A Bucket of Blood (1959)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Roger Corman

Writer:

Charles B. Griffith (writer)

Release Date:

21 October 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

A Comedy of Errors! A Comedy of Terrors!

Plot:

Walter Paisley, nerdy busboy at a Bohemian café, is jealous of the talent (and popularity) of its various artistic regulars...

Plot Keywords:

Busboy | Artist | Sculptor | Sculpture | Beatnik

Cast

Dick Miller	...	Walter Paisley
Barboura Morris	...	Carla
Antony Carbone	...	Leonard de Santis
Julian Burton	...	Maxwell H. Brock
Ed Nelson	...	Art Lacroix
John Brinkley	...	Will
John Herman Shaner	...	Oscar (as John Shaner)
Judy Bamber	...	Alice
Myrtle Vail	...	Mrs. Swickert (as Myrtle Damerel)
Bert Convy	...	Lou Raby (as Burt Convy)
Jhean Burton	...	Naolia
Bruno VeSota	...	Art Collector (as Bruno Ve Soto)
Lynn Storey	...	Sylvia (as Lynne Storey)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alex Hassilev	...	Guitar Player (uncredited)
Paul Horn	...	Beatnik Saxophonist (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Art Exhibit Patron (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Art Exhibit Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Roger Corman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Charles B. Griffith		writer

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	producer

Original Music by
Fred Katz

Cinematography by
Jacques R. Marquette		(as Jack Marquette)

Film Editing by
Anthony Carras

Art Direction by
Daniel Haller		(as Dan Haller)

Makeup Department
Bob Mark	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jack Bohrer	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Rapp	....	assistant director

Art Department
Richard M. Rubin	....	property master (as Dick Rubin)

Sound Department
Leonard Corso	....	sound editor
Wallace Nogle	....	sound (as Wally Nogle)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marjorie Corso	....	wardrobe (as Marge Corso)

Music Department
Jerry Irvin	....	music editor

Other crew
Paul Horn	....	saxophone solo

Production Companies

• Alta Vista Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Rhino Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• SlingShot Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• E-Realbiz.com (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• E-Realbiz.com (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Madacy Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Marengo Films (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Gotham Distribution (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Boulevard Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• Punto Zero (2008) (Italy) (DVD) (as Enjoy Movies)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (199?) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

66 min | Argentina:75 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | UK:15 (video rating) (1996) (uncut) | UK:X (original rating) (cut)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Alta Vista Productions

Trivia:

Reportedly star Dick Miller was unhappy with the impact of the low budget on the film. Miller felt the film had terrific potential to be a classic and liked the script and performances, but felt the lack of funding weakened some of the films best moments. In particular Miller cited the conclusion of the film saying that it suffered due to little time or money for makeup effects.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Walter holds the frying pan, his hand and arm positions change repeatedly between shots.

Quotes:

Beatnik Hustler: I saw a statue once. It was called, "the third time Phyllis saw me, she exploded."
Beatnik Hustler's Partner: Man, what kind of statue was that?
Beatnik Hustler: I dunno, it was made out of driftwood and dipped in fluoric acid. Very wild.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AIP: Fast and Furious (1985) (V)

"Walter Paisley Is Born"

Purportedly made in five days, A Bucket of Blood is one of those films that just seems to grow on you after each viewing(beginning with the first!). Dick Miller plays his most substantial role in his long and varied career as a very stupid, amoral busboy for a beatnik cafe. His name is Walter Paisley and he wants to "fit" in with all the other cool cats at the cafe like the pompous Maxwell who recites poetry, the two clowns higher than kites that just take space and never order any coffee, the cafe owner Leonard that wears the trappings of being a beatnik but is more concerned about making a buck, the lovely artist Carla that wants to be surrounded by creative and artistic people, and a host of other beatnik types. Walter, by a set of bizarre and ridiculous circumstances, takes a cat he accidentally killed and covers it with clay. He brings it in to his "friends" and that laud him as a great and gifted artist. From there Walter works his way up to human sculptures. The story is filled with loads of black humour including a heavy dose of fun poked at the beatnik culture. Miller plays Paisley wonderfully with a certain innocence. All the acting is pretty good with a few stand-outs. Anthony Carbone as Leonard adds a lot of credibility to the film with his more realistic performance, and he has some of the best lines and facial expressions. Barboura Morris is beautiful and credible. But the top acting honors easily go to Julian Burton(where is this guy now?) as Maxwell. He is the poet that makes every word sound as if art were dripping from his tongue. He recites lines like, "Life is an obscure hobo bumming a free ride on the omnibus of art" and "ring rubber bells, clang cotton gongs, strike silken cymbols." He is wonderfully over-the-top in his whole portrayal and always makes me laugh with that garbage he utters. Director Roger Corman has little budget to work with here, but he makes a minor masterpiece with what he did have to work with. Walter Paisley is Born. And he lives on in video and dvd!