Bloodsucking Freaks (1976) (UK’s 88 Films Blu-ray Review)
Directed By: Joel Reed
Starring: Seamus O’Brien, Viju Krem, Luis De Jesus
Rated: 18 (UK)/Region ALL/1:85/1080p/Number of Discs 1
Available from 88 Films
Never before released in the UK, BLOODSUCKING FREAKS has earned a world-wide reputation as being a fi lm unlike anything ever seen before in the history of the cinema. BLOODSUCKING FREAKS takes you to a bizarre Off-Broadway theatre of the macabre, operated by a deranged impresario. Inside, sadistic entertainments are staged for his audience s pleasure, including tortures, dismemberments, and other gruesome acts which appear to be faked. When people begin disappearing off the streets of Manhattan, the twisted truth begins to chillingly sink in: these horrifying bloodcurdling acts are not theatrical at all. They are real! No one can remain unmoved by the intense scenes of carnage, from the human dartboard to the infamous brain sucking scene. BLOODSUCKING FREAKS is guaranteed to turn stomachs!
This is a film that seems to be ahead of its time in the torture porn sub-genre. Going by the date it may very well be the grandfather of that sub-genre. The characters here are entertaining for what they are, they seem to have their own little gimmicks and that helps. The plot alone seems a little tossed together, but a film like this isn’t meant to give you a grade A plot, odds are it is just meant to shock and I’m sure that back in 1976 it did just that. Today I found that it did still have some somewhat shocking moments, so that just goes to show how far Joel Reed went.
And this is a film that does pack the gore for all you gore fans out there. Given the time of the film some effects are a little cheesy and fake looking, but the film still has some that works really well and really brings home the gross factor with what it is attempting to do. Some people find the movie to be a bit of a satire and I can see their point of view. If you don’t want to look that close into it and just enjoy it for the wild and craziness it has in it you can do that too. It is what it is overall, it isn’t the greatest film you’ll ever see, but it does have some fun moments and gore. As far as the transfer goes, well it is finally in a widescreen form. The film has very nice colors, but the film seems really soft in many spots most the time. I don’t think anyone will be let down by what they see, but it will still blow what we have seen out of the water.
– Limited Edition Slipcase
– Audio Commentary By Hostel Director Eli Roth
– Introduction By Troma President Lloyd Kaufman
– Original Trailer
– Tour Of Troma
– Interviews With The Cast And Crew
– Aroma Du Troma
– Lloyd Kaufman s Autobiography Promotional Video
– Radiation March
– 2 Troma Public Service Announcements
– Troma Trailers
– Booklet Notes
– REVERSIBLE SLEEVE INCORPORATING
