Brides of Blood

Greetings...

I too saw this when it opened back in '68 at a drive in! Only it was somewhat before High School for me! I was already a veteran Saturday afternoon Horror movie fan and this was the most scary movie I had ever seen! I had nightmares for weeks...

The Jungle drums, the dark night scenes, My father in the front seat laughing and jearing - me hiding in the back seat, unable to tear my eyes off the screen! My sister was there - But she never saw the movie! She hid under the blanket the whole movie, until the second feature started - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!

I had an amazing memory back then, and I remember that the next night, My friends and I went out into the woods, and bult a camp fire, where I recounted every scene of the movie, every line, described all the horror and all the action... They were as scared as I was, and they never saw the movie!

This plot synopsis may sound kind of vague...but so is the movie! U.S. government worker Jim Farrell (John Ashley) is going to a remote island to help the natives build houses and irrigation ditches. He's joined by doctor Paul Henderson (Kent Taylor) and his sex bomb wife Carla (Beverly Hills!). They encounter moving trees, strange vegetation and meet Stephan (Mario Montenegro) who seems to run the island (I think). There's also a hysterically stupid monster that pops up every once in a while to rape and kill the native girls. Why he does this is never explained.

Pretty silly with a (to put it nicely) pointless script. I realize this film (along with the other "Blood" pictures) have a following but I can't see why. It's full of hilariously inappropriate music and mismatched stock footage (the sunsets they see keep seeing never match the people looking at it). With the sole exceptions of Ashley and Montenegro the acting is pretty bad--Hills is easily the worst. The special effects are beyond terrible--I could actually see the wires holding the "killer" moth and moving the tree limbs! The get up on the monster was uproariously stupid. People took him seriously??? Still this is a prime example of late 1960s exploitation with minor gore and nudity (all female of course). It's amusing to realize that this played on Saturday afternoon TV uncut in the 1970s for all the kids to see! Not really good but, in a strange sort of way, kind of fun.

The DVD version by Image is a full frame version with scratches and jumps galore. The color is strong though. This is probably the only available uncut version we'll ever see. I give it a 4.

When I was little (the 70's), I used to love watching old horror films. Those were the days. They were on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons (in Chicago anyway). I remembered the "Blood Island" movies vaguely. I ordered this DVD and I am a satisfied customer.

Three Americans travel to Blood Island. Upon arrival, they see that things aren't right. The villagers don't seem happy and there is a reason why.

The movie arouses suspicion and sets an eerie atmosphere. I like John Ashley and he and Mario Montenegro give good performances. The DVD has a lot of fun trailers and extras. This is a unique and well done horror film. Check it out.

A trio of a doctor, his wife and a friend visits Blood Island for research but finds more than they bargained for.

Welcomed but cautioned by the locals, Dr. Phil senses something different in the air. An eerie feeling from the women as they draw lots for an unknown reason. Also, in the island is a plantation owner in where the pathway to his house is filled with banana trees with unusually mutated branches.

The first half of the movie really was enthralling, mysterious and interesting to say at least. When the second half rolls and all the cards are revealed, we find every scene as expected it to be. Gore and screams.

As a Filipino, I have never had the chance to watch Mario Montenegro's movies and here he is quite convincing as an American that have lived as a local.

This is the best of the lot of Blood Island movies.

Brides of Blood is a cheap and cheerful production but also one with a lot of problems. The plot synopsis actually makes it sound like you might be in for something rather enjoyable; but while the film definitely does have it's moments, they are few and far between and usually in the middle of a load of torrid and boring scenes. The film focuses on a primitive island where years earlier there were experiments with radioactive bombs. We follow a team who goes to the island in order to research the after-effects of the bomb as well as help the locals to build a village. However, there have been some unexpected side effects. The main problem with the film is that it really lacks a point; there's plenty of horror shown and it's actually quite inventive but it's not got any perspective. The special effects look extremely cheap and are unlikely to impress anyone; but they're fun to watch and directors Gerardo de Leon and Eddie Romero (no relation to George) have not let the budget hold them back as the effects are plentiful. Ironically though, it's the main monster that looks the most awful of all - it's unlikely to frighten anyone that is for sure! As mentioned, the plotting is all over the place and as such the film can be a bit boring at times, which is a shame and to be honest; I never really cared how it would all end. Overall, this does have some good moments; but it's not a good film and I wouldn't recommend anyone goes out their way to check it out!