Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell

Director - Shinichi Fukazawa (Violator)

Starring - Shinichi Fukazawa, Masaaki Kai, and Masahiro Kai 

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "AKA The Japanese Evil Dead"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago the 1985 horror comedy Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell was released on DVD.  The film was supposedly lost or never released before and it made waves among the genre fans.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to check it out while it was fresh in the horror consciousness but I've had it on my watch list for some time.  A few months back Wild Eye announced the launch of their new label Visual Vengeance which was meant to be the home for S.O.V. horror on blu.  One of their biggest announcements was the blu release of Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell.  I was quick to reach out to my friends over at Wild Eye and MVD, who were handling to blu release, and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way.  After watching their release of The Necro Files I decided to have a Visual Vengeance marathon with this and another release.  Like always I want to thank MVD and Wild Eye for hooking me up!

     The film follows a Japanese body builder who visits an old home that once belonged to his father with his girlfriend and a friend.  The home was once the site of a gruesome murder and now the three find themselves in a house with a benevolent spirit that want's them dead and will stop at nothing to rip them apart.

     Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell, aka The Japanese Evil Dead, is a movie that should not be slept on.  It's a wild, no budget flick with some fun effects and plenty of funny moments.  Honestly, there are a handful of films that I often recommend to horror fans that don't steer away from pop horror and this is one that is added to that list.  I absolutely loved it and can see many more viewings in my future.  The acting in this one is surprisingly enjoyable considering that the cast had absolutely no experience before this film.  The characters are fun but it's not them that makes the film as fun as it is.  It's actually the scenario and what happens to them that is so entertaining.  I liked the cast but anyone could have been cast in these roles and the film would have still worked.  The story for this one is similar to The Evil Dead with a little bit of Haus tossed in.  Twenty-somethings trapped in a house with an evil spirit/entity is nothing new especially by 1995.  However, it's the effects and what happens to the three that makes this one so much fun.  The film is barely an hour and it's a lot of fun especially when you consider the budget and cliched story.  It's the deaths and torture that makes this one stand out from the rest.  Finally, the effects in this one are the highlight of the film.  We get some seriously underrated stop-motion segments that make this movie seriously enjoyable.  We also have some practical effects that look good enough to make the gag work along with some make-up effects that are hit or miss.  Overall, Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell is a must have for fans of campy 80s horror and S.O.V. flicks with some creative effects.  I highly recommend this release from Visual Vengeance.  Don't make the same mistakes I did and sleep on this film.