Blood for Dracula

Amazon.com

Filming on Blood for Dracula began on location in Italy on the same day that filming of Flesh for Frankenstein ended, and knowing this enhances one's appreciation of director Paul Morrissey's delightfully twisted--and defiantly artistic--approach to violent, campy horror. Originally titled Andy Warhol's Frankenstein and Andy Warhol's Dracula, both films are blessed by Morrissey's opulent visual style (he and his Italian cinematographer worked wonders with modest budgets), and both showcase Udo Kier and the languorous hunk Joe Dallesandro in opposing roles. Here we find Udo Kier as Count Dracula, looking even more ashen than usual and desperate for the blood of virgins to restore his waning health. He travels to Italy and stays at the fading estate of a once-wealthy family, and the presence of four lovely, sexually inexperienced daughters turns out to be a recipe for disaster. It so happens that only the youngest daughter is actually a virgin, and by process of elimination Dracula discovers that non-virgin blood makes him violently ill! Dallesandro plays the resident handyman--handy in more ways than one, as the daughters have learned--who dares to protect the remaining virgin from the Count's bloodsucking exploits, and as usual director Morrissey finds ample opportunity to combine sex and gore with outrageous sensibility and logic of plot. As in the case of Flesh for Frankenstein, this Criterion Collection DVD restores the film to its original director's cut, presented in its original aspect ratio with a supplemental commentary by Morrissey, Kier, and critic Maurice Yacowar. Kier is particularly delightful, observing during one gruesome scene that "vomiting looks great when you've got a tuxedo on." --Jeff Shannon

Description

Paul Morrissey's brash mixture of humor, horror and sex is a bitingly funny satire of modern values--and a revelation to fans of the horror film. In "Blood for Dracula," the infamous count searches Italy for "pure" blood. Criterion presents the long-suppressed director's cut of this outrageous cult classic. "Presented" by Andy Warhol.

Customer Reviews:

Joe Dallesandro Rules!!.......2007-08-05

I cannot remember if I already reviewed this movie. However, I would like to add that Joe Dallesandro made this movie really memorable to me, and this is one of the greatest performances of all time, making this movie worthy of being watched over and over again. Its a shame I haven't seen more of his work....

Now I remember... I worked for a half an hour on my review of this movie, only to have it deleted by some moderator. Why? Because I praised Joe Delasandros great performance. That is really not right....

Campy Horror Film Falls Flat.......2006-07-03

Even though originally titled, "Andy Warhol's Dracula", this film had very little to do with Andy Warhol. Udo Kier plays a count visitng Italy to satisfy his "special diet", i.e. "virgin blood." Though the royal family's daughters seem promising, Joe Dellesandro (who uses the Andy Warhol style of "non acting")is busy making them ineligible for the Count's requirements. The count's reaction to non virgin blood (in repeat scenes) has to be among the grossest scenes in film, next to the end of Pink Flamingos. Other than that, the movie wanders, the dialogue is dull, the political conflicts unnecesary (remember this was the 70's) and parts of it are closer to soft core porn or badly acted costume drama than horror. Though not as amazingly awful as "Sins of the Fleshapoids" or Ed Wood (who has a certain charm) Blood for Dracula will leave you scratching your head one moment and then turning it away from the screen the next.

Campy, Melodramatic and Completely Likeable!.......2006-03-11

I have absolutely fallen in love with this movie!! But I suspect that it's going to be one of those films that people either love or hate.

Udo Kier plays a Count Dracula, so corpse-pale and grey-haired that he has to apply makeup and dye his hair to appear human. Forget the usual representations of Dracula: there's absolutely nothing iconic about this pale, sickly, whiney fiend. He's not romantic, he's not scary, heck, he's not even proud. What he is, is delightfully campy. Can we say melodramatic overacting? It's a wonderful performance! I howled with laughter.

On the other side we have Joe Dallesandro playing servant Mario Balato (excuse me, worker, Mario is no one's servant). This character is certainly no hero. He spends the majority of his time rolling around in bed with Saphiria and Perla, two daughters of the house and ranting about the aristocracy and their eminent downfall. At the end of the movie, in order to "save" the youngest daughter from Dracula's bite, he releases her from her virginity by raping her. (something he states earlier in the movie, he has always wanted to do). For all the reasons you should absolutely hate this character, you can find another two reasons for loving him. The New York accent in the middle of the Italian villa, the constant sneer that seems perpetually plastered to his face, the way he tosses his hair around, and the muscles - good Lord, don't forget the muscles!! Let's face it, Mario is hot. (and doesn't he know it)

This movie is wonderful campy fun. It is not to be taken seriously. So if you want a serious vampire movie - go elsewhere. If you want a really fun, crazy romp with bad accents, over-acting and enough cheese to kill a rat, this is the movie for you.

Disclaimer: some soft-core porn scenes make this unsuitable for young viewers

what would Christopher Lee like to tell his opinion?.......2005-11-29

Dracula is described ill at the end of his day, he upchucks twice and brokes his own stomach cause he sucks the blood of non virgin maid. The role of Dracula & his acting are very weak, weak and weak. He cannot catch his own victims by himself.

what happen, if Christopher Lee (the grandest Dracula Actor) sees the weak film like this? he said that he seems not so enthusiastic as he watched another variation of Dracula.

Let's go to the old Hammer classic Movies with Christopher Lee as a Count.

Blood for Dracula Was Ok.......................2005-06-19

To those of you who do not know this movie is going to be reissued in september my Image Entertainment. So do not pay these riduclous prices for this overrated movie. This movie was ok to be quite frank it was stupid and the characters did not have any depth,.To those of you who like bad acting Get this movie otherwise stay away.

Average customer rating:

The first Hammer film I saw
Christopher Lee could replace his predecessor Bela Lugosi as Count
Christopher Lee...as Count Dracula
I Liked This One
BEST IN THE HAMMER DRACULA SERIES

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
Starring: Christopher Lee , Rupert Davies , Veronica Carlson , Barbara Ewing , and Barry Andrews
Director: Freddie Francis
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001FVE68
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Amazon.com

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is the third Christopher Lee Dracula film from Hammer Studios. While trying to rid the former Dracula's Castle of evil after the mysterious death of a local girl, the Monsignor inadvertently raises the dark prince from his deathly slumber. Once awaken from the grave, the parched prince only has one thing on his mind, the yummy taste of blood which he fiendishly extracts from the local maidens. Though a little weak in plot, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave still comes off as a strong vampire film, delivering the goods on the gothic visuals, eerie sets, and Lee's performance. --Rob Bracco

Description

When the niece of a prominent clergyman becomes Dracula's victim, the monsignor vows to put a stop to Dracula's deadly ways.

Customer Reviews:

The first Hammer film I saw.......2006-11-01

I was like 10/11 and it was on one of the old cable "superstations." I had always loved old monster movies, but this was like Dracula on speed for me as a kid. As I've grown, I have amassed a large Hammer film library and was delighted to see this out on DVD. It's easily one of my favorites. For the newcomer to Hammer films, they all move fairly 'liesurely' (read, 'slow') and are driven by lots of exposition. But, to me, that plus the settings, cinematography and high-class acting really gives the Hammer films a special class that other horror films severely lack. I recommend this one highly.

Christopher Lee could replace his predecessor Bela Lugosi as Count.......2006-09-26

Christopher Lee could balance and continue his charismatic predecessor Bela Lugosi(1882 - 1956) in the 60's Hammer british Dracula series.

This film is a great example for Lee as Count.

The differences are:
- Lugosi was more a theatrical Dracula from Broadway. Lugosi acted very elegant, exclusive & gentleman as a Dracula star. His charming style becomes a legend.
- Lee is more a mainstream Dracula star. He is not a theatre star like Lugosi did in 1931. He'd prefer a type of cold elegant beast. His style is less charming because he has to accustom himself into various directions in eight Dracula series.

Lugosi played as Dracula three times:
1. Dracula 1931
2. Return of the Vampire 1944
3. Mark of the Vampire 1935

Lee played as Dracula 8 times (see Filmography Imdb)

Frankly Bela Lugosi was a bit more charismatic than Christopher Lee, but Christopher Lee could balance the great charisma of his great predecessor.

Christopher Lee...as Count Dracula.......2006-07-28

I have watched this film several times in my adult life and find it impossible to put down. I still get a kick out of it when I watch it again...I am used to watching Christopher Lee acting as Count Dracula and have a good collection of films with him as the main actor. In the late 1950s to early 1960's the Hammer Film Production (Pine Studios) of England did a splendid job both in cinematograph and conveying the Gothic mood in their films of Dracula. Its choice of Christopher Lee was splendid because he just fitted in the role appropriately. Other scenes included the frightened villagers gathered in a tavern to drink beer and discussed in whispers about the terrifying powers of the Count; the sound of horses galloping down the deserted village road on a driverless carriage; the final dissolution of the Count's body into dust only to be resurrected again with a few drops of human blood by his bat companion; the Count himself engaging the lonely traveller in a prolong dialogue in the candle-lit hall of the castle; and he telling the traveller that he had earlier "eaten", then the distant crowing of a village rooster which was hint for the Count to rise up and go back to his stone coffin before struck by the sunlight were naturalistic atmosphere that only Hammer Film Productions had successfully interpretted in all its classic films on Dracula.

It would be a good idea to buy this film as a starter and then gradually collect the entire series. [...]

I Liked This One .......2006-02-16

The Only reason this one surpasses "Dracula - Prince of Darkness"
is that Dracula Actually Talks in this one also Veronica Carlson is so Beautiful I don't know why but i liked this better than
"Horror of Dracula" I hate that when these Dracula Movies end and go on to a new one the story from the last one is forgotten and Dracula sees new people and sees another girl and he dies again i dont look at these as Sequels i look at them as assorted
storys sort of like "The Adventures of Dracula" but anyway even though after "Horror" Christopher Lee hated Doing Dracula and Peter Cushing was'nt in most of them this is My Favorite One along with "Horror" and Dracula A.D. 1972

BEST IN THE HAMMER DRACULA SERIES.......2006-01-30

This film, the fourth of the Hammer Dracula Series (third with Christopher Lee), is in my opinion, the best. As a few other reviewers have noted, HORROR OF DRACULA seems to have maintained it's status as "Best vampire film" based on years of people believing it because some film critic once said so. Is it a bad film? No, it's quite good, but this one is better.

Why? Because the film has such a dark, gothic look and sound to it. Because the story is interesting in that it is the holy men of the church who set Dracula loose (one of them even becoming his henchman), while the unbelieving atheist sets out to save the day (or least save his girlfriend). Further, this film clearly demonstrated the fact that for all their faith, knowledge and effort the protagonists can't always do it alone. They need for the antagonist (Dracula) to make a fatal error or series of errors to bring about his own destruction. This time around, Dracula does just that, setting-up his own demise on the cross.

This DVD version comes with language selection, scene selection, and has good picture and sound. A must have addition for any fan of Hammer.

Blood Reign - Curse of the Yoma (Essential Anime Collection)

Average customer rating:

You know an anime is bad when you forget that you have it!
better then average
Nubidu's Anime review
Unfulfilled promise...
Blood Reign

Blood Reign - Curse of the Yoma (Essential Anime Collection)
Director: Takashi Anno
Manufacturer: Adv Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001DCXSS
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Customer Reviews:

You know an anime is bad when you forget that you have it!.......2007-06-11

Blood Reign is one of the worst animes I own. Together with Ninja Resurrection and Spectral Force. This really is a godawful anime. To clarify one thing. I'm not even going to touch the animation because animation to me is the least factor when watching an anime. I say this anime sucks for the reasons I'm about to mention. First the story. What story? It opens with dead bodies everywhere full of stab wounds and arrows, then a bunch of monsters start tearing through the bodies. You get no back brief of the conflict. Its as if you already know whats happened. It talks about,"the innocent blood is spilled to feed the yoma". Wow it just told me a whole lot.
Then you have the plot. Which is boring as can be. The main character is after his childhood friend that stuck a shuriken in his eye and just left. So he's looking for revenge.

Character development is lame as all hell. The female ninja who is later introduced served no purpose whatsover except to cry and scream. The monsters and the battles with them is ok at best. And the situations that arise later make almost no sense. A guy gets blinded by a female ninja who was protecting herself from him. He blindly walks into the water(now if your blind, wouldn't you avoid walking in knee deep water?). The sky starts to go crazy. Then a white horse with red eyes appears in the ocean. The main character says its an illusion. This illusion runs across the water, kills the man who was blinded, drinks some of the blood from the other dead men. Then kicks the main characters a**. Some illusion. Then Oda Nobunaga appears with his army and completely obliterates another clan. War over. You dont hear a peep from Nobunaga ever again.

The ending and the final battle wasn't really that great either. I'm sure this review sounds like a mindless rant but I can careless. Lately I have been trying very hard not to give out 1 star reviews and search very hard for the positives in an anime. But I really cant find any here. I see the reason now why I haven't watched this trash in 3 years. Skip this anime. Dont waste your 80 mins. watching this. You want to see ninjas? Check out Basilisk, Ninja Scroll or Wrath of the Ninja. You want a good story. Check out Princess Mononoke, Shura no Toki, or Samurai X. Dont walk, run from this anime.

better then average.......2005-08-26

Not perfect but, great mystery surrounds the whole movie because the Yoma are never fully explained. There could have been more conflict and fighting; this is no Vampire Hunter D or Ninja Scroll. The artwork is beautiful and the Yoma themselves are interesting, taking the forms of regular animals on earth and still containing their supernatural abilities.

Nubidu's Anime review.......2005-08-02

This movie blows. 2 episodes only - which will leave you uncertain about where this is going and where it all began.

Unfulfilled promise..........2004-11-15

Much in this production promised well, but alas this promise goes unfulfilled...
The film has a fairly strong sense of style that is kept up throughout, but is lacking in substance. The plain fact of the matter is that I was rather bored with it - from beginning to end. Yes, there were some good things, but these were just not enough to chase away the strong sense of ennui... which is remarkable considering that there is so much going on that really SHOULD have been interesting...

As just about all the othe reviews have mentioned, the animation is dated though it certainly must have seemed impressive at the time (which was only 1989 - surprising how much the average quality level of anime in general has gone up in the following decade).

In the sound department, there is a fairly nice stereo soundstage for the effects. The music on the other hand left much to be desired - including some unfortunate testaments to the quality of 80s synthesizers (may they rest in pieces!).

In conclusion, this effort was simply wanting. I would really rate it with two stars, but the seriousness of intent on the part of the makers that is so evident throughout earns them another star - albeit somewhat grudgingly.
If only they had been able to fully realize their vision..

Blood Reign.......2003-01-03

This Movie had good sound, thats it.

Average customer rating:

Horror with comedy
Answering the critics . . .
wonderfully wicked-fun black comedy
Heart of a Lion
Irresistably camp horror

Theatre of Blood
Starring: Vincent Price , Diana Rigg , Ian Hendry , Harry Andrews , and Coral Browne
Director: Douglas Hickox
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005K3OD
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Amazon.com

If your sense of humor is even moderately twisted, you'll savor this tasty course of well-cooked ham. Directed with delectable British wit by Douglas Hickox, the comedy is decidedly dark when Vincent Price--as effete has-been thespian Richard Lionheart--wreaks poetic justice upon the snobby critics who panned his performances and drove him to a failed attempt at suicide. Reciting his poor reviews and staging murders inspired by Shakespearean tragedies, the actor and his Dickensian coterie of accomplices (including Diane Rigg, sexy as ever) dispatch their victims with shocking ingenuity, and by the time Lionheart reenacts Titus Andronicus by gorging one dog-loving critic (the hilariously poofy Robert Morley) on toy-poodle stew, Theatre of Blood reaches giddy heights of outrageous vengeance. It's all in good fun, of course, and the film's esteemed British cast plays it to the hilt, none better than Price in one of his most entertaining roles. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Horror with comedy.......2007-07-29

saw this for the first time recently and recommend it strongly. Vincent Price stars as Edward Lionheart a famous Shakespearean actor who is snubbed at the annual critics awards. In a fit of depression he kills himself or does he? The critics then start mysteriously dying in horrible ways.

This is well done with a strong black comedy element that works well. In fact if the film hadn't had the comedy element it wouldn't have been anywhere near as good. Theres a classic laugh out loud line for Eric Sykes near the end which he delivers off camera - very funny.

The cast is superb collection of mainly British actors, as well as Vincent Price you get: Ian Hendry, Eric Sykes, Arthur Lowe, Dennis Price, Diana Rigg and Michael Horden and a little cameo role from Diana Dors.

Well worth getting at the right price.

Answering the critics . . ........2007-02-20

Theater of Blood is an over the top romp that just can't be taken seriously. Horror maestro Vincent Price is Edward Lionheart, a Shakespearean actor who takes his revenge on group of critics that failed to acknowledge his talent, driving him to attempt suicide. Aided by his daughter Edwina (Diana Rigg), and an odd collection of homeless people, Lionheart administers a gruesome version of justice with a profoundly Shakespearean bent. The offending critics are dispatched in a series of creatively wacky and dramatic executions.

The tone is pretentious, and the humor very dark. Price seems to delight in this role. Robert Morely's performance as a poodle aficionado is just precious. Price's duel with Ian Hendry is another highlight. Avoid the release by Alpha Video, as the image quality is extremely poor.

wonderfully wicked-fun black comedy.......2006-06-04

Although Theater of Blood is not so much a horror film as a suspense/black comedy, it keeps getting cited in horror film references. This is probably due to the presence of Vincent Price. If Theater of Blood had nothing else going for it, Price's performance alone would make it worthwhile.

But Theater of Blood also has ... blood. Blood aplenty. And class, and style, and pathos, and hilarious black comedy, and ... Vincent Price.

In the film, Price portrays Edward Lionheart, a hammy, egomaniacal Shakespearean actor who fails in a suicide attempt after being passed over for a Critic's Circle award, then uses his second chance at life to kill his critics by methods drawn from Shakespeare's plays.

Opening credits play over old silent film footage of Shakespearean actors. While nothing in Theater of Blood indicates that Lionheart ever worked in film (it's stated he never performed anything other than Shakespeare), Lionheart, like Norma Desmond, belongs to an earlier era. Lionheart predates the rise of The Method in the 1950s, with its "naturalistic" acting style often derided by practitioners of "classical theatrical style" as producing actors who dressed dirty and mumbled incoherently. (Marlon Brando and James Dean were accused of such). Lionheart accuses his critics of denying him the award to give it to a youth "who can barely grunt his way through an incomprehensible performance."

Lionheart's egomania shows when he kills one critic by cutting out his heart, thereby altering The Merchant of Venice. Lionheart's arch-foe, critic Peregrine Devlin (Ian Hendry), remarks, "Only Lionheart would have the temerity to rewrite Shakespeare." Not having a son to christen Edward Jr, Lionheart names his daughter Edwina (Diana Rigg). That Lionheart wanted a son is implied by Edwina's usual disguise of male clothing and mustache, by her incessant (insecure) desire to please him, and by finally dying happily in his appreciative arms, happy to have served him well.

A darkly comic commentary on the shared egomaniacal roots of artists and political activists is drawn when Lionheart concludes a thunderous oratory to his ragged street devotees, followed by a recording of a speech by Hitler (a former artist) inadvertently played on Lionheart's applause machine.

Theater of Blood depicts an actor's exaggerated view of critics. They can afford expensive homes and lavish offices, exploit young actresses for sex, and expend more effort in writing clever insults than in staying awake to see a complete play. They enjoy hurting actors. Devlin confesses to the detective inspector that when Lionheart broke into the Critic's Circle meeting after losing the Best Actor Award, they had fun at his expense.

Critics are twice criticized for their abuse of power. Once when the detective inspector suggests possible motivations as to why someone may want to kill them. A second time when Lionheart justifies his murders to Devlin. In both instances, the point is made that a negative review can close a production, ruin reputations, bankrupt people, destroy lives. Few, if any, critics have such power today (perhaps more so in theater than in film, more so in Britain than in the U.S.). But to insecure actors in an insecure profession, reviews take on exaggerated importance.

If Lionheart is an egomaniac, his critics are worse. They too have egos, but they lack Lionheart's cunning intelligence and perverse imagination. One lecherous old man readily accepts that a young actress (Edwina) is flirting with him. Another is unsuspicious when Lionheart selects him alone to report the exclusive story of Lionheart's comeback. Another sees nothing amiss with a TV crew arriving unannounced at his house, himself the center of attention. Another shrugs off Princess Margaret's hairdresser coming in after-hours, especially for her. Another agrees to help police toss out squatters, because the police need someone with an air of authority (something the police lack!). All traps by Lionheart, all successful because these critics' egos block their brains.

The one critic who survives is Devlin, who doesn't trust Edwina's pretty, frightened daughter act. Devlin tells her there is a homing device in the car's glove compartment, but not about the police constable in the trunk. He is also the only critic of those given time to recant, who refuses to change his critical opinion of Lionheart's abilities (others deny their past comments or agree to everything Lionheart says).

There is a nascent astrology motif. One critic's wife cautions him about his horoscope. Another critic wears a huge gold Scorpio medallion around his neck. Most likely, this is merely reflecting the times.

Theater of Blood's gruesome murders are leavened with campy black comedy. Even as Lionheart decapitates one critic, he rolls eyes at Edwina's theatrical handling of medical instruments. And his forcing one effete critic (Robert Morley) to eat his poodles, baked in a pie, is a classic scene of horror black comedy.

Theater of Blood is a sumptuous production with lavish sets and costumes. Extreme high and low camera angles heighten the melodrama. The sudden switch from a straight-on to extreme high angle just as the critics open the drapes to view Lionheart about to jump off the balcony creates a sense that we are looking down on a stage with the curtain opening upon a performance. Anthony Greville-Bell's literate script artfully integrates select Shakespearean dialogue into contemporary proceedings that are alternatingly macabre, comic, or poignant. The musical score supports the story, shifting from gentle to dramatic as required, without ever overwhelming events on screen. However melodramatically the music swells, Lionheart matches it. Vincent Price shines.

A year later, tables were turned on Price in Madhouse (aka The Revenge of Doctor Death). In this film, Price is a has-been horror film star victimized by frustrated writer Peter Cushing. Yet while vengeful writers have their own subgenre, Theater of Blood's enduring fame compared to Madhouse's relative obscurity demonstrates why actors get the glory while writers more often toil in anonymity. Lionheart's extroverted exuberance, shameless scene-stealing, and indestructible ego is a crowd-pleaser, easily steamrollering over the vengeance meted out by cool Cushing's introverted writer. As the tabloids have long known, actors make for colorful villains, which is why they get the cover while writers must settle for a byline.

Theater of Blood is bloody good entertainment: horrific, insightful, and wryly humorous.

Heart of a Lion.......2006-01-08

A truly delightful film about austere thespian Richard Lionheart, who was under-appreciated by his so-called 'peers'. is unjustly robbed of his rightful award, and thus nobly seeks to correct the wrong done to him by unperceptive ingrates.

Thus, he admonishes the talentless worm-like critics, and in a fit of depression, hurls himself from a balcony to the horror of his impressively devoted daughter, where he finds surprisingly unexpected company with derelicts, who sought to rob him until they realize the seemingly lifeless body has resurrected. They become his minions in a darkened theatre where he relives and performs his timeless plays with traditional flare, ingeniously planning his revenge all the while.

And thus, true to his romantic nature, subsequently administers well-deserved and amusingly devilicious punishments upon his rotten detractors. Supremely poetic, one by one they are lured into Shakespearian tragedies which were on the itinerary the night of the misplaced recognition, with minor modifications due to environment and practicality:

Julius Caesar: Critic stabbed to death on the Ides of March by Lionheart's killer hippies.

Troilus and Cressida: Critic dragged to death by a horse in front of a funeral being held for the previous victim.

Cymbeline: Critic electrocted.

The Merchant of Venice: Critic impaled, heart removed, weighed to be a perfect pound, and mailed to The Police in an ornate box.

Richard the Third: Critic suffocates own wife in a mad fit of jealousy, whose lover was actually Lionheart in disguise. He will of course perish in prison, and is thusly 'destroyed'.

Romeo and Juliet: Focusing on another scene within the play entirely, an alcoholic critic is drowned in a vat of wine.

Henry the Sixth, part 1: .Critic is surgically beheaded in own bed next to wife amidst the pleasant strains of Beethoven.

Titus Andronicus: Corpulent critic suffocated by mass amounts of the flesh of his own odious poodles, while their little heads repose upon a platter as if witnessing his demise.

King Lear / Othello: Epic fencing wherein Lionheart displays remarkable feats of acrobatics and skill, followed by the defeated 'ringleader' of the critics being restrained within a contraption, and subjected to two perfectly positioned red-hot glowing daggers aimed for his eyes.

After experiencing the fulfillment of the sweet satisfactions of his vengeance, Lionheart unfortunately himself becomes a character in his own tragedy, plunging once more unto terra firma in one last blaze of glory, whose infamy remains immortal.

Another element this film establishes, is the more contemporary introduction of these classic plays to the uninformed. For upon witnessing this presentation, the viewer will at least become somewhat more familiar with the dramatic outline of their plots.

Irresistably camp horror.......2005-06-06

The role of incorrigible ham Edward Lionheart fits Price like a glove. In the same ironic and grotesque spirit as The Abominable Dr Phibes (1971), the central character is a pitiable and tragic antihero bent on revenge. A cast of British stalwarts including Diana Rigg, Eric Sykes, Arthur Lowe and Robert Morley camp it up splendidly in this gruesome farce.

Average customer rating:

Trail of Blood

Trail of Blood
Starring: Yoshio Harada , Katsuo Nakamura , Ryunosuke Minegishi , Etsuko Ichihara , and Ryoko Nakano
Director: Kazuo Ikehiro
Manufacturer: Animeigo
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GNOH6E
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Description

Rival gangs are at war with one another, ravaging the countryside and slaughtering anyone who defies them. Unfortunately for them, they messed with the wrong guy.

When Jokichi, a famed wandering Yakuza soldier, tries to go straight, he quickly learns that you only leave the Underworld by getting sent to Hell!

After his fellow mobsters murder his entire family, he's got only one reason to keep on living... to ensure they keep on dying!

And the Kanto Plains are full of rats that need killin'!
In fact, there's three movies full of them!

DVD Features:
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen
English and Japanese with English Subtitles

Bonus Material Includes:
Image Galleries
Interactive Program Notes
Trailers

Run Time: 88 Minutes

Customer Reviews:

Trail of Blood.......2006-11-30

Animeigo stikes gold yet again. The company that gave us "Lone Wolf and Cub", "Lady Snowblood", and "Shadow Hunters", releases another winner with the unbelievably entertaining "Trail of Blood", the first installent in the Mikogami trilogy.

In medieval Japan, a member of the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) decides to go straight. He marries a woman of ill repute and attempts to put his past behind him. I don't like to spoil the plot for anyone, so lets just say that his attempt at a domestic existence comes to a screeching halt. He embarks on a path of revenge which takes three films to complete.

Now, I haven't seen parts 2 and 3 yet, but if they're consistent with the quality of the 1st installment, then they're going to be great. Like the previously mentioned releases by Animeigo, this film features great acting and stunning cinematography. The story isn't terribly original (Kill Bill and A History of Violence are recent films with similar themes), but it works, and works beautifully. This film could easily be remade into an American gangster film with very little changes in the actual plot.

If you're a fan of bloody as hell Samurai action (you know who you are), or if you just like good movies that are different from the mainstream, then you're going to love this movie. Highly recommended!

Vampires - Out for Blood (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Good B-Movie hooey
0.5 STARS: Very amusing.
OK Vampire Flick
Too Expensive for nn OK Movie that is far less than it could have been!
OUT FOR CLICHÉS

Vampires - Out for Blood (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Kevin Dillon , Vanessa Angel , Jodi Lyn O'Keefe , Lance Henriksen , and Kenneth Colom
Director: Richard Brandes
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006JMLUW
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Customer Reviews:

Good B-Movie hooey.......2007-05-31

After looking at some of the other reviews posted here, I wondered what do people really expect from a b-movie? B-movies are supposed to be fun and sometimes campy. But it seems some take things a little too seriously when it comes to a b-movie.

Being a vampire film, Vampires--Out For Blood immeadiately sets it boundaries around basic vampires lore...no relections, fear of the sun, stakes, etc. and proceeds into a typical tale of a guy mistakenly left alive after a vampire attack only to begin the transformation. There is nothing new in this movie, but it's all done with a sence of fun and energy. Lance Hendricksen turns in a very good preformance as the police captain.
Nothing ever really gets scary and it all seems to have been made tongue-in-cheek.

A fun b-movie romp that does just what a movie should do of this type: entertain

0.5 STARS: Very amusing........2006-07-09

"Vampires-Out for Blood" is not a good vampire movie, and certainly not a good horror movie. Kevin Dillon stars as a Detective who gets bitten by a vampire. He tries to resist the onset of vampirism. His ex-wife tries to help him, but her agenda is obscure to say the least. Basically, Kevin Dillon's character, Hank, attempts to find the head-vampire to kill him so that he can go back to normal. "Out for Blood" is a pathetic attempt at a horror movie or a vampire movie in my opinion. First, there is nothing scary about this flick...PERIOD! Yeah, you do get some fairly graphic kills in this movie, but that's not enough to make a good horror movie. "Out for Blood" has no style and no substance. The vampires look VERY LAME in my opinion, and the acting was atrocious in this flick!! I like Lance Henrikson and he did fine in his performance...so did Kevin Dillon I thought, but after that, there was a bunch of garbage no-name actors that were absolutely horrible, especially the actress that played the ex-wife, Susan. Also, the actors that played the vampires were pathetic to say the least. Now don't get me wrong, as I said in the title, this movie is very amusing, but it's not scary or horrifying in the slightest. If you find this movie scary, you must be an extraordinary wuss.

OK Vampire Flick.......2006-05-16

There's been quite a few vampire movies realeased in the past few years. Some are good(Blade, John Carpenter's Vampires), some are bad(The Horror Within, American Vampire) but Vampires: Out for Blood falls right in the middle.
It's got a decent B movie cast(Kevin Dillon & Lance Henricksen being the standouts) and a fairly typical but serviceable plotline(burned out cop searching for missing teen runs afoul of a group of vampires). Unfortunately nothing makes this film rise above the mass of other vampire films out there.
If you're compelled to see every vampire movie available, then I doubt you'll be disappointed. If you're looking for a new horror classic... keep looking. You're not gonna find it here.

Too Expensive for nn OK Movie that is far less than it could have been! .......2005-11-20

This is an OK movie on a bad day I have even called it lame. Having just seen the movie on SCI-FI this weekend made me revisit my way too hard opinion of this movie. Oh trust me it is still not a master work of vampire fiction to say the least but, I have seen much worse than this. Dracula 3000 springs immediately to mind. Compared to Dracula 3000, this Vampires - Out for Blood (Widescreen Edition) DVD is Oscar Worthy high art.

This vampire story has a well developed plot more than I can say about some really bad DVD's. I do not know how they managed it but ever one of the characters in this movie has a flakey aspect to their on screen persona that makes them feel unreal at best or slightly unhinged at worse. The fact that all the people in the DVD come across as slightly cracked bothered me at first because, it made the process of suspending logic to get into the movie more of a chore.

Seeing the movie this weekend taught me I was taking the movie too seriously. This movie is not one of those "Serious Vampire Thrillers". There is a very subtle well executed vein of comedy running throughout this movie for those sensitive enough to the human condition to detect it. Granted the weirdest humor in this movie is so slight it is barely discernable, it took me three viewings to catch the hidden humor in this film but it is for sure there.

Yes the cop hunting the vampires was an amazing lush. His ex-wife was played to ditzy California perfection from the very beginning of the film to its end. The king of the Vampires was a special effect that only the Irwin Allen super elastic bubble plastic monster designers guild could be proud of. I kind of liked the main character in the movie exactly because he was imperfect and sort of tragic in so many ways. The ending of this movie was particularly hilarious and I would not dare spoil it for you chaps here. Taken as a humorous but frightening flick this DVD deserves 3 to three and a half stars.

A more realistic king of the vampire's tighter more believable character development and in some cases slightly better writing would have made this a pretty good vampire movie. The core storyline was awesome it just was not carried out well as it could have been. All things considered it is NOT a bad DVD at all. Now that I have experienced some really bad Vampire movies I have revised my rating on this one to 3 well deserved stars. Is this the best vampire movie NO, but on a day when you just want to watch something mildly funny and scary this DVD fits the need to a T. I might be adding this DVD to my collection soon; it is way pricey for a merely average B-Movie but seeing how subtly funny this thing this past weekend has pushed me towards buying a copy before it goes out of print.

Best wishes to yawl from, WOLFY

OUT FOR CLICHÉS.......2005-06-22

Oh, what this movie could have been. Despite all of its big efforts, the end-result is still an uninspiring stereotypical take on vampirism. Kevin Dillon (little bro of Matt) plays a down on his luck cop who one night encounters blood-sucking vampires. He of course has a hard time convincing his boss, but not his best-selling author of the fangs ex-wife who helps him face evil. No surprises, no scares, no talent (except for Lance Henriksen as the boss cop and Jodi Lyn O'Keefe as the party girl vampire) help make OUT FOR BLOOD almost a totally D.O.A. experience. The entire production fails to deliver one slight of originality. From the automatic-pilot script to the brain-dead performance of Vanessa Angel (the ex-wife) to the awful-looking creature effects. Yet OUT FOR BLOOD has a sleek direction that includes a well-choreographed carousal of vampires/mortals flesh in an abandoned building. Richard Brandes may still have a career as a director if he wisely picks out his next project and stays away from the writing credits.-----Martin Boucher

Blood for Dracula - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

Joe Dallesandro Rules!!
Campy Horror Film Falls Flat
Campy, Melodramatic and Completely Likeable!
what would Christopher Lee like to tell his opinion?
Blood for Dracula Was Ok................

Blood for Dracula - Criterion Collection
Starring: Joe Dallesandro , Udo Kier , Arno Juerging , Maxime McKendry , and Milena Vukotic
Director: Paul Morrissey
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 1559408944
Release Date: 1998-12-15

Amazon.com

Description

Paul Morrissey's moralistic take on modern values is a brash mixture of humor, horror, and sex - and a revelation to fans of the horror film. In Blood for Dracula, the infamous count searches Italy for virgin blood. Criterion presents the long-suppressed director's cut of this outrageous cult classic in a new widescreen transfer.

Customer Reviews:

Joe Dallesandro Rules!!.......2007-08-05

Campy Horror Film Falls Flat.......2006-07-03

Campy, Melodramatic and Completely Likeable!.......2006-03-11

what would Christopher Lee like to tell his opinion?.......2005-11-29

Blood for Dracula Was Ok.......................2005-06-19

Average customer rating:

Horror with comedy
Answering the critics . . .
wonderfully wicked-fun black comedy
Heart of a Lion
Irresistably camp horror

Theatre of Blood
Starring: Vincent Price , Diana Rigg , Ian Hendry , Harry Andrews , and Coral Browne
Director: Douglas Hickox
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005R87M
Release Date: 2002-01-15

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Horror with comedy.......2007-07-29

Answering the critics . . ........2007-02-20

wonderfully wicked-fun black comedy.......2006-06-04

Heart of a Lion.......2006-01-08

Irresistably camp horror.......2005-06-06

Average customer rating:

A fun,charming film from the old Horror master,Vincent Price.
"There are some very strange people practicing medicine these days."
It's not "Rises Again," but it'll do in a pinch.
Good Old Testament wrath
Kitsch but fun

The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Starring: Vincent Price , Joseph Cotten , Virginia North , Terry-Thomas , and Sean Bury
Director: Robert Fuest
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000542CL
Release Date: 2001-02-20

Amazon.com

This unusually beautiful horror classic features Vincent Price in the title role of Dr. Anton Phibes, a genius who specializes in organ music, theology, and concocting bizarre deaths for anyone who wrongs him. Discovering why is half the fun, so for now let's just say that Phibes is a little mad and very, very angry. With his assistant, the lovely, silent Vulnavia, Phibes begins cutting a gory swath through London's medical community, with the dogged Inspector Trout hot on his tail. Phibes contains many pleasures--exquisite art direction and a dark sense of humor among them--but the real treat is in watching an old pro like Price at work. Whether he's playing his organ, staring down a victim, or drinking through his neck, Price is at the top of his game. He mixes dark menace with wry comic touches, revealing both Phibes's maniacal obsession and offhanded confidence in his own genius. Settle in for an evening of elegant gore and if an attractive, mute deliverywoman comes to the door, whatever you do--don't answer! --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

A fun,charming film from the old Horror master,Vincent Price. .......2006-09-11

The plot seems like a chilling hodge-podge, from all the horror flicks,of the old Hollywood.Paying tribute to the Spook-Greats,like Lon Chaney and Karloff.It's a fun film to watch ,if you're a Vincent Price fanatic.His Corman-Edgar Allen Poe films are still gems for all Horror film buffs.This Dr.Phibes film is in the twilight of Vincent's career ,yet still as sweet, as a dry sherry , on any misty autumn evening.

"There are some very strange people practicing medicine these days.".......2006-06-29

Billed as Vincent Price's 100th feature film, The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) is one of my more favored Price features, right up there with House of Wax (1953), The Fly (1958), and House on Haunted Hill (1959). Directed by Robert Fuest ("The Avengers", Dr. Phibes Rises Again), the film stars, as I've mentioned, Merchant of Menace himself Vincent Price. Also appearing is Virginia North (Deadlier Than the Male, On Her Majesty's Secret Service), Joseph Cotten (Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte, Soylent Green), Terry-Thomas (It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines), Peter Jeffrey (Countess Dracula, The Odessa File), and Caroline Munro (At the Earth's Core, The Spy Who Loved Me), in an uncredited, but pivotal role.

Price plays Dr. Anton Phibes, a man of many talents (music, theology, engineering, etc.), and one believed to be dead. Official reports claim he perished in a fiery car crash while rushing to his wife Victoria's side while she was undergoing an operation in which she subsequently died. Well, turns out Phibes didn't cash out (he was merely disfigured), and during the years after his wife's passing he's been in hiding, using his wealth and genius to plot revenge on those he deemed responsible for his wife's death, specifically the medical staff who were involved in her operation (there were nine...seems like an awful lot of people to be involved in a medical procedure at the same time but whatever...hey, at least it provides for a decent body count). With the help of his always fashionably dressed (and silent) assistant Vulnavia (North), Phibes sets into motion a series of methodical and diabolical murders, each one more cunning than the last, all based the ten curses visited upon the pharaohs during exodus, as detailed in the old testament. I won't divulge the specifics of each murder as not to spoil the fun here, but they all of a seriously gruesome and macabre nature (here's a few hints...boils, hail, blood, locusts, rats, frogs, and so on). After the first few deaths the police, specifically Inspector Trout (Jeffrey), begin to suspect the same individual is responsible, and their investigative efforts lead them to Dr. Vesalius (Cotten), who happened to be the lead surgeon during Victoria's operation. Trout and Vesalius eventually discern the possible identity of the madman (a search of Phibes' crypt raises more questions than it answers), but that doesn't stop the deceased from accumulating in one fantastic death sequence after another. As Inspector Trout suffers the indignities of his supervisors for his inability to not only catch the killer but also in protecting the potential victims (a few get it while under police guard), the cunning and elusive Phibes seems to be saving the best for last in terms of Vesalius, given the fact he views Vesalius as the person most responsible for Victoria's demise.

This is one of those films I watch about once a year as I really enjoy it, specifically the seemingly lavish production values, ornate costumes, macabre nature of the story, along with all the subtle comic touches, many of them provided by Price himself. During one death sequence involving Terry-Thomas' character, we see the victim at home, enjoying some libations while watching an arousing feature on an old timey projector (a scantily clad woman dancing around with a snake...apparently that was pretty risqué for the mid to late 1920s, the time which the story place). After Phibes dispatches Thomas' character in typically horrific fashion, he takes his leave but not before stopping to view a large picture on the wall, one featuring some Rubenesque, half nekkid individuals cavorting in the foreground and one that elicits as distasteful expression from Phibes, apparently finding the aesthetics objectionable. I've always been partial to Vincent Price's films, as he's entertaining to watch, especially when he `camps' it up, as is the case here (he seemed to never have any illusions about the movies he appeared in, only an inherent desire to entertain and give audiences their money's worth). His character here suffered great disfigurement, forcing him to don obvious facial prosthetics throughout nearly the entire film (we get a couple of great shots near the end of Phibes without, and he's truly scary looking). Another aspect of his past injury is he can't speak in normal fashion, having to utilize a plug in the side of his neck that attached to various speaker devices, allowing him to express himself verbally...somewhat. He's a very hands on type of individual, and while there are certain aspects where he requires assistance, he seems to prefer to handle the brunt of his dirty work on his own. Despite his penchant for morbid activity, it's hard not to like the character given his positive qualities (he's meticulous, detail oriented, intelligent, has an eye for fashion, charming when he wants to be, a devoted husband, and so on). Sure he likes to kill the occasion individual in a particular horrific manner, but he does it with flair and a real sense of showmanship and ingenuity, and he only takes the lives of those he sees as truly deserving. As far as the rest of the cast I thought they all did very well, especially Peter Jeffrey who played the beleaguered Inspector Trout (his superiors often mistakenly referred to him as Pike, as if they had enough to deal with without having to remember such a triviality as his name...get it? Trout, Pike...whatever). His character was obviously intended as a sort of comic foil, but he didn't come off as a bumbling, incompetent fool to me (the brass unicorn bit was a beaut), just someone trying to play catch up with a villain who was out of his league (remember, Phibes had years to plan his revenge). As far as I can tell, Cotten was the only one playing it serious throughout the movie, almost as if someone forgot to let him in on the gag. Ah well, there's usually a requirement for a straight man with material like this, and he fits the bill well. Another aspect I really liked was the ending, capped off by an oddly appropriate instrumental version of `Over the Rainbow'.

The picture quality, presented in widescreen (1.85:1), enhanced for 16 X 9 TVs, looks very clean and clear, and the Dolby Digital mono audio, available in English, Spanish, and French, comes through very well. The only extra included is an original theatrical trailer. Price would reprise the role of Phibes again a year later in Dr. Phibes