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March 5, 2014

Movie Review: Bloodlust (1961, Film Chest)

...here's a good question, folks. What literary concepts and/or characters has been most resourced, as far as directly, indirectly, or even loosely adapting said resource into the motion picture format?? It is certain that many probably come to mind. The works of William Shakespeare. Edgar Allan Poe. Sherlock Holmes. Cinderella. Dracula. And that's just shot-gunning off the top of this viewer's head. To that list, we might also add the classic 1924 short story by author Richard Connell, entitled "The Hounds of Zaroff". Not surprising, if...title-wise...this one doesn't sound familiar to most, and yet, the basic storyline of this torrid tale...isolated, a man horrifically discovers that he is being relentlessly hunted like an animal, by another man...is most assuredly a familiar archtype for many a motion picture, stretching back to the early days of Hollywood. Taking that into account, now what comes readily to mind. 1993's "Hard Target", perhaps? Most recently, 2009's "The Tournament", maybe? How about 1945's "A Game of Death", or 1956's "Run with the Sun"? And of course, there's the classic 1932 RKO production, "The Most Dangerous Game". Even in the realm of public domain cinema, such a tale has been amiably adapted...by all means, far from perfect, mind you...but then, not exactly the worst adaption. We're talking the 1959 (...or 1961, depending upon the source) schlocker, "Bloodlust", and the folks over at Film Chest have seemingly taken up the task, in polishing this tense and embraceable turd. Let's just see about that...


...but first...uh, can't resist this...ahem! (...to the melodic timing of the 'Brady Bunch' theme) "Dun-da-dun-ta-da-dun...it's the story...'bout a guy named Johnny...who's best gal and friends, on a boat trip, they sailed far. There were five of them, if you count the captain...his drinking hides a sidebar. It's the story...'bout a guy named Alex...who's nearby island sets the stage for something bad. See, his hobby is...is hunting humans...Yes folks, he seems quite mad. And so Johnny's friends, at some point, make the island...and they knew, once there, that something was amiss. And when Alex draws upon them with his crossbow...that's the time when total terror takes premise. It's called 'Bloodlust'...it's called 'Bloodlust'...it is clear that ol' Alex has 'Bloodlust'...da-da...ta-da-ta-da da da da-da da..."...


...there!! Now that that's outta this viewer's system, let's get down to serious brass tacks, shall we?? Weary of the heavy mists and inclement weather, during their ocean voyage, Johnny (...well, I'll be damned if that ain't Robert Reed...ol' 'Mike Brady', himself), his main squeeze, Betty (June Kenney), and a nerdy friend, Pete (Eugene Persson)...accompanied by girlfriend, Jeanne (Joan Lora)...find relief, solace and elation in spotting an island in the distance. Info, regarding the island, is for naught, as the boat's captain (Troy Patterson) is laid out on the deck of the ship, in a drunken stupor. With shoulders shrugged and curiosity aroused, the motley and unsuspecting bunch leave the captain to his unconscious inebriation, and determinately make their way to the island, via the boat's flimsy, albeit seaworthy dingy...


...once beached, the group cannot help but instantly feel a creepy and underlining aura of mystery and danger, about the thicketed area; the mystery is further amplified, when they encounter the eccentric purveyor of the island, a Dr. Alex Balleau (Wilton Graff), who all to eagerly takes them into the safety and security of his home. However, 'safe and secure' seems hardly assumable, for the wary visitors, as the doctor speaks of his passion for the hunt...and the doctor's own shaken house guests...his jilting wife, and an unscrupulous aid...speaking in whispers of their host's desires, in hunting the most intelligent and evasive of species...human beings. When Johnny and company take to snooping around for answers to the rumors, and their suspicions, they end up biting off more than they can chew...and finding out more than they should know...as Dr. Balleau indeed reveals his desires, and his intent, as he send the group out into the lush and green island thickery...and soon after, doggedly and relentlessly following them...his crossbow, taut and ready to fire...his aim, steady and true...his intent, to satisfy his obsessed and twisted passion for the hunt...


...now, given the lambaste levity normally and reputedly slewed upon this little, run-of-the-mill trifle of a flick...present notations not withstanding, amidst rampant barbs from numerous sources, including those knee-slappingly rendered by the Clinking, Clanking Collection of Collegenous Junk dissidents of the notorious MST3000...heck, it really ain't half bad. Not the best adaption of of this man-versus-man standard, mind you, but certainly not the worst; in fact, some might even be hard-pressed to put this one in the 'so-bad-it's-good' niche. Granted, there are some pretty outrageous moments, snippets of dialog, as well as over-the-top performances...actor Wilton Graff's grandiose stint as the mad Dr. Balleau, for instance, as well as his claustrophobic cardboardish-looking abode, and his cavernous, subterranean trophy room, where his 'trophies' assume some of the most ridiculous poses (...for this viewer...couldn't help but be reminded of the game of 'Statues', which he engaged, as a child). But on a grade 'B' flick level, these flaws are invariably forgivable...almost expected...


...the amiable cast itself, proves quite literally a second & third-tiered 'who's who' of the horror and dark fantasy genre. Though actor Robert Reed will always be known best as the matriarch of TV's "The Brady Bunch", he did appear in 1961's "Rocket Attack, USA" (...another verbal dart board target of the MST3000). Eugene Persson, as friend of the Johnny character, also appeared in 1958's "Earth vs. the Spider". Wilton Graff, as our villainous protagonist, Balleau, was also seen in 1946's "Valley of the Zombies". Johnny's judo-chopping girlfriend, Betty...aka June Kenny, was also one of the hapless diminutive victims, in 1958's "Attack of the Puppet People". And Troy Patterson, as the underliningly devious drunken boat captain, also made appearances in "...Spider" and "...Puppet People"...


...admittedly, the fine folks over at the Film Chest Media Group, did a pretty good job, making this seemingly unworthy flick, look it's best; although the print appears substantially scratchy in the onset, the crust of the film has never looked better, considering that just about every public domain distributor, past and present, have taken a lash at putting the film out there, pretty shoddy...solo, and amidst other equally shlocky PB stuff. The enhanced sharpness of the print works it's magic the best, during scenes of (...for it's time) uncommonly gruesome moments...specifically, entrails off the boil, impalings, acid baths, and some truly righteous arterial spray. Regrettably, no additional extras, outside of the film itself, is presented herein; but again, in whole, not the best of of it's kind, but definitely not the worst...

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