I was surprised to realize that I’d never watched A BUCKET
OF BLOOD from start to finish when it was announced this was being released by
Olive Films. I’d seen bits and pieces but for some reason never watched the
entire film. With that in mind I was anxious to correct this mistake on my part
and I’m glad I did.
If you’re unfamiliar with the move it tells the story of
Walter Paisley (Dick Miller), a simple minded young man who works as a busboy
at a local beatnik coffee shop. Keep in mind the movie was made in 1959 when
beatniks were the be all to end all when it came to art. Filled with poets,
artists, hangers on and drug users the small location is lorded over by Maxwell
Brock (Julian Burton) who offers his poems from the stage and who everyone
seeks attention from. Walter is secretly in love with artists Carla (Barboura
Morris), the young woman also sought after by the club’s owner Leonard de
Santis (Antony Carbone).
Walter knows the only way he’ll be notices is if he becomes
an artist as well. With a block of clay delivered to the shabby apartment he
lives in he tries to make a statue but fails to make anything recognizable.
Despondent he hears his landlady’s missing cat stuck in the wall of his
apartment. Using a knife to cut into the wall he accidentally stabs the cat,
pulling down the wall and taking it out. Trying to hide his deed he covers the
cat in clay and then takes the “statue” he’s made to the club the next day.
Walter is hailed as a master artists by all around,
including Maxwell. Carla is equally impressed and kisses him on the cheek. Only
Leonard is suspicious of his busboy’s sudden artistic ability. As the crowd
applauds Walter’s work of art one young woman approaches him tossing herself at
him. He turns her down but to show her appreciation she slips him a tiny
envelope. He has no clue what it is but the undercover police detective in the
crowd, Lou (Bert Convy) does. When he follows Walter home and confronts him,
Walter accidentally kills him with a frying pan. Waste not want not, Walter
make Lou his next sculpture, “Murdered Man”.
It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out where all of
this is going. Writer director Roger Corman makes the most of this low budget,
66 minute running time and talented cast to create one of the funniest movies
of his career. It pokes fun of the art crowd of the time and does so with ease.
And yet at the same time while watching I was slightly surprised at the
gruesomeness of the film as well. Some of the images made me wonder if this
would be a movie that young viewers would be able to deal with in spite of the
fact that it played late night horror host programs for years which is where I
probably saw what little I did of it in the past. But times have changed and
young people today might not take it seriously. Odd how that works.
Dick Miller has been a treasure for so long and his death
this past year was a true loss. Always a bit player he was an actor who knew
how to pull off a performance no matter what he was offered. He should have had
more starring roles but the fact that he lasted as long as he did is a
testament to his abilities. Few flash in the pan actors have had half the
career he did and it was roles like this that allowed him to display his
talent. With 182 credits to his name it proves how great he was, many of those
being in Corman films. The two of them working together made some memorable
pictures and this is one of them.
Olive Films is doing this film justice by releasing it with
the best looking edition ever. It’s been mastered from a 4k scan and the look
of the film here is as clean and crisp as it will ever be. In addition to that
they’re including extras that will entertain and inform as well. Those include
“Creation Is. All Else is Not” an interview with Roger Corman on the film,
“Call Me Paisley” an interview with Dick Miller and his long time wife Lainie
Miller, an audio commentary track by Elijah Drenner the director of THAT GUY
DICK MILLER, an archival interview with screenwriter Charles B. Griffith, “Bits
of Bucket” a visual essay comparing the original script with the finished film,
an essay on the film by Caelum Vatnsdal, a rare German prologue made for their
release of the film, a super 8 digest version of the film, the theatrical
trailer, the German theatrical trailer and a gallery of newly discovered on-set
photos.
This is by far the best release of this film ever offered
and if you’re a fan then make sure you order your copy today. Olive is limiting
the release to just 3,500 copies so again, order now. It’s worth your
investment to add this one to your shelf.
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