BLOOD RAGE: SAVED SLASHER FLICK

During the horror heyday of the eighties it seemed like there was a new slasher film being released monthly. And while the heavyweights like Jason and Freddy were creating nightmares across the country there were other screen time mass murderers making a name for themselves but not quite on their level. One of those came in the form of twins and the movie BLOOD RAGE.

Also known as NIGHTMARE AT SHADOW WOODS the movie was largely ignored in theaters but gathered a cult following of sorts when it was later released on video. Released under both names by two different video companies at different times fans might pick it up not realizing it was the same film they’d seen once before. Now Arrow Video is offering the movie in the best final version ever offered.

The movie opens up years ago when two young twins, Todd and Terry, are at the drive-in with their mother and her amorous boyfriend. Thinking they are asleep the couple start to fool around. Well the boys aren’t and start walking around the drive-in only to come across a couple going at it hot and heavy in a back seat.  Todd takes a hammer to the skull of the young man while the naked girlfriend runs off screaming at the top of her lungs. Rubbing blood on Terry’s face and sticking the hammer in his hand, Terry is sent away to a mental institution while Todd continues to live a charmed life with mom.

Ten years pass and mom has not found a new boyfriend in the manager of the apartment complex they live in. As the couple sit down to Thanksgiving dinner with Todd and his girlfriend Karen the news announces that Todd has escaped from the mental institution. At first startled by the news, the family goes on with their dinner during which mom announce her planned marriage to her boyfriend. This is enough to set Todd off on a new murderous rampage which he can once again lay blame on his brother Terry.

The body count wouldn’t be much if it was limited to just residents of the apartment complex so Todd and Karen’s friends stop by for the holiday and to see if they can hook up with the much liberated daughter of one of the neighbors. Of course she obliges, I mean how can we not have victims if someone isn’t having sex in this film some time? Todd acts weird throughout the film making you wonder why a nice girl like Karen would have been interested in him to begin with. The body count rises, Terry makes it home, mom finds herself morose and depressed sitting cross legged in the kitchen with the fridge door open while she eats ice cream from the carton and the acting ranges from mediocre to bad. Yes the movie offers everything the slasher genre had at the time in spades.

But that’s part of the charm of the film. It isn’t the over produced movie that could be turned into a franchise at some point making the titular character someone we rooted for rather than against eventually. This is low budget film making at its finest, a shot on the run film that looks better than some and worse than what Hollywood was offering. It has cheesy lines spoken by both well respected actors (Louise Lasser of MARY HARTMAN MARY HARTMAN fame) and terrible actors. It offers a decent performance by Mark Soper, a relatively unknown actor taking on both the roles of Terry and Todd. It has some outrageous gore scenes that will make some cringe and other cheer at the screen while laughing loudly. I mean since it takes place on Thanksgiving is that blood or cranberry sauce?

Movies like this were the staples of drive-ins across the country prior to the invention of the video player. When that came along these movies became the Friday night pick for teens to gather around in the basement hooting and hollering while unsuspecting parents thought they were watching a comedy. They’ve become the cult classics that are now sought out by fans of the genre and those who remember the days of cruising the aisles of video stores searching for just that right combination of horror and cheese.

Arrow Video (yes I’m praising them again) has done a bang up job with this release. Not only do you have the best transfer possible for this film you get the original home video version, Nightmare at Shadow Woods, the theatrical re-cut, and an alternate composite cut combining footage from both versions. What more could a fan of the film want?

Other extras include:

-Original stereo 2.0 sound

-A reversible sleeve with newly commissioned artwork

-An illustrated booklet featuring writing on the film by Joseph Ziemba

-Audio commentary by director John Grissmer

-An interview with producer/actress Marianne Kanter

-An interview with actor Mark Soper

-An interview with actress Louise Lasser

-An interview with make-up effects creator Ed French

-A short interview with actor Ted Raimi

-A featurette revisiting the original locations in Jacksonville, FL where the movie was shot

-Alternate opening titles

-A motion still gallery featuring rare behind-the-scenes make-up photos

So pop some corn, get ready to watch some corn and have some fun with this one. It will never make the national film registry but it will tickle the hearts of slasher fans in search of one of the classics.

Click here to order.