Well made low budget Horror film, about a 4 year old girl who gets taken away from her man eating parents and family, whilst they are all shot!, She was meant to be as well, but the judge could not do it, and had Katy Bane live with him, his wife and daughter, 12 or so years passes and a whole Heep of deaths start to occur, all of which involve Katy in some way, Everyone thinks she did it, but with her not knowing of her families past, She tries to figure out why everyone thinks she is committing these murders. Gordon Pinsent plays out his role as Judge William McKay very well, Same did Michelle Little as Katy Bane. If your into Gothic Horror thriller films, then don't miss Blood Clan, definitely worth a buy if you can find it anywhere
5 Reviews
"Are you afraid of me?"
lost-in-limbo22 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
With a premise like this, I couldn't help but seek out "BLOOD CLAN". 1895, Scotland on the Galloway coast, authorities discover the lair of Sawney Bane --- a clan of cannibals. The remains of over 1000 victims are unearthed and the entire Bane family is hung for their crimes. Except for the 4 year old Katy Bane, being whisked off to America along with the family of the judge that saved her. Fifteen years have passed, the adopted father adores her, yet the mother still fears what she could become, as Katy still knows nothing of her family's past. But when the farming community is rocked by gruesome murders and she begins having nightmares (image on poster artwork). Everything begins pointing to the curse of the blood family.
What transpires is a modest cannibal film with little resemblance of cannibalism, outside the opening sequence, the secretly ominous chatter and a brief reveal at the backend of an incident midway through the film that no one would've known about at the time. To tell the truth, there's more of a gothic psychodrama thing going on here. It's hard not to hide some disappointment, as it felt more like a choice to have things happen off-screen, than anything to do with its low-budget. We get the aftermath of murders, constant dry dialogues about a murderous family heritage. Still the context remains edgy, kids turn up dead with their hearts cut out(?!), yet "BLOOD CLAN" wants to do everything in a rather progressively slow and suggestive manner, by building upon the folk atmospherics and brooding dramas, of family affection leading to burning resentment. These dynamics are done to install a growing unease and add to the mystery of the deaths plaguing the rural town.
You could say it plays on the fears of what is in the blood, stays in the blood. Family is family, no matter the atrocities that are committed, the burden of that history is past down the line. It makes an easy scapegoat to blame when something horrific is happening that is hard to fathom. That's how narrative goes about it. There's a lot of beating around the bush, but Charles Wilkinson's studied direction of the buildup gives you a shocking out-of-the-blue surprise and stinging climax. How it comes to that, shows few ailing spots in the screenplay's untidy second half, nevertheless it does liven things up.
Carrying it along is the serviceable performances of Michele Little ("RADIOATCTIVE DREAMS", "MY DEMON LOVER") and Gordon Pinset ("BLACULA", "COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT"). Little brings a wholesome innocence to her part, while Pinset's grounded presence anchors the film. Also the unknown Anne Mansfield as the mother makes an impression too. And while it might look cheap, let's not forget the rustic visuals are captured by moodily framed cinematography and a foreboding music score that nicely gets under the skin.
What transpires is a modest cannibal film with little resemblance of cannibalism, outside the opening sequence, the secretly ominous chatter and a brief reveal at the backend of an incident midway through the film that no one would've known about at the time. To tell the truth, there's more of a gothic psychodrama thing going on here. It's hard not to hide some disappointment, as it felt more like a choice to have things happen off-screen, than anything to do with its low-budget. We get the aftermath of murders, constant dry dialogues about a murderous family heritage. Still the context remains edgy, kids turn up dead with their hearts cut out(?!), yet "BLOOD CLAN" wants to do everything in a rather progressively slow and suggestive manner, by building upon the folk atmospherics and brooding dramas, of family affection leading to burning resentment. These dynamics are done to install a growing unease and add to the mystery of the deaths plaguing the rural town.
You could say it plays on the fears of what is in the blood, stays in the blood. Family is family, no matter the atrocities that are committed, the burden of that history is past down the line. It makes an easy scapegoat to blame when something horrific is happening that is hard to fathom. That's how narrative goes about it. There's a lot of beating around the bush, but Charles Wilkinson's studied direction of the buildup gives you a shocking out-of-the-blue surprise and stinging climax. How it comes to that, shows few ailing spots in the screenplay's untidy second half, nevertheless it does liven things up.
Carrying it along is the serviceable performances of Michele Little ("RADIOATCTIVE DREAMS", "MY DEMON LOVER") and Gordon Pinset ("BLACULA", "COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT"). Little brings a wholesome innocence to her part, while Pinset's grounded presence anchors the film. Also the unknown Anne Mansfield as the mother makes an impression too. And while it might look cheap, let's not forget the rustic visuals are captured by moodily framed cinematography and a foreboding music score that nicely gets under the skin.
Hope As The Nemesis Of Justice.
rsoonsa25 May 2013
Hope As The Nemesis Of Justice.
Although this film's plot line is more dismal than it is interesting, its effectively moody photography helps in convincing viewers that a tale about possible latter-day cannibalism being discovered in 19th century Canada is worth the telling. Very loosely based upon the 16th century Sawney Beane legend of Scotland, the work is initially unconvincing, but after its action moves across the pond into Canada, the melodramatic plot is given a satisfactory edge. Updating the Sawney Beane story by several centuries gives screenwriter/producer Glynis Whiting an opportunity to modify, as with other elements, the geographic region. The film opens with a Scottish military unit rounding up and gunning down a large group of Sawney Beane's followers. The plot then moves into the juridical chambers of Justice William McKay (Gordon Pinsent) who is seen deciding against hanging a juvenile, three-year-old Katy Bane (Beane), despite her being a known offspring of cult members, and who most certainly must have dined upon the flesh of humans. McKay is next found in Canada, still a judge, 15 years later, where he resides with his wife, daughter, and the now adopted Katy. Although very far off from Scotland, some from the local populace have been able to identify Katy as a former member of the infamous cannibal clan. Although somewhat ill-at-ease from having a former cannibal among them, the citizenry keep their feelings subdued until two young children are slain and their hearts removed, after which tongues begin to wag about Katy's possible role in the killings, with the chief proponent of the suspicions being the local sheriff. In the meantime, a pleasant young man has come to understudy with Judge McKay, and he, Stuart (Robert Wisden) fixes his interest romantically upon Katy while he seeks the truth concerning the two killings, for which no suspect has been identified. Subsequent to the deaths of the two children, another gruesome murder, of McKay's handyman, follows, with his heart similarly torn from his body. Although the neighbours of McKay continue to look back upon the Gothic excesses of Sawney Beane, it becomes increasingly evident that peril may very well have entered into their region of Canada from a more recent source. The screenplay is a muddled scribble, a good deal of the plot line making no sense. Nonetheless, there is effectively moody photography, as well as a creation of suspense as to which sorts of secrets will be revealed to a viewer. Director of photography Kenneth Hewlett's camera skills provide a considerable boost to the narrative and, although cannibalism is an unspeakably dreadful subject, a cast led by the charismatic Newfoundlander Pinsent, assists significantly to maintain the work's pacing. With flaws rife throughout this attempt at making a horror film, it remains a better than average piece from the genre, as it develops a sense of real fear experienced by neighbours of McKay. It is shot in Alberta, where a frigidly grey atmosphere serves the sombre story well. A rather difficult to find DVD is available in Europe only, but a Monarch VHS copy may be readily located within the U.S. and provides above standard audio and visual quality.
Although this film's plot line is more dismal than it is interesting, its effectively moody photography helps in convincing viewers that a tale about possible latter-day cannibalism being discovered in 19th century Canada is worth the telling. Very loosely based upon the 16th century Sawney Beane legend of Scotland, the work is initially unconvincing, but after its action moves across the pond into Canada, the melodramatic plot is given a satisfactory edge. Updating the Sawney Beane story by several centuries gives screenwriter/producer Glynis Whiting an opportunity to modify, as with other elements, the geographic region. The film opens with a Scottish military unit rounding up and gunning down a large group of Sawney Beane's followers. The plot then moves into the juridical chambers of Justice William McKay (Gordon Pinsent) who is seen deciding against hanging a juvenile, three-year-old Katy Bane (Beane), despite her being a known offspring of cult members, and who most certainly must have dined upon the flesh of humans. McKay is next found in Canada, still a judge, 15 years later, where he resides with his wife, daughter, and the now adopted Katy. Although very far off from Scotland, some from the local populace have been able to identify Katy as a former member of the infamous cannibal clan. Although somewhat ill-at-ease from having a former cannibal among them, the citizenry keep their feelings subdued until two young children are slain and their hearts removed, after which tongues begin to wag about Katy's possible role in the killings, with the chief proponent of the suspicions being the local sheriff. In the meantime, a pleasant young man has come to understudy with Judge McKay, and he, Stuart (Robert Wisden) fixes his interest romantically upon Katy while he seeks the truth concerning the two killings, for which no suspect has been identified. Subsequent to the deaths of the two children, another gruesome murder, of McKay's handyman, follows, with his heart similarly torn from his body. Although the neighbours of McKay continue to look back upon the Gothic excesses of Sawney Beane, it becomes increasingly evident that peril may very well have entered into their region of Canada from a more recent source. The screenplay is a muddled scribble, a good deal of the plot line making no sense. Nonetheless, there is effectively moody photography, as well as a creation of suspense as to which sorts of secrets will be revealed to a viewer. Director of photography Kenneth Hewlett's camera skills provide a considerable boost to the narrative and, although cannibalism is an unspeakably dreadful subject, a cast led by the charismatic Newfoundlander Pinsent, assists significantly to maintain the work's pacing. With flaws rife throughout this attempt at making a horror film, it remains a better than average piece from the genre, as it develops a sense of real fear experienced by neighbours of McKay. It is shot in Alberta, where a frigidly grey atmosphere serves the sombre story well. A rather difficult to find DVD is available in Europe only, but a Monarch VHS copy may be readily located within the U.S. and provides above standard audio and visual quality.
A low budget but very scary story about Scots, Prairie, and cannibalism
marcelperez8 March 2000
I saw this movie when it first came out. I thought it was ok. I saw it again on late night TV this week. It really stood up. They obviously had zero money, the script has problems and it can't make up its mind if it's a horror movie or a thriller or what. But the performances are very good, there's a heart that shines through.
Accommodating low-budget Canadian chiller.
EyeAskance4 March 2011
A mass-slaughter of cannibal gypsies is ordered in 19th century Scotland. In the interim of these executions, a toddler from the clan is saved by an arbiter and rushed to safety with his family to the United States. In the passing of years, the child grows into a lovely and well-mannered girl, and while she is adored by her surrogate father, his wife fears the potential for evil in her bloodline. When two local children are found murdered with their hearts removed, suspicions are roused and the girl is plagued by nightmares involving a Stonehenge-type sanctorium.
This modest Canadian effort is surprisingly well devised and out-of-the-ordinary, with a sharp eye for detail applied to its Edwardian-period setting. The film does occasionally exhibit the venial malnourishment of a bread-and-water budget, but dexterous equipage in various facets of the production make BLOOD CLAN appear substantially more "big league" than it is.
Terse direction, winning performances...this is a neglected film which should have generated quite a bit more enthusiasm. It might not be the most easily attainable horror title, but it's one worth looking for.
6.5/10
This modest Canadian effort is surprisingly well devised and out-of-the-ordinary, with a sharp eye for detail applied to its Edwardian-period setting. The film does occasionally exhibit the venial malnourishment of a bread-and-water budget, but dexterous equipage in various facets of the production make BLOOD CLAN appear substantially more "big league" than it is.
Terse direction, winning performances...this is a neglected film which should have generated quite a bit more enthusiasm. It might not be the most easily attainable horror title, but it's one worth looking for.
6.5/10
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