Kathleen Conklin, Lili Taylor, is an introverted doctoral student of philosophy at New York University. One night she is attacked by a woman who calls herself "Casanova." Annabella Sciorra pushes Kathleen into a stairwell, sinks her fangs into her neck and drinks her blood. Kathleen soon develops the classic signs of vampirism—an aversion to daylight and a distaste for food—and, fearing she may have contracted HIV, undergoes medical tests that reveal only anemia. Her mood grows increasingly aggressive: she propositions her dissertation advisor for sex in his apartment and steals money from his wallet after he falls asleep. Kathleen’s new, predatory nature does not go unnoticed by Jean, a fellow doctoral candidate, who senses a drastic change in her colleague.
During finals week in the library, Kathleen meets a female anthropology student, Kathryn Erbe, and they head to the student’s apartment to study. There, Kathleen bites her neck once more. While the young woman weeps incredulously, Kathleen coldly informs her: > My indifference is not the concern here, it's your astonishment that needs studying. This chilling line marks the depth of Kathleen’s transformation and her growing detachment from humanity. She later runs into an acquaintance who goes by the street name "Black," a man played by Fredro Starr. She propositions him for sex, and the pair depart together, only to assault him on an empty street and drink his blood.
Back on campus, Kathleen confronts Jean, rambling about guilt before biting her neck and feeding on her blood again. On a street corner, she encounters Peina, a vampire who claims to have nearly conquered his addiction and, as a result, to be almost human. Christopher Walken imbues Peina with a troubled allure as he welcomes Kathleen into his home and tries to guide her toward recovery, even recommending that she read Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs. For a time he offers shelter and a semblance of humanity, hoping to help her overcome her craving.
As the chapter of Kathleen’s life advances, she defends her dissertation before a committee and is awarded her Doctorate of Philosophy. The graduation party becomes a reckoning, as she, Jean, Casanova, and the other victims join in a brutal blood feast on the attendees in a storage closet—an act that seals Kathleen’s transformation and explores the blurred line between intellect and appetite.
Overwhelmed by the carnage and wracked with regret, Kathleen wanders the city streets covered in blood. She ends up in a hospital, where she pleads with a nurse to let her die, but the nurse refuses. Kathleen resolves to end her life by requesting that the curtains be opened; when the nurse steps away, Casanova appears in the hospital room, draws the curtains, and quotes R. C. Sproul to her. A Catholic priest then visits and agrees to administer Viaticum, underscoring the lingering tension between salvation and damnation. In the final scene, Kathleen walks to her own grave in broad daylight, and in a somber voice-over, she proclaims: “self-revelation is annihilation of self.”
