Blood Feast (1963)

Tagline: ‘Nothing so appalling in the annals of horror.’
UK Running Time: 67 Minutes

Film Quality: 2/5
Gore Content: 4/5
Entertainment Value: 4/5
Originality: 4.5/5

Introduction

Following the sad news of director Herschell Gordon Lewis’s death at the ripe old age of 90 it seems a good time to talk about his most infamous film, widely regarded as the first ever splatter movie and the oldest film to make the UK’s notorious ‘Video Nasties’ list. About as low budget as you can imagine (just south of $25,000!) but highly influential, the story and reason for being was purely down to stuffing in as many gruesome and graphic images as they thought they could get away with at the time which, as it turned out, was quite a lot. This was no Hammer movie, although it is incredibly hammy. It gave audiences something it had never really seen before…a whole barrel of rouge!

Yep...definitely insane!

In a nutshell

An insane caterer (!) plans to resurrect the ancient Egyptian Goddess Ishtar by collecting body parts to prepare for a bizarre ‘blood feast’ by murdering young virgins and hacking them up, much to the bemusement of the local police force and Mrs Fremont, who was expecting mini sausages on sticks. What follows is some pretty full on gore, bright red blood and a few laughs – this is, after all, not to be taken seriously which, thankfully, the cast and crew duly obliged.

She was a headbanger...

What’s good about it?

It’s the blood again! Let’s not forget that this film was made whilst ‘Dixon of Dock Green’ was still hugely popular on UK television screens, audiences were simply not conditioned to seeing this level of violence. You witness limbs hacked off, tongues removed at the throat and brains scooped out of scalped heads. You see close ups of broken and skinned bodies, bloody limbs, faceless heads…all in glorious technicolour. It’s still pretty shocking because the quality of film and fashion design places it firmly in the late-50s/early 60s so you don’t expect images like this thrust upon you in that context.

One thing that smashes you over the head with a glass vase as soon as you press play is how utterly terrible the film is in almost every way! Why am I putting this inn the ‘What’s good about it?’ section? Because it’s undoubtedly at the heart of what makes this film so enjoyable. The music sounds like a one man band blowing a trumpet out of his arse whilst banging a drum (incidentally, if you thought it was impossible for a drum to be of out of tune then think again!) at the other end. The acting is so wooden you wonder why the detectives didn’t round up the local lumberjack as a suspect and the dialogue is so tedious, long winded and slow that if they’d spoken at a normal speed the movie would have just about scraped 50 minutes.

I genuinely have no idea what this is!

But you forgive all of that because it’s such an honest film. If you’ve ever been frustrated with those older movies that depicted violent acts and didn’t show it, including such auteurs as Val Lewton Alfred Hitchcock and Terence Fisher, then you certainly won’t be with Lewis’ flick. Yes, they were better films but cheated the audience with the promise of violence that never delivered. A look of terror, an off screen glance of disgust, a camera pan in the opposite direction…Gordon-Lewis took that away, stuck the camera firmly in the middle of the action and screamed at the audience “Look…this is what you’ve been imagining throughout all of those other movies. Horrible, isn’t it!”. For that reason ‘Blood Feast’, despite almost everything in front of your eyes causing brain fatigue, will forever be regarded, quite rightly so, as a horror classic.

What about the bad?

As I’ve said above, pretty much everything! Music, acting, script, storyline, logic, production values, editing, pacing, direction…all abject but mercifully short. It’s like the cinema equivalent of blancmange…nothing about it is good and it probably should have stayed in the past, but every now and again you can’t help giving it a go, even if you feel a bit queasy before, during and after.

Any themes?

Some vague ramblings about Egyptology and you could argue that they were taking the staples of Grand Guignal theatre and thrusting it straight into a cinema setting but no, there were no delusions of grandeur going on with this film other than the knowledge that they were doing something that had never been done before, ever.

Would you trust this man with a wedding breakfast?

Release History

Panned on its initial release by a completely bemused and perplexed audience who had no idea what they were letting themselves in for, it was one of those early films that revelled in those inventive publicity stunts such as vomit bags and disclaimers.

Astra Video released an uncut print in 1982 which very quickly fell foul of the DPP and was one of the 39 films banned outright which didn’t see another release until Tartan brought out an 18 rated DVD in 2001. It was cut by 23 seconds (as with ‘Zombie Flesh Eaters’, because it had been prosecuted within 10 years, compulsory cuts were needed) which despite all of the on screen gore was to remove repeated whipping! It was finally released uncut in 2005 through Odeon, more recently featuring in the ‘Herschell Gordon Lewis Feast’ box set in 2016.

Cultural Impact

Massive! As the first of its kind, how can we possibly speculate how long it might have taken for somebody else to splat the screen with brains, and who would have done it if Lewis hadn’t made ‘Blood Feast’. The fact that he kind of made a hash of it didn’t really matter, it took off and paved the way for the likes of George A. Romero to fling full on gore at us in his seminal ‘Night of the Living Dead’.

Lewis himself made much better films later in his career, also featuring copious amounts of blood and guts, most notably the fun ‘Two Thousand Maniacs’, brilliant ‘Wizard of Gore’ and ‘Colour Me Blood Red’. The 70s was a boom year for horror movies as we were bombarded with visceral movies such as ‘The Exorcist’, ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre’, ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ and ‘Dawn of the Dead’…yes it was ‘Night of the Living Dead’ that inspired those films but would that have come about were it not for the earlier blueprint that Lewis forged with this feature?

It was the first splatter film…Hollywood directors Peter Jackson, Sam Raimi, David Cronenberg and Oliver Stone started out with cheap and gory flicks, Tarantino has cited Lewis as an inspiration, his films have had a massive impact on today’s cinema, particularly the 90s and early 00s propensity for ‘torture porn’ such as ‘Hostel’ and the ‘Saw’ set pieces which were there purely for the purpose of letting the red stuff flow…precisely the philosophy behind ‘Blood Feast’.

Final Thoughts

"I'm doing this for you Ishtar..."

It’s shocking in every sense of the word but as Lewis himself once said “I’ve often referred to ‘Blood Feast’ as a Walt Whitman poem. It’s no good, but it was the first of its type’. Made with good humour but little else it will forever be a piece of film history, treasured by many and discussed at length. Thanks Herschell…your legacy will forever live on!

Memorable Quotes

Captain: “He died a fitting end for the garbage that he was”

Ramses: “Have you ever had…..an Egyptian feast?”

Captain: “I’m afraid this feast is evidence of murder.”
Mrs Fremont: “Oh dear…the guests will have to eat hamburgers for dinner tonight.”

Pete: “The killer must have thought she was dead, it’s a miracle she wasn’t.”
Captain: “Well, she is now.”

You’ll like this if you enjoyed…

‘Blood Diner’, ‘Bad Taste’, ‘Evil Dead’, any other Lewis film!

They Live (1988)

Tagline: ‘You think they’re people just like you? You’re wrong, dead wrong.’
UK Running Time: 93 Minutes

Film Quality: 4.5/5
Gore Content: 1.5/5
Entertainment Value: 4.5/5
Originality: 5/5

Introduction

John Carpenter could lay claim to be one of the greatest American directors, certainly the most underrated with an almost unrivalled body of work which includes such inspirational classics as ‘Halloween’, ‘Assault on Precinct 13’, ‘The Thing’ and ‘Escape From New York’. ‘They Live’ is perhaps one of the most overlooked of his gems and perhaps marks the end of his ‘golden period’ as a disappointing 90s paved the way for an almost barren ‘naughties’. He pulled this highly intelligent sci-fi horror together on a trademark shoestring budget of just under $4million and the message it sends out is perhaps more relevant today than it ever has been which, for me, is the sign of a truly great film.

In a nutshell

A man, John Nada, drifts into Los Angeles, landing himself a bit of work on a construction site and finding refuge in a local shantytown. There’s something strange going on in the local church which arouses his interest, along with that of the local and national authorities who attack the church and destroy the shantytown. All our antihero finds is a pair of sunglasses and what he sees when he puts them on can’t be unseen, leading him down a path from which there is no coming back. He’s stumbled upon something that everyone in a position of authority wants to keep very much a secret.

What’s good about it?

This film does what all good sci-fi should do – makes you think about the world in which we live in a different way and question what’s happening around you. Jon Carpenter based this clever little film on a 1963 short story (‘8 o’clock in the Morning’ by Ray Nelson) and turns it into a satirical attack on the ruling classes and their control over everything from the media and advertising to city banking and the police. The star of this film is undoubtedly Carpenter himself who wrote and directed the film as well as creating the soundtrack and was behind one of the shrewdest pieces of casting in film history when placing WWF wrestler ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper in the leading role.

Piper is superb and his performance exudes a world-weary personality that allows Carpenter to channel, through him, an inquisitive narrative that pulls the viewer into the conspiracy that unravels as the film plays out. He delivers some of the 80s most famous lines, particularly ‘I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass…and I’m all out of bubblegum’ which was reportedly ad-libbed. His character is beautifully contrasted by the brilliant character actor Keith David (reunited with Carpenter following ‘The Thing’) who prefers to keep his head down, blaming society and the elite for his misfortunes but, through Nada’s discovery, is convinced to get involved enough to make a difference.

A very retro image from Carpenter

Without giving away too much of the plot, the subliminal media messages are unnervingly accurate… “Sleep”, “Obey”, “Comsume” adorn billboards, “This is your God” is scribbled over dollar bills, “No Imagination” and “Submit to Authority” can be seen across magazines and behind political rallies. This is a film about Reagan-era America and the opulence of the 80s, indulged by an elite at the expense of a working class kept down by cleverly marketed media messages and authority bordering on a police state. This was a very brave studio film when it’s obvious to anyone watching it that the film itself is taking a swipe at the media and how the executive classes use it to manipulate the masses.

A post fight Roddy Piper and Keith David

You can’t talk about ‘They Live’ without mentioning the epic fight scene between Piper and David. Just under six minutes of bruising, bone-crunching, back breaking, painful looking brawling. This is no choreographed James Bond style, high-skill jousting but a low down and dirty scrap between two working class heroes, neither of whom are willing to back down – the pair reportedly fought it out for real in parts, Carpenter liking the end result so much he decided to keep it in. At one point Piper starts laughing when he realised he might have gone a bit too far only for David to retaliate in kind. It’s great fun to watch, especially when all that’s at stake is putting on a pair of sunglasses!

Of course the best thing about this is ‘the reveal’! I’ve deliberately avoided explaining it explicitly because the film works best as a surprise, even if the front and back covers to most video and digital releases show images that pretty much give it away. What I will say is that the reveal is done in black and white which kind of gives it the look of one of the old fashioned, 50s films which often had so much to say about American society and the state of humanity. Carpenter is clearly a film historian, he remade ‘The Thing’ keeping that 50s paranoia right up there on screen, ‘Assault on Precinct 13’ was a nod to ‘Rio Bravo’ and ‘Halloween’, despite ushering in a new era in slasher films is basically an old fashioned, “he’s behind you”, haunted house film. This little parody of those old black and white 50s sci-fi flicks is his tribute to the era that he grew up in and ‘They Live’ deserves its place as a classic of its kind.

What about the bad?

I’ve struggled to come up with anything seriously wrong with this film. It’s fast-paced, intelligent, incredibly well acted and written, it has action to go along with the social commentary and despite being firmly rooted in the 80s it stands up remarkably well today and demands repeat viewing.

Meg Foster - for some reason I always thought she was blind

My only gripe is the treatment of Meg Foster’s character Holly. Fair play to Carpenter for not making her a bland love interest but her character arc shifts and shuffles about more often than an audience member with Haemorrhoids! I understand the reasoning, you can’t trust anyone in this film but it happens once or twice too often and I just didn’t buy it. In a film this clever I’m not really sure it needed that…but if that’s the only moan then you can’t complain, if you know what I mean!

Any themes?

It’s about the oppression and manipulation of the working classes by the political elite, their control of the media and authority and a swipe at the shallow opulence of a Reagan-era America that valued fast cars, big shoulder pads and commercialism over the welfare of the homeless and the treatment of its veterans. The film shows a serious distrust of authority and scenes such as the invasion and destruction of the shantytown and subsequent beating of minority groups resonates just as powerfully now as it did back in the late 80s.

Release History

Something of a surprise hit upon its release it was very positively received and made its money back by the opening weekend. Some of that could have been due to its release coinciding with election day in the US so the audience was already susceptible to political messages. Whatever the reason it topped the box office, eventually grossing more than $13million.

No censorship issues, the film has pretty much always been in print on VHS, DVD and Blu-Ray with some decent special edition bonus features.

Cultural Impact

Carpenter (white top) directing a scene from 'They Live'

It’s become a cult favourite amongst many film fans but always falls short of classic status, most likely because it hasn’t stepped out of the shadows of some of Carpenter’s other sci-fi/horror films. The fight scene and “bubblegum” quote have entered into movie folklore but there have been no sequels, a brief comic adaptation called ‘Nada’ but thankfully this has stayed a glorious one off.

Final Thoughts

Smart, funny and you get something new from it every time you watch it, it’s a great ‘message movie’ that hits home, not only is it not a preachy film but it entertains compulsively throughout. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure, and I hope I’ve managed to write this without spoiling it too much, then hunt it down or look out for it on TV.

Memorable Quotes

Piper just before he runs out of Bubblegum!

Nada: “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass…and I’m all out of bubblegum.”

Frank: “That’s the Golden Rule, he who has the gold makes the rules.”

Preacher: “Outside the limit of our sight, feeding off us, perched on top of us, from birth to death, are our owners! Our owners! They have us. They control us! They are our masters! Wake up! They’re all about you, all around you.”

Nada: Life's a bitch and she's back in heat."

Nada: "You look like your head fell in the cheese dip back in 1957

You’ll like this if you enjoyed…

‘Alien Nation’, ‘Escape From New York’, ‘Scanners’, ‘The Dead Zone.

Trancers (1987)

Tagline: ‘Jack Deth is back…and he’s never even been here before’
UK Running Time: 76 Minutes

Film Quality: 3/5
Gore Content: 1/5
Entertainment Value: 4/5
Originality: 2/5

Introduction

Coming from Charles Band’s prolific low budget production company Full Moon, ‘Trancers’ on the face of it is a pretty unambitious ‘Terminator’ knock off but it rises well above their very un-lofty pretences. What you get is a deceptively smart, very economic little b-movie that seems to have endured with five sequels, a short film as part of an anthology and two comic book adaptations.

In a nutshell

The year is 2257 and the villainous Whistler has gone back in time to kill the ancestors of the grand council and seize power for himself and his brainwashed, murderous cult followers known as ‘Trancers’. Trooper Jack Deth thought he’d trapped and killed Whistler before taking it upon himself to “mop up the strays” of his Trancer army. He must go back in time to present day Los Angeles to stop Whistler fulfilling his plan before it’s too late…the future of mankind depends on it!

The permanently pissed off Tim Thomerson

What’s good about it?

Yes, it sounds like a ‘Terminator’ rip-off but it’s an incredibly honest and fun film. The first thing you notice when you watch it is how fast it moves…it doesn’t labour the point, rifling through each of its scenes and depending on character interaction and some nifty gadgets to fill in the plot holes of which there are plenty! Add to that a running time that’s shorter than some episodes of ‘Masterchef’ (but with more portions of cheese!) you’re left with a very compact little movie.

Let’s take a moment to look at the gadgets, the best of which is (and this isn’t much of a spoiler as it’s handed to Deth by a female ‘Q’ in the first ten minutes) a ten second watch. If the wearer depresses a button on the side it gives him or her a ‘long second’ which drags out that one second to ten. The time travel element is different because it is the individual’s consciousness that travels through time, ending up in the body of an ancestor. This, of course, leaves the individual’s body as a virtual shell in the future which is an important element of the story. It’s an inventive and budget-saving idea that requires no explanation other than a few throwaway remarks that they’re “going down the line”.

The lovely Helen Hunt

I’ve already mentioned the character interaction and central to this is the pairing of the Oscar-winning Helen Hunt and the wonderful Tim Thomerson in full-on ‘Dirty Harry’ mode. He’s old enough to be her Dad but somehow the relationship works and in such a short space of time. The chemistry is there, the lines are there and though it’s not a Sarah Connor/Kyle Reese love story it’s a believable coming together of “two lost souls”.

Thankfully everyone is fully aware that it’s a b-movie and the tongue isn’t just planted firmly in cheek, it’s planted, sown, fed and watered to provide a field of tongues ready for the cheeky harvest. Central to that is Thomerson whose sardonic delivery of lines such as ‘Nice tan, very Christmassy’ and film noir style voiceover of the calibre of “It’s July now and I’m tired….real tired” is just done with the kind of deadpan wit to appear straight without sounding serious. He just seems so genuinely pissed off with everything.

'Lost Angeles' - slightly naff effects but a striking image

What about the bad?

As with any time travel movie, continuity is the main gripe. The writers try and go about it by coming at it from the future’s point of view and sending a person’s consciousness back in time rather than their physical selves but there are questions. Deth’s boss McNulty’s character only seems to be able to find a child as an ancestor, what about her parents (although it does make for a few good gags!)?

Also, it really isn’t the most original movie ever made and it does have the feel of a cheap knock off, despite some nifty ideas. It’s perhaps a little harsh to be too critical, it is after all a low budget movie, but production values aren’t particularly high and huge savings were clearly made by having some very low-tech future scenes.

Any themes?

Yikes..."She's a Trancer!"

A few comments on the nature of the weak willed doing the bidding of charismatic evil men. Nothing is really explained about how a Trancer becomes a Trancer, why they die the way they do and why they sometimes have the appearance of zombies. Hypnotism is implied so how the tame body horror aspect comes in is anyone’s guess. What we do know is that it only works on the weak minded so it’s interesting that he seemingly manages to ‘Trance’ most of the LAPD!

The excellent 88 Films release -
Brilliant artwork

Release history

No censorship problems this was released on video in the UK on Entertainment in Video and there was a bare bones dvd release early on. It was recently released on blu ray by 88 Films with a number of bonus features, documentaries, a commentary featuring Thomerson and numerous trailers.

Cultural impact?

A disproportionate five sequels, all of which feature Thomerson as Jack Deth with Helen Hunt departing after Trancers 2. Jack Deth also has a brief appearance in Charles Band’s slightly bizarre 2006 feature ‘Evil Bong’ and there was a half hour section of the anthology film ‘Pulse Pounders’ called ‘Trancers: City of Lost Angels’ in 1988 which has the amusing premise of Lena getting cheesed off with Deth because he’s enjoying the 80s too much! The film was never released and considered lost but this segment turned up in 88’s blu ray release.

Lovely artwork...

There were also two comic book adaptations, a two issue run in 1991 to cash in on the relativesuccess of the first two films and a three issue run in 2015 which takes a similar premise to the first film but runs with it in a different direction as Deth is framed for a murder he didn’t commit inn 1985.

Final thoughts

Quality cheese from the ham-meister Charles Band that benefits hugely from a talented acting cast and a beautifully compact running time. Great humour and a zippy script make for a fun and effective way to spend an hour and a quarter.

Memorable Quotes:

Jack Deth: “What kind of name is Peter Gunn?

Mrs Santa Claus: “Security, we’ve got trouble at the North Pole”

Kid: “Mom, that guy just shot Santa Claus”

You’ll like this is you enjoyed…

Any of Charles Band’s other films, ‘Split Second’, ‘Fortress’, ‘Nemesis’.