Review of Blood Freak (1972) by Sam T — 12 Feb 2008

Two things boggle my mind about Blood Freak. First, who actually allowed this film to be released upon the public and, second, how is this film NOT a spoof or a comedy? Everything is wrong with this film: plot, costumes, acting, direction, sets, sound, screams, motive, message.

Everything. However, the fact that it is played totally straight with no tongues firmly placed in any cheeks makes it one of the most interesting films I've seen in a long time. Steve Hawkes plays a biker named Herschell.

Yes. His name is Hershchell. A greaseball hunk of a man who get caught up with a wrong crowd when he follows a hot born again Christian home after fixing her flat tire, but falls in love with her drugged out little sister.

Getting a job at a turkey factory (yes...a turkey factory), Herschell eats an experimental turkey, while on drugs, and has a reaction turning him into half man/half turkey. Yes. Half turkey. Now, lugging around the country side with the battle cry of "gobble gobble gobble", Hershell goes on a terror spree, kidnapping young girls, hanging them upside down and slicing their throats open so that he can quench his thirst for blood.

Yes. This is not a comedy. This is not a spoof. This is the real deal. The moral of the story? Don't do drugs kids, as explained by a series of strange cut ins by director Brad F. Ginter who narrates the story while taking dramatic pauses, which are actually made to read the next line on the script sitting n the table in front of him.

More strange is the fact that Ginter discusses substance abuse while chain smoking! Furthermore, the acting in this film brings new meaning to the word terrible. It makes the Ed Wood Players look like the Mercury Theatre.

Even more strange, nobody in the film does their own screaming, which is replaced by a single unconvincing scream that is used over and over again on a loop. Finally, the turkey head that Steve Hawkes wears is so bad that you can't even recognize what it's supposed to be.

If somebody didn't say "hey...look at that guy with the turkey head" I may have not known what he was. It looks like it was made as an art project by a special ed class. Yet, despite all the problems with this film, it's strangeness makes it worthwhile to see.

You really have to see it for yourself. Perfect viewing for a Halloween party or get together. The fact that it is one of the worst movies I ever have seen in my life makes this film positively endearing!