Soif de sang

Interesting, ambitious take on vampire horror stories is good - if you get past the 70's music and porn-style hair+moustache!! Chantal Contouri is a wealthy young woman who is told she comes from a strong family of vampires...enter a BRAVE NEW WORLD-type scenario in which subjects "donate" blood, which is packaged in milk cartons and delivered to all the vampires living in the outside world. It's overlong, and overdramatic for such a story, but it's worth a look all the same - genre fans should enjoy it, as should fans of Australian film: this was definitely a landmark, as most films released by this country during the late 1970s were either "ocker" (BARRY McKENZIE, ALVIN PURPLE) or "quality" (PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, BACKROADS, DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND). Of course, MAD MAX was released in the same year. Rating: 6/10.

Kate (Chantal Contouri) is a beautiful, young business woman with an idyllic life. What Kate doesn't know is that she's being watched by a secret society of modern day vampires. These folks want Kate to join them, and are absolutely committed to obtaining her membership!

THIRST is a unique vampire movie, in that its bloodsuckers are all part of a sophisticated cult / organization called The Hyma Brotherhood, that has a plan for mass exsanguination. Kate's importance to the group is explained, and the layout of their operation is ingenious. The vamps themselves are normal-looking, rather than bug-eyed monsters. Shirley Cameron and David Hemmings are especially good as two members with differing ideas on how to best handle the Kate situation. Henry Silva is also on board. You will probably never see a vampire movie as original as this one! Another early, Aussie gem...

Back in the 1970s the Australian film industry went through a renaissance due to Government investment and tax cuts. Many of the best known movies from that period and into the early 1980s were costume dramas ('Picnic At Hanging Rock', 'My Brilliant Career', 'Gallipoli'). Though there were a handful of exceptions to this, most notably the biker movie 'Stone' and Peter Weir's black comedy 'The Cars That Ate Paris', there were very few genre or exploitation movies being made. Inspired in part by Roger Corman local producer Antony Ginnane attempted to shake things up by making sex comedies, thrillers, and this, Australia's first vampire movie. Ginnane recruited experienced TV directors who could work quickly and effectively with small budgets. 'Patrick' was his first major success, and that was soon followed by 'Thirst', which is arguably the best horror movie to come out of Australia. 'Mad Max' was in post-production around the same time, and both movies deserve some kudos. Ginnane continued with a few other movies (including the schlock classic 'Turkey Shoot') but sadly his dream of creating the Aussie equivalent of AIP or New World just wasn't to be. Chantal Contouri, a popular TV actress, plays Kate Davis, a successful advertising executive, who is the descendant of the Countess Elizabeth Bathory. A secret society of hi-tech (for the time!) vampires kidnap her at try to convince her to fulfill her destiny. They try all kinds of tricks, including drugs and brainwashing. The supporting cast includes Max Phipps (later The Toadie in 'Mad Max 2'), and Rod Mullinar ('Patrick'), even Patrick himself, Robert Thompson. The Australian cast is helped out by two overseas imports Henry Silva and the late David Hemmings. Silva doesn't do all that much apart from look cool, but Hemmings gives a good performance as the enigmatic Dr. Fraser. He and Ginnane continued to work together after this movie e.g. 'The Survivor' starring Robert Powell which Hemmings directed and Ginnane produced. The DVD of 'Thirst' features a great looking print. For such a low budget movie (under Aus$750,000) it stands up well and has surprisingly strong production values. The commentary from Ginnane and director Rod Hardy is also an eye opener and emphasizes just how resourceful Aussie film makers had to be back in the 1970s and 1980s. It's no wonder so many of them went on to successful Hollywood careers. 'Thirst' in my opinion is not only the most effective and interesting Australian horror movie, but one of the most underrated vampire movies of all time. It has languished in obscurity for too many years. 'Thirst' - acquire the taste!

This murky oddity is great fun and well made on eerie locations in Victoria Australia at a real scary place that actually exists called MontSalvat 'castle' by 70s drive in auteur Antony Ginnane. He also made a very strong Carrie like thriller called Patrick. Other Aussie thrillers of the time include Summerfield and The Chain Reaction.

THIRST should be a cult film but lacks the 35mm availability for cinemas to make it exactly that. Like Rocky Horror, Legend Of Hell House or Phantom Of The Paradise, all part of a mad parochial horror cycle of the 70s. Find it and have a great time. You will love the, er, milking scenes.........Antony..your films are languishing! get em out there again!

In this late 70's Australian horror, Kate Davis is abducted by a strange Brotherhood, a secret society of vampires, and is taken to their farm where humans are kept as cattle to feed upon.

There Kate learns that she is a direct descendant of Elizabeth Bathory, but refuses to accept her birthright as a vampire that the Brotherhood are determined she will inherit.

Good, atmospheric horror has good acting, direction and score, and the modern day vampire farm theme is certainly interesting. Not much character development or plot, but great production, special effects (for the time) and direction means this film is well worth watching.

8 out of 10.