Bloodsucking Freaks

Having acquired this on Blu-ray, I was most surprised to discover that I had never seen it. I certainly saw plenty of its ilk back in the video collecting days. It has to be said, however, that like the old sex film posters, there was a considerable gap between what was offered and what was provided. Imagine my surprise then to find not only had I never seen it but that it was as described complete with a cage of 'bloodsucking freaks', well naked ladies who eat chunks of human flesh. At the start we cut from an on stage atrocity to an audience shot where some 'complain' that it is all a sham, 'just acting'and the impresario informs us not so. As a film audience, of course, when we see the body parts cut off and eyeballs removed know well that this is acting and effects but it becomes clear that within the film these activities are real Its all very silly and over the top but the effects aren't bad, the humour is amusing and the low budget not as obvious in some. Trouble has been taken with the set design too and most scenes actually look good as opposed to ill lit basement sequences badly put together. Hardly something to recommend to just anyone but if the title appeals, give it a go.

Anyone who takes this film seriously should be punished in the same style as the victims in this movie. A black-humor, and a funny one at that. You will laugh your ass off when you see some of the more absurd scenes in this movie. Extremely campy, and slow moving at times, but a perfect 70's horror film to watch when it's raining outside and the kids aren't home.

Blood Sucking Freaks is often considered an exploitation classic, and is one of the select few Troma films to receive a reputation anything like that. It's not hard to see why this film is so well revered among fans of wayward cinema - the gore is disgusting, the torture scenes are extended and make for highly unpleasant viewing and there's an extremely misogynistic tone running throughout the film; something that is very popular with many fans of this sort of cinema. I definitely consider myself an exploitation fan, but I'm only going to rate this film as a must see for people like me; as in it's own right, Blood Sucking Freaks really isn't all that good. The film reminded me a lot of a HG Lewis movie, and the plot seems to take some influence from the "classic", The Wizard of Gore, as it follows a stage act. The stage act here concerns S&M and torture, and the "magician" at the centre achieves his realistic effects through actually killing his actors on stage while his crowd watch. Furthermore, the girls are put to use again for his own sick pleasure, and he has a cage full of rabid, meat-eating naked women in his basement...

The main problem with this film as far as I'm concerned is that it gets too caught up in the sadistic acts and the plot doesn't move fast enough, so after a while it starts to get boring. Director Joel M. Reed clearly has an eye for nasty torture, however, as this film features some of the sickest sequences I've ever seen; chief among them being the guillotine scene, and the part where someone drills a hole in someone's head and proceeds to suck out their brains with a straw! Seamus O'Brien is the lead actor, and it's not surprising that this was one of only two roles for him. His acting is campy and silly, and I really couldn't see him fitting into any other kind of film...which is both praise and a criticism. The locations and special effects all look very cheap, and it's clear that this film was shot on a very low budget; but this grittiness creates a very unclean atmosphere, which helps the film overall as it bodes very well with the nastiness of the action on display. Overall, Blood Sucking Freaks isn't exactly a classic film for my money - but it is mandatory viewing for exploit fans.

This is easily one of the most subversive, sick and demented films ever made..and badly made at that. A few of the scenes are stolen from early 1970's porno comics from Europe..as in the beheading/oral sex shot, scavenged from a really nasty little 8-pager called, "Nazi Sex." (!) If 1963 H.G.Lewis style gore and filmed-on-velveeta style direction are your joys, this is the film to seek out above all others..it's as bad as they come, and will get even jaded viewers to feel uncomfortable. I still regret renting this one, although it's good to know that any thought that is human is still available at the local video store...

It's VERY hard to believe that it has already been four years since I first saw this film. I vividly remember the non-stop tastelessness, the pathetic attempts at humour, the frequent gore, and of course, Ralphus, who is one of the most vile characters that I have ever seen in the movies. Yet, having said all that, I liked this movie. There are some scenes that are as funny as anything that you're ever likely to see...although in a SICK way. It isn't for the squeamish or the easily offended, but if you can appreciate low-budget trash for what it is, then you'll probably find that this movie is well worth your time.