5.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Sardu, master of the Theatre of the Macabre, and his assistant Ralphus run a show in which, under the guise of 'magic', they torture and murder people in front of their audience. But what the punters see as a trick is actually real.
Starring: Seamus O'Brien, Luis de Jesus, Viju Krem, Alphonso DeNobleHorror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
With a title such as “Bloodsucking Freaks,” there’s not much left to the imagination. Refusing such a pesky limitation, writer/director Joel M. Reed attempts to give the audience their money’s worth with this twisted splatter effort from 1976, which also stomped through cinemas as “Sardu: Master of the Screaming Virgins.” Pick any label you like, as Reed stages a perverse and bloody extravaganza that defies description, hoping to take a style of shock value pioneered by Herschell Gordon Lewis to fresh heights of repulsion. “Bloodsucking Freaks” isn’t much of a movie, but it does retain an eye-popping sense of violence, brazen in its contempt for women and disregard for human life. It’s best to treat it all as an extended joke, which helps to digest the intentionally sickening display of pain Reed is a little too eager to share with the audience.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation brings "Bloodsucking Freaks" to HD with a recent scan of 35mm elements, but a full restoration wasn't included. Never a pretty picture to begin with, this refreshed look at a grimy horror effort provides pleasing primaries, with emphasis on bright reds during scene of bloodshed, while skintones keep to their natural appeal as the director explores all types of nudity. Low-budget and softly shot, crispness isn't available, but clarity is passable here, permitting some sense of detail, especially with make-up achievements, which showcase limitations in many pauseable moments. Grain is heavy but never problematic. Black levels are on par for this type of grungy cinematography. While the film probably looks better than ever before, damage is steady throughout the viewing experience, with debris, breaks, scratches, and flicker making their presence known. For some, this might add to the disc's appeal, but it's disappointing to see such little interest in even a halfhearted clean-up job.
The 2.0 Dolby Digital sound mix is quite basic, befitting a movie that doesn't contain a dynamic aural presence to begin with. Hiss and pops are erratic, with some scenes swallowed by damage, while others are perfectly calm, though little interferes with dialogue exchanges, which are preserved with a touch of crispiness in the high end. Violence is loud and intentionally punishing, with screams kept in check. Music is supportive and managed, with some heavy synth throbs to define the pulse of certain scenes.
Helping to dilute the gratuitous evil of "Bloodsucking Freaks" is its budgetary limitations, with iffy special effects, lack of extras (a whopping ten people attend Sardu's opening performance), and Krem's inability to nail a line-reading triggering a few unintentional laughs. Reed's obsession with nudity is also amusing, keeping exploitative interests alert with close-ups of jiggling bare breasts. Adding a touch of authenticity to the picture is O'Brien, who's legitimately sinister as Sardu, acting circles around the rest of the cast -- perhaps a bit too credible in scenes where the blissed-out villain is being whipped by his topless lackeys. "Bloodsucking Freaks" is nuts, even for 1976, with a Corman-esque atmosphere (sprinkled with a hint of "Manos: The Hands of Fate") that permits some comprehension of its beloved cult movie status, but doesn't excuse its insistence on excess, which tends to wear down the viewer long before the effort ends.
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