Addiction is a 1995 American independent horror film directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Lili Taylor, Christopher Walken, and Annabella Sciorra. The film explores themes of morality, evil, and the nature of addiction through the metaphor of vampirism.
Kathleen Conklin (Taylor), a philosophy graduate student in New York City, is attacked by a woman (Sciorra) who bites her neck. Kathleen soon realizes she has become a vampire, developing an insatiable thirst for blood. Her initial revulsion at her new condition gradually diminishes as she learns to cope with and, ultimately, embrace her vampiric nature. She encounters Peina (Walken), another vampire who offers her philosophical insights into her condition and the nature of evil.
The film is notable for its use of black-and-white cinematography, its exploration of philosophical themes relating to addiction and sin, and its unflinching portrayal of violence and drug use. It is often considered a cult classic and a significant work in Ferrara's filmography. The film utilizes vampirism as an allegory for various forms of addiction, including drug addiction, alcoholism, and the addiction to power and violence. The film examines the moral implications of addiction and the way it can corrupt and transform an individual.