Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Blood Suckers from Outer Space Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 19, 2018

1984’s “Blood Suckers from Outer Space” (or “Bloodsuckers,” with two spellings of the title acceptable it seems -- not even the production has a definitive answer) is intended to be a satire of drive-in sci-fi/horror pictures from the 1950s and ‘60s. It has all the ingredients to work, delivering a tale of mysterious events occurring in a small Texas town, and one populated with all types of oddballs and freaks. The action is contained to a few locations, and make-up achievements are enjoyably exaggerated. Writer/director Glen Coburn has the right idea, and he almost connects with the feature, which offers intermittent delights while it tries to generate significant silliness without the benefit of refined screenwriting or professional actors. “Blood Suckers from Outer Space” has its appealing limitations, and Coburn is clearly reaching for a specific tone with the work, keeping the whole production cheery and loopy enough to pass. Bellylaughs are nonexistent, but chuckles are triggered along the way.

In the small town of Enloe, Texas, Jeff (Thom Meyes) is a young man struggling with his future, trying on investigative journalism for size when strange happenings occur at a neighboring farm, resulting the discovery of dead bodies, leaving the cops clueless. At the local science lab, a discovery has been made, matching the newfound horror in town to an alien “energy field” that’s come to Earth, draining victims of blood and refilling them with vampirism from outer space. While Jeff isn’t initially aware of the extent of the outbreak, passing the time with Julie (Laura Ellis), a stranger who takes a shine to the vulnerable guy, he quickly sobers up, striving to get to the bottom of a mess that’s slowly claiming all of Enloe. Outside of the state, military official General Sanders (Dennis Letts) is ready for a fight, working to secure alien zombie finality by decimating the town with a nuclear strike.

Coburn doesn’t have a fat enough budget to bring out the full-scale nightmare of alien vampirism at the core of “Blood Suckers from Outer Space,” but he does possess a spirited vision for the madness. Such directorial enthusiasm is on view in the opening scene, where a lonely farmer is attacked by the deadly energy force, which is imagined as a powerful wind that swoops in and possesses innocents immediately. Unfortunately for Coburn, there wasn’t any wind on the day of the shoot, requiring some frantic editing to sell the concept of whooshing air as the enemy of mankind. It’s silly, but Coburn doesn’t permit cynicism to take possession of “Blood Suckers from Outer Space,” keeping up the fight with the first appearance of the zombies, who look like something out of a comic book, offering bright blue make-up and snarling attitudes. The set-up is amusing, with Jeff trying to put together the clues while dealing with his own purposelessness, finding a love connection with Julie, who picks him up off the side of a road, promptly offering him a hit off the nitrous tank she keeps in her back seat. The pair quickly return to Jeff’s house and ruin the dwelling with their lovemaking. In a film with a wind-based alien invasion and nuclear threat, somehow the pairing of Jeff and Julie is the least credible addition to Coburn’s script.

The other side of “Blood Suckers from Outer Space” is slightly more procedural, with the staff at “Research City” putting together a theory behind the rise in the town’s zombie population. And there are shenanigans with General Sanders, a furious military madman whose first instinct is to destroy Enloe as a way of permanently deleting the problem. Additional characters are welcome, adding an ensemble feel that keeps the movie going (it’s clear a few members of the cast have never been in front of a camera before), but precision when it comes to punchlines is missing throughout “Blood Suckers from Outer Space.” Coburn strives to build a madcap tribute to the campy cinema of his youth, but there’s no actual refinement when it comes to jokes. And broad antics, including Jeff’s breaking of the fourth wall before he cuts off a zombie’s arm, aren’t plentiful enough to catch fire, giving the effort a wonky rhythm, throttling the potential for laughs.

Blood Suckers from Outer Space Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Newly scanned and restored in 2K from 16mm negative elements," "Blood Suckers from Outer Space" arrives with refreshed visual power in this AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Vinegar Syndrome's attention to quality is on full view, offering a bright, filmic viewing experience that does well with the production's rather limited technical achievements (focus issues are present). Detail comes through to the best of its ability, but there's a sure sense of locations and sets, with decoration open for survey. Make-up accomplishments are also lively, showcasing the zombie look, contrasting nicely with human features, which emerge with inherent softness, but remain passably defined. Colors are lively, enjoying the undead skintone extremity of light blues and blood reds, while farmland greenery is secure. Period clothing delivers hearty primaries as well. Delineation is strong. Source is in strong shape, with a few emulsion scratches along the way (which, frankly, adds to the fun).

Blood Suckers from Outer Space Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't built for expanse, but it does well with limited scope. Dialogue exchanges sound clear and true, managing accents and eccentricity, with only a single audio drop-out at the 10:49 mark. Soundtrack selections offer some weight, delivering decent instrumentation and bright vocals. Scoring is fresh, contributing defined synth performance. Sound effects are satisfactory.

Blood Suckers from Outer Space Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Glen Coburn, actor Thom Meyes, and cinematographer Chad D. Smith.

• "34 Years Later" (51:45, HD) is the official making-of for "Blood Suckers from Outer Space," with Coburn collecting interviews from many cast and crew members, working to provide an understanding of production challenges and overall cheeky intent. The feature was shot on weekends, triggering issues with continuity and overall management, and Coburn shares the material's origins, offering the amateur filmmaker a chance to go pro. Performances are inspected, meeting most involved in the B-movie, and special effects are highlighted, detailing the labor required to pull off lost limbs and a beheading. The conversation moves on to the creation of the soundtrack and the acquisition of props. Coburn closes with a summation of the picture's cult legacy. Interestingly, some of the footage here was captured over a decade ago, making a few interview transitions jarring.

• "Back to Blood Sucker Town" (15:51, HD) is a featurette that returns Coburn, Smith, and Meyes to Enloe, Texas, where the film was shot over 30 years ago. Interviews with other cast and crew members are offered to bump up the informational value of the piece. While interesting, and very "Last Picture Show"-esque, the featurette has encoding issues, resulting in smeary, stuttery playback.

• "Bloody Arm Rip 101" (4:44, HD) is a short special effects tutorial from the folks as Bizjack Flemco Productions (Richard Taylor and Zack Beins), who walk viewers through the process of creating fake blood on a budget and pulling off a gruesome visual. The pair try a little too hard to be wacky, but the BTS information is fascinating.

• Still Gallery (10:22) offers numerous BTS snaps from the "Blood Sucker" shoot, sourced from Coburn's personal collection.

• A Trailer has not been included.

Blood Suckers from Outer Space Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While it's missing a fever pitch, "Blood Suckers from Outer Space" is entertaining, with a driving rock soundtrack and synth creep to set the genre mood, while gore zone visits are satisfying for this type of picture. Coburn keeps the effort short and to the point, and the vibe presented here is endearing, working to execute a decent B-movie distraction. It's not a snowballing farce of the highest order, but "Blood Suckers from Outer Space" is engaging, getting far on good intentions.