As with all of my reviews of films for The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....
When Herschell Gordon Lewis passed away in 2016, I was saddened by the loss. Not because I was a huge fan of his body of work, but because of who he was and how uncompromising he could be. He was in the business to make money and do it by cashing in on untapped markets, primarily gore. He basically brought about a new genre that was unheard of in the 60's. No one had ever seen anything like it, but he knew it would draw a crowd and that meant asses in seats and money in his pocket. He was a fascinating man who was charismatic, well spoken and quite humorous. Needless to say, I was a fan of him. I even have his box set in a place of honor, resting above my film library, for all the world to see. While he stepped away from the world of horror cinema, to go make his fortune elsewhere, the genre kept moving forward without him. He inspired generation after generation of hungry film makers out to prove their worth in the field. Before his untimely passing, he threw his hat back into the ring one final time, as a love letter to all of his fans. The film that he left behind, is the film I'm talking about now: 'Herschell Gordon Lewis' Bloodmania'. An anthology film that was made on a shoestring budget that features all the earmarks of the master. While this may not be a jumping off point to start a retrospective on his career, it was a solid way to end the adventure. A worthwhile send off for a man who forged his own path and left a permanent mark on the landscape. Granted, this film is not going to win any awards for its high quality film making or stellar acting performances, but that wasn't the point. That's the biggest thing you have to understand, before viewing this film. If you go into it for any other reason, other than your love of the man behind the camera, then you may be left wanting. What lies ahead is my journey, one last time, down the blood soaked path of Mr. Lewis. Remembering him fondly and smiling from ear to ear. RIP Herschell, you were a true trailblazer and proof once again that horror is just as much about the creator as it is about the concept.
As this is an anthology, there is no single narrative. The only constant is the introductions to each segment by Herschell himself. He almost serves as the proverbial Crypt Keeper of the film. Providing us with some horror style “dad jokes” before the mayhem begins. The film begins with the traditional theme song, performed by Herschell, as we get almost an infomercial style intro. The first story is probably the best. It tells the tale of a man who just can't win, no matter what he tries. Think Wil E. Coyote, but with a bloody hook and a lot of gore. It plays out almost like a commentary on society itself, as we have basically a found footage style story telling method. It's a little rough, but it almost feels like the good ole days. The second story, is intended to be all about love. As a woman continuously keeps dying at the hands of her lover. Over and over she is put into horrifying situations that always end in her ultimate demise, only to find out that she's been in a coma for years. Now, an old woman, she is almost forced to keep living out these terrible fantasies as she is unable to wake up. The next story is about a home that is inhabited by something in the walls. Every new family that moves into the house, is ultimately killed. Over time, we learn that there's a creature in the wall that loves hair. She's almost a feral type woman, who finally meets her match when a couple move in with their two little girls. Finally, the last story is about a band manager who has a fetish for killing women. This one is where things get a little off the rails, as it almost becomes a demented cartoon at the end. Despite all of this, the film ends. Sadly, with no outro from Herschell himself, which left me feeling a little unsatisfied.
What really works in this film, is that you can tell it was made by the fans. Everyone involved seems to want to be there, because they love what Herschell Gordon Lewis had done in the past and loved him. Almost as if they wanted to be a part of something greater than themselves. To that, I give them all kudos. It may never reach the heights of his original films, but it was a nice way to close out a career. What's kind of fascinating is that despite Herschell's reasons for becoming a film maker in the first place, he continually seems to place nuggets of wisdom and comments on society at large. For example, there are several, rather, pointed digs at the media and it's philosophy of “If it bleeds, it leads” mentality. There is also a few moments of young girls opting to take videos on their phones, rather than helping those in need. It's these kinds of little nods that make me think he knew there was some power within his storytelling, even outside of the money. He was a true enigma and a bit of a conundrum. One of the more fun things about this film, outside of the obvious, was his little nods to other film makers. During the segment about the creature living in the walls of the home, two of the realty companies that are selling the house are named 'E. Roth Realty' and 'JS Waters Realty'. For those who may not have caught it, Eli Roth and John Waters are two film makers who moved independent films and horror films forward with their rather extreme method of storytelling. Not too mention, they were both Lewis fans. While I wish he would have stuck to the use of practical effects only, there were some instances of CGI being utilized.... and not very well, I might add. Finally, there is some pretty over the top absurdity going on here. Namely the treadmill chase during the final segment or the steamroller scene in the first one. But despite all of the shortcomings and minor issues I had with the film, it was still a lot of fun and there was some genuinely good things going on.
While Herschell Gordon Lewis may not be everyone's cup of tea or maybe not anyone's cup of tea, you can't deny his body of work. The man was a machine in the 60's and 70's and pumped out film after film for a market that was hungry for content. Not only that, he was giving the people what they wanted: nudity, violence and gore. Things that mainstream Hollywood wouldn't or couldn't provide. Does that make him some kind of smut peddler? Perhaps. But when you hear him speak and look at what he accomplished outside of film making, the man was a legend. Never ceasing in his drive to work and create, he is a personal watermark for me and I strive to be the man he was. 'Bloodmania' is by all standards, a low budget, shot on video trashterpiece. A grimy plaque left on the headstone of a man that redefined what horror was. If you venture to view this visceral visage, go into it knowing that it wasn't made to be an epic tale or the great American movie. This was made to satisfy millions of fans who were hungry for one more course in the meal that only the master could prepare. While as a film, it's genuinely only a 2 out of 5 star rating, but as a final chapter in Herschell Gordon Lewis' life, it's 4 stars all the way. We will never see another one like him in my lifetime, if ever. They say that there's nothing new under the sun anymore, but I don't believe this to be true. I think there's still more to discover and create, it's just harder to find a niche that hasn't already been satisfied. Let's just hope that there's still young, up and coming film makers who are going to keep reaching for the stars. Because I, for one, want to be there when they reach their goal.
If you like this, check out some of Herschell's other films: 'Blood Feast' (1963), 'The Wizard of Gore' (1970) and 'Two Thousand Maniacs!' (1964)
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