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 A
group of film fans head to the old Lance Hayward estate before
the landmark is torn down. A phantom haunting the mansion dispatches
the victims while dressed as Hayward's most famous screen characters.
Bloody Movie began life as Terror Night back in
the late 80's but wasn't released in the US until 2004. One
gets the impression that production was stopped and restarted
several times. Some scenes have a faded, washed out appearance
while others have crisp, clear colors. One character starts
off with golden blonde hair, becomes platinum blonde, and is
eventually replaced by a stand-in wearing a mop for a wig. Even
the slasher is played by at least three different actors on
screen.
Bad movie buffs will love the washed-up actors slumming through
cameos. Cameron Mitchell only has a few lines and still manages
to flub them badly. A sad-eyed Aldo Ray gets to hit the bottle
a couple of times before getting a hook to the temple. The only
thing less convincing than John Ireland's performance is his
$3 toupee. Dan Haggerty manages to stay upright during his performance,
which is a miracle considering how stoned he looks. Alan "The
Skipper" Hale is the only veteran actor with energy in his performance.
One wishes he had more screen time. The true highlight,
though, is a very prime Michelle Bauer running around buck ass
naked. Too bad her name is misspelled in the opening credits.
Bloody Movie lives up to the title when it comes to death
scenes. One graphic death involves a poor sod getting ripped
in half after being tied to a tree. The only thing more mangled
than the victims is the script. Three writers (Murry Levy, David
Rigg, Kenneth J. Hall) receive credit, but none of them contributed
a coherent story. We never learn how the killer got his power
or why he's suddenly an old guy after being so young during
most of the film. Even worse, the climactic showdown between
the killer and the final girl suddenly becomes a scene from
Othello with Shakespearean dialogue.
Despite the many flaws, Bloody Movie remains an interesting
film because of its status as a lost slasher. Nick Marino is
listed as the director but David Decoteau, Fred Olen Ray, and
the great Andre De Toth of House of Wax fame receive
special thanks at the end. There are rumors that De Toth
contributed scenes to the film but the accuracy of these claims
is unknown. Chalk up Bloody Movie under the so-bad-it's-good
category.
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