Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Blood Mania Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 14, 2017

With a title like “Blood Mania,” certain expectations are put in place, goosed some by the feature’s animated title sequence, which highlights a pair of hands tearing at the title while a woman screams on the soundtrack. It’s quite the introduction, but it doesn’t represent the movie. “Blood Mania” isn’t a slasher film, it’s more of a chiller featuring a collection of corrupt people spending their every waking moment either trying to kill or sleep with one another. Director Robert Vincent O’Neill knows exactly what’s expected of him, and he keeps up with demands for sex and violence, making sure the picture is all stocked up on nudity. Suspense is harder to conjure, with O’Neill struggling with a limited budget, working overtime to make casual encounters vibrate with intensity.

Dr. Cooper (Peter Carpenter) is in a tight situation, blackmailed by someone from his past. Without the money to cover the scheme, Dr. Cooper turns to Victoria (Maria De Aragon), a younger woman dying to sleep with the medical professional tending to her ill father, Ridgeley (Eric Allison). Willing to kill her dad for the inherence money, Victoria makes the leap to murder, only to learn the estate is willed to her sister, Gail (Vicki Peters). Caught between desperation and desire, Dr. Cooper turns his attention to Gail, which doesn’t sit well with Victoria.

“Blood Mania” is teeming with odd scenes, but there’s an overall push toward exploitation that keeps it together. O’Neill doesn’t have much to work with, so he manages the basics, often focusing on actors disrobing and engaging in bedroom play, and the screenplay emphasizes sexual gamesmanship, finding Victoria willing to take her own father’s life for a chance at intimacy with Dr. Cooper. Everyone is a bit deranged, setting up conflicts that initially appear to have some bite, including Dr. Cooper’s blackmailer, who’s emerged from the shadows with secrets concerning illegal abortions that will ruin the physician, almost hoping the doctor doesn’t come up with cash just to destroy him. Of course, Dr. Cooper doesn’t exactly have it rough, surrounded by interested women who are more than happy to endanger their own lives to protect his. It’s good to be king.

Blood Mania Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Blood Mania" carries the sleazy effort to HD with complete success. Colors are properly refreshed, making an impression with period costuming, which delivers pure California hues, and skintones are ideal, keeping bronzed bodies natural. Sharpness reaches deep, finding detail on locations and actors, with close-ups especially textured, while clothing retains fibrous qualities. Grain is fine and filmic. Delineation is secure. Source is in good condition, without overt points of damage.

Blood Mania Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't too problematic, but it's very sharp, opening with a female scream that could shatter glass with unattended volume levels. Dialogue exchanges are intelligible, but they're thin, prone to crackling at times, while more extreme emotional demonstrations keep highs slightly uncomfortable. Scoring is acceptable. While it doesn't have deep definition, musical moods are secured and instrumentation is easy to follow. Sound effects retain presence and power. Hiss is detected throughout the listening experience.

Blood Mania Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Intro (:19, HD) has director Robert Vincent O'Neill welcoming viewers to the "Blood Mania" Blu-ray experience.

• Commentary features O'Neill and actresses Leslie Simms and Vicki Peters.

• Interview (8:20, HD) with O'Neill discusses his start in theater and his eventual move to feature films, which offered him a chance to create movies, but with extremely low budgets and tough schedules, threatening attempts at cinematic artistry.

• Interview (14:04, HD) with Simms covers her early years as an actress before transitioning into anecdotes covering the production of "Blood Mania" and "Point of Terror." Simms is kind but honest about her experience, recalling freezing temperatures and struggles with characterization, and she shares kind words about O'Neill and co-star Peter Carpenter.

• Still Gallery (2:56) collects ad sheets and marketing materials for "Blood Mania."

• Two T.V. Spots (:50, HD) are offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:07, HD) is included.

Blood Mania Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Blood Mania" has trouble revving up its engine, working through lots of filler before climatic extremes are allowed to take over. Supporting the effort are the actors, who generally make a positive impression considering production limitations, finding Carpenter nicely unraveled as Dr. Cooper, and Leslie Simms has some agreeable moments as Nurse Turner, who butts heads with Victoria over care for Ridgeley. It takes a long time to get going, but "Blood Mania" eventually assumes its position as nutso drive-in entertainment, making an enjoyable mess of things. However, patience is required with O'Neill's direction, which fights to hits cinematic high points as it struggles with dramatic stasis.