I DRINK YOUR BLOOD

"I Drink Your Blood" (1971), directed by David Durston. This review has been a long time coming and I apologize for that....so let's get down to business. This is a grimy, low budget drive-in masterpiece. It does not live up to the high expectations that many reviewers have given this movie, but it is still a fun and filthy ride.

"I Drink Your Blood" is about a gang of violent, Satan worshipping, LSD taking hippies. They move into a small country town and take refuge in a dilapidated hotel. The locals do not take a fancy to them at all. A local child and his grandpa are on to these hippies' game pretty fast. The grandpa goes to investigate with a shot gun. The hippies manage to violently subdue him and load him with LSD. Grandpa returns home in shambles. His grandson vows to take revenge. He shoots a rabies infested dog, takes it's blood and injects it into meat pies, and feeds these freshly baked pies to the hippies. Of course they come down with rabies, and all hell breaks loose. Eventually a zombie-like plague of rabies takes over the town, and the citizens must board themselves up or become infected...

"I Drink Your Blood" has many flaws to me. It is not the balls out, drive-in hippie/LSD/zombie/exploitation flick that many bill this one to be. Instead it is hampered by bad acting, worse gore effects, and a director who can't decide if this movie should be funny or morbid, so he just plays it middle of the road. First off, let me say that I love the grimy vibe that this movie exudes. It made me want to take a shower after I got through watching it. At times it is truly nauseating. There is something missing however. It is neither terribly fun nor terribly brilliant. It is a fun ride and a great concept for a horror movie. I do think this movie could have been done better under different hands. I think "I Drink Your Blood" would make a great movie for someone to re-make. The idea is already there...I would like to see more done with it. As much as I hate re-makes, I would love to see this one redone. I've seen a ton of grimy, filthy, late 1960's and early 1970's gore flicks and I expected this one to be a cut above the notch. It wasn't, but I can't complain. Anyone with a passion for bad cinema needs to watch this one.

ANDREW PARKINSON'S "I, ZOMBIE"

Andrew Parkinson's "I, Zombie"(1999). I have this on VHS and I was wanting to watch it badly the other day. I put it in the VCR and to my horror, the tape no longer worked. It had deteriorated and the picture quality was unwatchable. I'm still trying to get my VHS collection re-purchased on DVD, so I looked this one up to see if it was out on DVD. No luck. Both VHS ad DVD are out of print...

"I, Zombie" is one of my favorite zombie movies. It deals with the human side of being a zombie, what happens in the life of one person as his body slowly deteriorates. The main character(Mark) is a scientist and he is going out in the woods to collect some samples. He comes across a dilapidated house in a field and finds a man that has been shot several times in the head. In another room he hears a woman moaning and goes to check on her. She is in the final phases of turning into a zombie. He picks her up to help her and she bites him on the neck. He passes out for a while in the field and returns home to his apartment after he awakes.

Mark is slowly turning into a zombie. How does he keep his relationship with his girlfriend? How does he cope with the isolation and loneliness as he locks himself in his apartment most of the day? How does he deal with the urge to feed and still function in society? How does he deal with his body decaying more and more everyday?

"I, Zombie" is a very realistic, saddening film. You feel for the main character and want to help him but you can't...all you can do is watch his physical and mental state deteriorate. This movie was filmed on video tape, yet the production and direction are highly effective. The story and acting are strong, making you feel strongly for the main character. Mark's slow decaying as a zombie is horrific and depressing. I want to watch this movie again, but I guess I'll have to wait until a new DVD release becomes available. This is not your typical zombie movie nor your typical horror movie. It is more of a drama with tons of gore. If you're adventurous in your movie watching, check this one out if you can find it. I'm sure you will like it.

2001 MANIACS

I was at my local video store a while back desperate for something to watch. I came across "2001 Maniacs"(2004). It is a remake of the hillbilly cannibal classic "2000 Maniacs"(1965) directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis.
I have heard about the remake before, but I had my doubts. I am no fan of remakes. Why would someone want to remake this film anyway? Wasn't it good enough already? Well, I gave it a chance, and it blew me away! I was not disappointed.
Let me start by saying it is neither better nor worse than the original. It is a modern version of the story, which means more gore, better production, more risque subject matter, and other things they couldn't show back in 1965, such as sex and nudity galore. "2001 Maniacs" is a pure, fun, hillbilly cannibal movie.
The story, in short, is some college students on spring break head down to Florida and take a false detour. They wind up in Pleasant Valley, a town of population 2001, whose residents were all civilians who were slaughtered by the north in the Civil War. Every year, they come back to life, lure in some Yankees, torture them, and cook them up for some barbecue.
The movie has the same sense of dread as the original. It is just as tortuous to watch. The murder scenes are highly creative and do not simply recreate the ones from "2000 Maniacs". It even has a twist on the ending, which I prefer over the original. Robert Englund does a great job as portraying the Confederate mayor of the town. You can tell that the director and cast were having a great time paying tribute to this classic of gore cinema. The production is simply breathtaking compared to its predecessor. The acting is well above average. "2001 Maniacs" is a movie made for the modern horror fan, and hopefully it will revive interest in the works of the gore classics of yore made by Herschell Gordon Lewis, The Godfather of Gore.

BLOOD FEAST VS. BLOOD FEAST 2, OR THE RETURN OF THE GODFATHER OF GORE

Everybody know who Herschell Gordon Lewis is? He made the first gore film, BLOODFEAST, back in 1963. It showed tongues being ripped out, brains being gouged, and people dying with their eyes open. When it was showing at drive-ins it caused traffic jams. Although mostly known for gore, he made other films based on social commentary like SHE DEVILS ON WHEELS and SUBURBAN ROULETTE. He stopped making movies in the very early '70's. All have extremely poor acting, and a low budget, but are very entertaining. Except for BLOOD FEAST.
The problem I have with this movie is it has a snail's pace, the acting is horrid, and you want to take a shower after watching it. Don't get me wrong. I love bad movies. I've seen tons. And I know the ones to stay away from and this is one of them. But for some reasons you can't take youre eyes away...
And 40 years later here comes BLOOD FEAST 2! I was skeptical at first but I broke down and bought it. A new Herschell movie!!!!!
Let me give you the story behind the two movies: in the first one, Fuad Ramses is a caterer who is possesed by the goddess Ishtar. He must find women to kill and mutilate in the basement of his catering business so he can give a human sacrifice to Ishtar. Of course the police catch up to him and he is killed. Now, Bloodfeast 2. Fuad Ramses' grandson moves into the same catering place run by his grandfather and becomes possessed by Ishtar. Of course he goes on a killing spree and serves his victims to his guests. Many bizarre twists ensue…
BLOOD FEAST 2 is very fun. H G LEWIS did a great job directing and the acting is good, the production is smooth, the writing good. There is tons of gore and some naked women, and a rockin' soundtrack by SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS. It doesn't take itself too seriously and is especially vicious when it shows how slow the police are at figuring things out.
This movie is great fun and what a comeback for Herschell! And may I mention there's a cameo by John Waters? Buy Bloodfeast 2 now and go rent or borrow the first one.

Heres's the trailer for the first Blood Feast.


Here's John Waters as a priest in Blood Feast 2.