Blood Feast
Starring: William Kerwin, Mal Arnold, Connie Mason
Directed: Herschell Gordon Lewis
Studio: Arrow Video
Format: Blu-Ray
Disc Release Date: October 24, 2017
About:
The filmography of late movie maverick Herschell Gordon Lewis brims with the mad, macabre, and just downright bizarre. But perhaps the most unhinged of all his directorial efforts, and certainly the most influential, must surely be his original gore-fest Blood Feast the first ever splatter movie.
Dorothy Fremont is looking to throw a party unlike any other, and she gets just that when she hires the decidedly sinister Fuad Ramses to cater the event. Promising to provide her guests with an authentic Egyptian feast, Ramses promptly sets about acquiring the necessary ingredients the body parts of nubile young women!
Featuring a host of stomach-churning gore gags including the infamous tongue sequence and much more nastiness besides, Herschell Gordon Lewis Blood Feast more than lives up to its name and remains essential viewing for any self-respecting splatter fan.
My Review:
Blood Feast is the First Gore Horror film. We follow an Egyptian Caterer who is obsessed with the Goddess of Blood. He wonders through out looking for women to kill and take various body parts for a feast.
The Story and or plot is very minimal and the structure is minimal. It’s a film you can say its bad but good. Acting was below OK and at times a little over the top. What stands out is the killings, the gore and the grime. Most of the Gore is realistic as it can be for the 60’s and we do get lots of blood. I also think this may be the first horror film with Nudity. I Could be wrong. The fun part is knowing the film is from the 60’s so its shot that way with the way movies are shot but you mix in the blood and gore it feels like the 80’s. It’s a mix of the it and its odd. But I did enjoy the film due to the gore. The film is in color and looks decent on Blu-Ray
Overall the film was an OK Follow. It’s only an Hour long and the story isn’t that great nor is the acting but the gore is the hero. If you love gore films I say pick it up if you want to see the first film to do it. Don’t worry about the time of the film yes its just an hour but we also get another film called Scum of the earth which is also an hour-long but shot in Black and White. I Say pick it up unless you have picked up the big Herschell Gordon Lewis box-set as both films are in that collection.
With that Said I give the film a 3 out of 5. I Know most would go lower buts a movie that bad but good and parts are funny that arent meant to be. I say it’s the first bad but good film too lol. The Gore is the standout and its worth to view just on that.
Extras:
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard DVD presentations
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Scum of the Earth – Herschelll Gordon Lewis’ 1963 feature
- Blood Perspectives – Filmmakers Nicholas McCarthy and Rodney Ascher on Blood Feast
- Herschell’s History – Archival interview in which director Herschell Gordon Lewis discusses his entry into the film industry
- How Herschell Found his Niche – A new interview with Lewis discussing his early work
- Archival interview with Lewis and David F. Friedman
- Carving Magic – Vintage short film from 1959 featuring Blood Feast Actor Bill Kerwin
- Outtakes
- Alternate ”clean” scenes from Scum of the Earth
- Promo gallery featuring trailers and more
- Feature length commentary featuring Lewis and David F. Friedman moderated by Mike Grady
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by Twins of Evil