| Blood Bath |
  | Starring: Sid Haig, Lori Saunders, Marissa Mathes, William Campbell Directed: Jack Hill, Stephanie Rothman Release Date: May 30, 2016 Run Time: 80 Minutes Format: Blu-Ray Color: B/W Audio: English Subtitles: Distributor: Arrow Video | |
| Synopsis |
The films of Roger Corman are often as well-known for their behind-the-scenes stories as they are the ones unfolding on the screen. He famously made Little Shop of Horrors in just two days using sets left over from A Bucket of Blood and shot The Terror over a long weekend because bad weather prevented him from playing tennis. But none of these tales is quite so complex, or quite so extraordinary, as the making of Blood Bath.
The saga began when Corman invested in a Yugoslavian Krimi-like picture entitled Operation Titian just prior to it going into production. Insisting it be filmed in English, he sent actors William Campbell and Patrick Magee, and uncredited story editor Francis Ford Coppola (all fresh from Dementia 13), to Dubrovnik to make a US-friendly movie but wasn’t satisfied with the end results. First it was re-cut and re-scored to create Portrait in Terror, a film more in line with drive-in tastes, then it was handed over to Jack Hill (Spider Baby), followed by Stephanie Rothman (Terminal Island), each undertaking reshoots that resulted in a vampire picture by the name of Blood Bath. One final twist was provided when a TV version was required, chopping scenes and adding others to create Track of the Vampire.
For this release Arrow Video has searched through the vaults to bring you all four versions of Blood Bath, newly restored from the best materials available to provide a definitive release of one of Corman’s craziest ventures.
| Audio/Video |
Audio Audio Language: English The Sound Quality overall is pretty thin sounding and at time the dialogue can sound weak & thin. Rating: |
Picture Quality Disc Format: Blu-Ray The Picture Quality overall is OK as it is an old film in B/W but the sharpness isn’t the greatest at times but it does shine some on close-ups. The Source material use is the only good-looking material to master so what we have here is the best it can get. Rating: |
Note: Equipment used to watch the film can be found below
| Theatrical release Date: March 2, 1966 (USA) |
| Disc release Date: May 30, 2016 (USA) |
| Extras |
- LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS• Limited Edition collection of the complete Blood Bath
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of four versions of the film: Operation Titian, Portrait in Terror, Blood Bath and Track of the Vampire
• Brand new 2K restorations of Portrait in Terror, Blood Bath and Track of the Vampire from original film materials
• Brand new reconstruction of Operation Titian using original film materials and standard definition inserts • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on all four versions
• The Trouble with Titian Revisited – a brand new visual essay in which Tim Lucas returns to (and updates) his three-part Video Watchdog feature to examine the convoluted production history of Blood Bath and its multiple versions
• Bathing in Blood with Sid Haig – a new interview with the actor, recorded exclusively for this release
• Archive interview with producer-director Jack Hill
• Stills gallery
• Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artworks
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dan Mumford• Limited edition booklet containing new writing on the film and its cast by Anthony Nield, Vic Pratt, Cullen Gallagher and Peter Beckman
| My Thoughts |
This Boxset Contains 4 version of the same film all in different cuts with some cuts making portions of the films totally different as new scenes were shot for other versions.. Each Cut was given a Different Movie title with the first being Operation Titan deemed unreleasable as the Spy thriller it is. Next up We have a tad bit shorter version called Portrait in Terror is just a cut version of the first film for TV. The 3rd version which is the shortest with a run time of just 62 minutes is called Blood Bath in which the actors came back to do re shoots but this time adding horror elements and the last versions a tad bit longer running at 79 minutes called Track of the Vampire which is Blood Bath with added sequences from the first cut and was this final cut was for TV.
Overall the boxset was a fun watch as we get to see how it started to Where Blood Bath went and ended up being. My Review is for The Film Blood Bath but You can see what I think of the other cuts below.
Operation Titan is the First version of 4 versions of the film. In this go around the film is a spy thriller heist with a decent mystery. Someone is trying to kill someone else but who type of deal and on another hand we have a guy stealing paintings. The Story has a ton of scenes that is not needed and feels as a filler as it slows down the story. Acting wise the film is OK but I’m not to fond of the way the film was cut together do to some spots being to shaky. I did Like Mystery spy portion of the film and wish we had more of that here.
Overall the film was OK and only worth the watch to see where it was at to where it went when it was turned into the spy thriller we have her to the horror film it turns into when cut into a new film called Blood Bath.
With that Said I give this cut a 1.5 out of 5
Portrait in Terror is the second version of 4 versions of the film. With about a 15 minute cut or so made for TV. The whole first 11 minutes the opining act of Operation Titan has been removed including the portion the mystery guy talking to a guy off-screen cuts a bra off a dance where the crowd asks for it and the girl is dancing with pasties on. The cut portion of this makes this guy look like the wrong-doer when a few jealous sailors walk up to him and cut his tie.
Overall the film is just the same as its first cut minus the few scenes and doesn’t help the movie any.
Blood Bath is the third version of 4 versions of the film and this is the Main film of this collection hence the name. The better but a lot shorter version hemmed into a Monster horror from a spy thriller. New Director new attitude is what we can pull from the film with better cuts. In reality not that much footage was used from The Original film as most of it was all re shot and only a few shots were used. New Cast were introduced along with a few of the original cast as well.
Blood Bath is a Vampire Film where the Vampire is also having a mental like break down hearing voices. He creates artwork but only of his victims when they are dead. The tone of the movie is more creepy and added is more horror element in the score department.
Overall the film a good view. It’s not too long which helps. We get a decent amount of gore but not a ton . Might have been a ton back in the day lol.
With that Said I give this cut a 3 out of 5
Track of the Vampire is the final versions of the film. Just like Blood Bath but with Added Scenes from the Original film so the movie can fit in a TV Spot.
Overall the film is about the same with the added scenes it doesn’t hurt the film nor help it.
| Rating – 5 Star System |
Film: PQ: Sound: |  |
| Trailer |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gzbFsJ1wig
| Buy Film |
| Blu-Ray |
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