’s sister.
Rebecca is the one who actually drives the investigation side of the plot. She arrives in Romania looking for her sister and ends up way over her head. Shatner plays it straight, which is exactly what a movie with a drooling vampire needs. If the humans don't take the threat seriously, the audience won't either. She treats the supernatural elements with genuine dread, which helps sell the stakes.
The Romanian Atmosphere as a Character
We have to mention the local talent. Since they filmed in Bucharest and surrounding areas, they used a lot of Romanian actors for the smaller roles. This adds a layer of authenticity that you just can't fake on a backlot in Burbank.
- Michael Denish as Popescu: He provides that classic "local who knows too much" vibe.
- Ion Haiduc as Lieutenant Marin: He’s a veteran Romanian actor who brings a weary, Eastern Bloc cynicism to the police presence in the film.
There is a specific scene in a village market that feels like a documentary because, well, it basically was. The background extras weren't paid Hollywood actors; they were locals. This grounded the cast of Subspecies 2 in a reality that feels much bigger than its budget.
Pamela Gordon and the "Mummy"
If Radu is the soul of the movie, his mother is the nightmare fuel. Pamela Gordon plays "Mummy," a shriveled, ancient vampire who lives in the shadows of the castle. Gordon’s performance is almost entirely under heavy prosthetics, but her voice and her jerky, spider-like movements are terrifying.
She represents the "old way" of being a vampire. She’s cruel, manipulative, and clearly the source of Radu’s many psychological issues. The interactions between Hove and Gordon are some of the best in the film because they feel like a dysfunctional family dinner from hell. It adds a weird bit of lore to the Subspecies mythos—vampires aren't just loners; they have these gross, ancient lineages.
Why the Casting Choices Mattered for Full Moon
Back in 1993, Full Moon Features was the king of direct-to-video horror. Most of their movies were fun but forgettable. Subspecies 2 felt different.
The decision to keep the core cast consistent (or improve upon it with Duff) allowed for a serialized feeling that was rare in horror at the time. You weren't just watching a random sequel; you were watching the next chapter of a saga.
Ted Nicolaou has often talked about how the cast of Subspecies 2 had to deal with incredibly harsh conditions. It was freezing. The locations were literally crumbling. There were packs of stray dogs everywhere. This environment bonded the actors, and you can see that camaraderie—or genuine tension—on the screen.
Anders Hove once mentioned in an interview that the makeup was so restrictive he could barely eat. He lived on soup and cigarettes during the shoot. That kind of physical discomfort translates into a performance. Radu looks like he’s in pain because Anders Hove probably was.
The Bloodstone and the Visual Language
The "Bloodstone" itself is a prop, but the way the cast interacts with it is vital. It’s this dripping, pulsating relic that bleeds the "blood of the saints."
When you watch Michelle or Radu interact with it, there's a level of reverence. They treat the props with respect, which is a hallmark of a good B-movie cast. If they treat it like a plastic toy, the audience sees a plastic toy. If they treat it like a holy relic, we see a holy relic.
A Legacy That Refuses to Die
It’s 2026, and we recently got Subspecies V: Blood Rise. Do you know why people cared? Because Anders Hove and Denice Duff came back.
That is the power of this specific cast. They created characters that fans stayed loyal to for over thirty years. You don't see that with Puppet Master or Ghoulies. There is a soul in the Subspecies series that starts and ends with the actors' commitment to the bit.
If you're looking to revisit the film or see it for the first time, pay attention to the silence. Nicolaou uses a lot of long takes where the actors have to carry the scene without dialogue. It’s very European in its pacing. The cast of Subspecies 2 had to use their eyes and their body language to convey a lot of the history between these characters.
Actionable Insights for Horror Fans and Collectors
If you're diving into the world of Radu and Michelle, don't just stop at the movie.
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- Watch the VideoZone: If you have the old DVD or the Blu-ray from 88 Films/Full Moon, watch the "VideoZone" behind-the-scenes featurette. It shows the cast in their trailers and on-set in Romania. It’s a time capsule of 90s indie filmmaking.
- Follow the Actors: Denice Duff is still very active in the convention circuit and often shares behind-the-scenes photos on her social media. She has a genuine love for the fans of this series.
- Check Out the Soundtrack: The music by Aman and Richard Band is top-tier. It elevates the performances by giving them a gothic, orchestral backdrop that makes the movie feel like a $20 million production.
- Look for the 4K Restorations: Full Moon has been cleaning up these films. The cast of Subspecies 2 looks better than ever in high definition, where you can actually see the detail in the creature effects and the Romanian architecture.
The Subspecies series is a reminder that you don't need a massive budget to make something iconic. You just need a director with a vision and a cast willing to get a little dirty in the ruins of Transylvania. Radu might be a monster, but the actors made him human enough to be haunting.
Stop sleeping on this sequel. It’s easily the peak of the franchise. Go find a copy, turn off the lights, and enjoy the madness of the Vladislas family. After you finish Bloodstone, the third film, Bloodlust, was shot back-to-back with it, so you can keep the marathon going without a hitch. It’s a rare case where the sequel actually surpasses the original in almost every way.