Blood Feast

Director - Herschell Gordon Lewis (A Taste of Blood, Color Me Blood Red)
Starring - William Kerwin (The Aliens are Coming, Whiskey Mountain), Mal Arnold (Vampire Cop, Scum of the Earth), and Connie Mason (Two Thousand Maniacs, The Godfather: Part II)
Release Date - 1963
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Nothing so appalling in the annals of horror"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     There has been many masters of horror over the years but few have left their mark in low budget horror like the Godfather of Gore Herschell Gordon Lewis.  Lewis has left a bloody smear across b-movie horror and sleazy movies alike with films like Wizard of Gore, Color Me Blood Red, Two Thousand Maniacs, Monster a Go-Go, and A Taste of Blood.  One of his more notorious films, Blood Feast, was recently released on blu by the folks over at Arrow Video.  I had seen several of Lewis' films over the years but Blood Feast was one I was never to make time for.  With the film getting an amazing blu release I figured it was time to check it out.  I want to thank MVD for being kind enough to send a copy my way to check out.
     The film follows an Egyptian caterer who is contacted to deliver a feast unlike anyone else in her suburb has seen before.  He offers to deliver an Egyptian feast which has not been seen for 5000 years.  She is excited about this but is unaware that this is actually a plow by the caterer to slaughter innocent women as part of a ceremony to his goddess in order to resurrect her.  What he doesn't know is that his final victim is dating a cop and his plan comes crashing down at the last minute.
     I've really enjoyed the few HGL films I've seen.  They are straight forward, bloody, and usually have an interesting story.  Modern gore flicks focus more on the gore and not the story.  Stories can be stupid but the point is to at least have one.  Blood Feast has one that is appealing and not something you can find somewhere else aside from a few other HGL films.  The acting in this one is inconsistent.  In some of the scenes the cast does a fantastic job.  Their characters are fun in a trashy cinema kind of way but they quickly lose their appeal as the film goes on and their personalities are no longer visible.  This takes away some of the impact the films has but not enough to take away the fun.  The story for this one is great considering its a gore flick centered around an Egyptian named after a pharaoh who worships a Babylonian god.  This was cool and how incorporate the ritual into the film.  I really enjoyed story and the pacing.  Finally, the film has some dismemberment and lots of blood.  The effects are hit and miss.  The practicality of the effects are great but the glowing red blood almost ruins the gag.  The saving grace of this bright red film is that it actually fits the lunacy of the film.  Overall, Blood Feast is a no budget joyride.  I love the story and the outlandish effects.  If you are new to the works of The Godfather of Gore I would recommend starting with this film!