BloodSucking Freaks

Bloodsucking Freaks (1976)
Dir: Joel M. Reed (Blood Bath/ Night of the Zombies)

Bloodsucking Freaks is looked upon as a classic in many horror circles and truthfully it deserves that praise to an extent. This film is somewhat of a trend setter in the Horror/ Exploitation genre as it does manage to push several boundaries and crosses the line of decency at several points throughout the film by touching on sexual taboo's and fetishes. Not to mention the gore aspect of the film as well.
       The film begins by introducing us to Master Sardu and his Little helper Ralphus as they put on one of their infamous shows for the public, These shows feature what the crowd believes to be simulated Torture and murder mixed with the eroticism of Bondage and domination. Right away a crowd member cries bogus and it turns out to be a famous Football player Tom Maverick and his girlfriend Natasha D'Natalie a star Ballet dancer, More than willing to prove the authenticity of their show by offering to incorporate Tom's girl. Maverick is not alone in heckling the show as a local stage critic Creasy Silo is quick to trash the show. Afterwards Sardu plans to change the critics views he sends his henchman Ralphus out to kidnap him. After trapping Silo in his dungeon, Ralphus begins to punish him and he unveils his plan to put together the greatest show he has ever done and he plans on making it a ballet featuring Natasha. Shortly after he sends Ralphus once again to do his dirty work and captures Natasha.

After nabbing his star, Sardu sets out to convince her to participate and after much humiliation and forcing her to witness some slaves being murdered she gives in. We also meet Sardu's "Doctor" who is in charge of keeping his slaves alive and we learn he is one sick puppy as he gets paid in being allowed to do whatever he wants to a girl in which he removes a womans teeth and then performs a backyard lobotomy on the woman and drinks her brains through a straw. After that the final straw for Natasha is having to view a young  girl be decapitated and then her severed head is violated by Ralphus. Outside of the dungeon, Tom is concerned now that his girlfriend has gone missing and alerts the local authorities in the form of Sgt. Tucci a crooked detective who thinks that Tom is senselessly worrying. A few days pass and news of Natasha being in Sardu's latest play hits the papers. Hearing this break in the case Tom and Tucci head to Sardu's to investigate and demand to see Natasha and after some argument he agree's and we see that Natasha has been brainwashed and is now under His control.

Tucci tells Tom that he senses some foul play and sets back out to investigate Sardu's place. While there he alerts Sardu that he knows of his checkered past and wants to know what his stage shows are a front for and he admits to being involved with white slavery. Tucci then demands 100 thousand dollars to stay off his case and allow the show to go on. After receiving the bribe Tucci returns to Tom telling him the coast is clear and they plan to go watch the show on opening night.  As the show opens all appears normal as Natasha dances , then she strips nude and things get weird as the critic is revealed on stage bound as Natasha kicks him to death. After the show as the cast celebrates Tucci arrives to double cross Sardu and after tyeing up sardu and his gang he searches the dungeon for cash. Finding a hidden safe in the cage where the slave girls are kept he unknowingly opens the door and releases the flesh hungry women who then eat him alive. Back in the dressing room Tom leaves with Natasha but she is still under Sardu's command and attacks Tom with a hammer and heads back to her master after hearing his whistle. The end however reveals that the captive girls have taken over the dungeon and all dance happily while feasting on their captors before the credits roll as a woman eats a sandwich with some very questionable meat inside it.

Trust me when I say this, I left allot out of this review as I feel that this one is somewhat of a must see for any fans of Horror, Gore or Exploitation films. As it truly cover all the genres and for as low budget and cheap this film appears it really is a trend setter and opened doors for many films to come. You can see influences of this film even in todays horror, with films like Hostel and the torture Porn Genre so popular these days, If any film deserves that label it would have to be this nasty little gem. I mean this film has everything from cannibalism to Necrophilia, it is truly a gross out classic and that is exactly what the film makers involved set out to make. The gore in this one is pretty cheap but effective much in the way of the classic H.G. Lewis style and the film goes real low for it's shocks like the beheaded blowjob, the brain sucking through a straw and the sandwich in the closing scene come to mind immediately although there is allot more in this one to shock the unsuspecting viewer.Truly a classic for all the right and wrong reasons and that is hard to do. Not the best movie out there but definitely a must see.
Gore: 8 ( Tons of blood and guts in this one, Reminiscent to The classic Lewis films)
Nudity:8 ( Allot of flesh shown in this one)
Story:6 ( Very similar to Lewis' Wizard of Gore but with a "erotic" twist)
Characters:6 ( Not the films strong suit but everyone is genuinely creepy)
Overall: 7.5 out of 10