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BLOOD BATH (1976)
Directed by Joel M. Reed
Subversive Cinema DVD
Reviewed 06.15.06
Review by Joseph A. Ziemba
THE FILM
Blood Bath, we need to
talk. I'm not opposed to the give
and take, as long as it works out
best for the both of us. I give.
You take. I give. You take. I feel
used, but you have a knack for endings.
I'll take it.
Bloodsucking Freaks is
an unpleasant NYC sick-fest with
very few peers. Everybody knows
it. No matter what, eccentric director
Joel M. Reed will never escape the
shadow of skull-fucking midgets
that loom from the film. Maybe that's
why the long-obscured Blood
Bath is such a surprise. Filmed
shortly before Freaks in
1975, Blood Bath lives
closer to the suburbs. This is Reed's
PG-rated take on ye olde Amicus
anthologies, with a few blazing
exceptions; 1. It makes no sense,
and 2. There's a flair for failed
comedy. A more enjoyable trash film
than Amicus's weakest (that would
be Torture Garden), Blood
Bath also likes to talk. Kind
of like Screams
Of A Winter Night. Thankfully,
the bizarre bag of tricks rarely
gets tied up in all that chatting.
Remember the knack I mentioned?
A horror film director holds a party
at his loft/set/apartment and stories
are told over dinner. Don't ask
why. First, a mad bomber kills a
couple of adulterers with the help
of a cassette deck. He rides in
a car with a hippy that recaps "Tutti
Frutti" like a drunken Harry
Nilsson. Next, a schlubby writer
named Don Savage (he looks like
Mr. Show's Bob Odenkirk)
wishes he were part of Napoleon's
army instead of making love to his
nagging wife. Sucker! Third, a racist
landlord gets stuck in a room with
a Mack'd out ghost. They talk for
awhile. Lastly, a kung-fu faker
gets taken to task for robbing students
with his "9 Ultimate Secrets
Of Self-Defense". Lots of doors
fly off their hinges. It all wraps
up with an almost-sex scene, the
horror director's dirty little secret,
and a final ten minutes that'll
knock your horns off.
Praise be to the denouements! If
it wasn't for the incredibly weird
pay-offs that clench each segment,
Blood Bath would be lost
without a paddle. There's a terrific,
minimalist spook score (electric
organ, timpani ala Blood Feast).
The blood-paint and quick flashes
of gore are incredibly fake. Sets
and people haven't been cleaned
in months, but they still smell
fine, thanks to colored spotlights
and slanted shots. This is all undoubtedly
great stuff, but the film's issues
aren't so easily masked. Namely,
aside from those cash-in endings,
nothing really happens. Even when
something interesting hits, there's
an unfortunate reliance on obtuse
humor that just doesn't click.
Erratic presentation can do wonders
for trash films with confidence
in their insanity (The
Possessed), but not so
much for the ones without it. Blood
Bath walks the line.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
No complaints here. Blood Bath
hits DVD in fine fashion; a pristine
anamorphic widescreen print in the
film's original 1.85:1 aspect ratio
with 20/20 clarity and the boots
to match. The color palette runs
a little yellow at times, but that's
hardly an issue. The soundtrack
is presented in original mono (thank
you) and a newly mixed Dolby stereo
track; both balance all of the elements
nicely.
EXTRAS
If you're looking to find out more
about Joel Reed and the birth of
this film, have a seat. The supplements
do an excellent job of placing the
film in context with Reed's brief
body of work and 1970s NYC filmmaking
in general.
"Taking A Blood Bath"
is a 40 minute gathering of onscreen
interviews with Reed, art director
Ron Sullivan, and actors Jerry Lacy
and Sonny Landham. The chats veer
off topic as much as on, but your
interest will never waver. Everything
from Bloodsucking Freaks
to Audrey Hepburn to Porno to Woody
Allen gets a turn. Next, join Joel
Reed and moderator Norm Hill for
a full length commentary track that
delivers more of the same, with
only a touch of overlap. Reed calls
the film "An interesting, but
very bland Twilight Zone..."
and says "I like hot young
girls." Nice! Aside from that,
loads of tidbits about the film's
locations, Reed's acquaintances
(Oliver Stone included), and Bloodsucking
Freaks pour forth. No gaps,
all talk. Rounding things out are
nine well written cast and crew
bios, six trailers for Subversive
DVD releases (including Blood
Bath), three lobby card reproductions,
and a fold out mini-poster.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Loved the endings. Hated the filler.
Blood Bath's rescue from
home video obscurity is a dream
package for Joel Reed scholars.
Uninitiated, but interested? A rental
will more than satisfy. |
Suds, not bloods
Savage. Don Savage.
Oh, the comedy!
When in France...
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