Brides of Blood (1968)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Directors:

Gerardo de Leon
Eddie Romero

Release Date:

9 December 1974 (Spain)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Lusting for women it terrified the land!

Plot:

Natives of a tropical island have to contend with man-eating plants and animals, mutations caused by radioactivity. Virgin sacrifices become the norm. A small group of interlopers become caught up in the mayhem. |

Plot Keywords:

Radiation | Monster | Brief Female Nudity | Tropical Island | Machete

Cast

Kent Taylor	...	Dr. Paul Henderson
Beverly Powers	...	Carla Henderson (as Beverly Hills)
John Ashley	...	Jim Farrell
Eva Darren	...	Alma
Mario Montenegro	...	Esteban Powers
Oscar Keesee	...	Captain Macbee (as Oscar Keesee Jr.)
Ely Ramos Jr.
Bruno Punzalan	...	Goro
Andres Centenera	...	Arcadio
Pedro Navarro
Carmelita Estrella
Quiel Mendoza
Willie Tomada
Ben Sanchez
Angelita Alba

Also Known As:

Brides of Blood Island
Brides of Death
Brides of the Beast
Danger on Tiki Island (USA) (video title)
Grave Desires (USA) (reissue title)
Island of the Living Horror (USA) (TV title)
Orgy of Blood
Terror on Blood Island

Runtime:

92 min (Phillipines) | UK:90 min (cut version)

Country:

Philippines | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Philippines

Company:

Premier Sound Films

Movie Connections:

Edited into Drive-In Madness! (1987)

A Pulpy Funhouse of a Movie

Wow, does this flick make for one wild and woolly experience! "Brides of Blood" (1968), the first adventure in the Blood Island trilogy, must be deemed, along with 1959's "Terror Is A Man," one of the crown jewels of Filipino horror cinema. In it, 1950s star John Ashley plays Jim Farrell, a Peace Corps worker who comes to the eponymous Blood Island in the Philippines. He is accompanied by naturalist Dr. Henderson, who wants to study the effects of recent nearby nuke tests on the island's flora and fauna, as well as by Henderson's randy, bubble-bosomed wife, played by Beverly Hills (love that name!). This film is some kind of ultimate drive-in experience, and throws in much to ensure a memorable time. Thus, there are some scary, groping, mutated trees (still not as scary as the ones in "The Wizard Of Oz," though), sacrificed topless maidens, gaggles of scampering little people (that IS the PC expression at the moment, right?), battles with torches, bolos and flare guns, AND a roaring, woman-hungry monster that beggars my poor powers of description. Please don't get me wrong; this is certainly not anybody's idea of a quality film (even my beloved "Psychotronic Encyclopedia" calls it "terrible"). It is somewhat shoddily put together, and features God-awful dubbing and egregious day-for-night photography. Still, it does offer truly exotic Filipino atmosphere, interesting characters, decent-enough acting, and eerie native chants. Plus, the film culminates with a wild, celebratory native mating dance that must be seen to be believed; a most satisfactory windup. The bottom line is that I can't imagine any fan of sci-fi, horror or action films not enjoying this pulpy funhouse of a movie on some level. Recommended.