Hershell Gordon Lewis and David Friedman made this tedious first exploitation flick to feature gore as 'something new,' since the nudie flicks were starting to lose money. The trailer for 'Blood Feast' shows every gore sequence in the film as a blatant promotional attempt to hook an audience.
I was one. In 1963, I watched the trailer play in my hometown theater, the State Theater in Petaluma, California. That year it definitely was shocking !! to see this type of stuff on the screen; it fact, it was revolting. I had no wish to see the film, and it was never shown in conservative Petaluma.
In 1967, however, it was part of what we called "The Ghouly Trilogy" which also included 'Two Thousand Maniacs' (1964) and 'Color Me Blood Red' (1965) playing on downtown Market Street in San Francisco at a $1.00 theater. These I went to see with other refugees from the Haight Ashbury. 'Blood Feast' as a film was entirely tedious, and the moments of gore did little to make the film more enjoyable. It was too totally killed by the feeble acting, slow and dreary editing, dull scenes and camera work, poor script, well, you can read the other reviews. Everything about it as a film was just terrible.
After the overnight success of 'Blood Feast' in Philadelphia (where ECW also spent its gory glory years), Lewis said to Friedman, "What if we tried to make a good movie?" The result was '2000 Maniacs,' a much better film, which also became the subject of one of my hit songs, 'Pleasant Valley,' that I can send you over the internet.
'Blood Feast' is not Ed Wood movie making. Ed Wood was an auteur compared to this type of exploitation film which was cobbled together to make some fast money. Wood's masterpiece, 'Glen or Glenda' (1953) and 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' (1959) were artistic statements from an enthusiastic director / writer whose reach sadly exceeded his grasp. Hence the wonderful homage by Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, 'Ed Wood' (1994).
As for 'Blood Feast' as the first gore flick, let it lie next to other historical cinematic firsts -- the first porno loop, the first animated scene, the first western, the first... well, all of those are more interesting than this non film. It deserves the worst possible treatment by Mystery Science Theater 3000.
But, if you think about it, the first slasher flick was 'Psycho' (1960). Just compare its genius shower scene (worth a 10 all by itself) with the motel killing of the girl, or anything else in 'Blood Feast' and this clunker's rating has to go down to a minus 10.
It can never get, or be, more than a one.
I was one. In 1963, I watched the trailer play in my hometown theater, the State Theater in Petaluma, California. That year it definitely was shocking !! to see this type of stuff on the screen; it fact, it was revolting. I had no wish to see the film, and it was never shown in conservative Petaluma.
In 1967, however, it was part of what we called "The Ghouly Trilogy" which also included 'Two Thousand Maniacs' (1964) and 'Color Me Blood Red' (1965) playing on downtown Market Street in San Francisco at a $1.00 theater. These I went to see with other refugees from the Haight Ashbury. 'Blood Feast' as a film was entirely tedious, and the moments of gore did little to make the film more enjoyable. It was too totally killed by the feeble acting, slow and dreary editing, dull scenes and camera work, poor script, well, you can read the other reviews. Everything about it as a film was just terrible.
After the overnight success of 'Blood Feast' in Philadelphia (where ECW also spent its gory glory years), Lewis said to Friedman, "What if we tried to make a good movie?" The result was '2000 Maniacs,' a much better film, which also became the subject of one of my hit songs, 'Pleasant Valley,' that I can send you over the internet.
'Blood Feast' is not Ed Wood movie making. Ed Wood was an auteur compared to this type of exploitation film which was cobbled together to make some fast money. Wood's masterpiece, 'Glen or Glenda' (1953) and 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' (1959) were artistic statements from an enthusiastic director / writer whose reach sadly exceeded his grasp. Hence the wonderful homage by Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, 'Ed Wood' (1994).
As for 'Blood Feast' as the first gore flick, let it lie next to other historical cinematic firsts -- the first porno loop, the first animated scene, the first western, the first... well, all of those are more interesting than this non film. It deserves the worst possible treatment by Mystery Science Theater 3000.
But, if you think about it, the first slasher flick was 'Psycho' (1960). Just compare its genius shower scene (worth a 10 all by itself) with the motel killing of the girl, or anything else in 'Blood Feast' and this clunker's rating has to go down to a minus 10.
It can never get, or be, more than a one.