The 88 Films Thread

[JAMIOUSE]

Originally Posted by The Reaper Man@Cult Labs

A couple of days until Alice dispatches!

I'm looking forward to Alice too. I have a confession to make though, I've never seen it all the way through!

[Nostalgic]

Must dig Alice Sweet Alice out of the loft & double bill it with Bloody Birthday!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

BLOOD HARVEST is probably famous (or possibly infamous) for featuring Tiny Tim, best known for singing Tiptoe through the Tulips, in his first (and possibly only) serious film role, he plays 'Marvelous Mervo', a man who is permanently dressed in a clown costume and seemingly has brain damage. The film follows Jill, a young woman who returns home from college to see her parents who are nowhere to be seen. As her father was the bank supervisor who for closed many local farms, just about everyone in town hates her family, and it seems the only people who are pleased to see Jill are Gary, an ex boyfriend of hers and his brother, the aforementioned Marvelous Mervo. With her parents missing and townspeople close to Jill disappearing and murdered by being knocked out with chloroform, hung upside down and their throats cut, the killer could be any of the agrieved farmers.

This has so many weird and offkilter elements that I was frequently wrongfooted and surprised; there are some scenes which are genuinely unnerving and suspenseful, others which are strangely comedic, and some which are not quite gruesome, but definitely nasty. Anything which involves someone being hung from the rafter is in a barn and thrashing about with blood pouring from a slit in the throat is (intentionally) unpleasant. Throw in a surprising appearance by a young Peter Krause (perhaps best known for playing Nate in Six Feet Under) as Jill's boyfriend and Marvelous Mervo's occasional Greek chorus with his song about Gary and Jill, to the tune of 'Jack and Jill' then you have a very strange mix of ingredients which, when used inconsistently, don't give you much chance to settle.

This new 88 Films Blu-ray release looks and sounds remarkably good for a low-budget film of its age and I'm not sure if it's because I was expecting something truly awful, but I thought this had a strange sort of charm, and is definitely much better and more watchable than I expected. Although I could quibble with the 'Slasher Classics' designation, it's a curio which benefits from it weirdness and something I'll revisit in a few days, if not before. I think I'll watch the extra features, mostly devoted to Tiny Tim, and read the short essay which came in the box this afternoon.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Your review makes me want to see this film, Nos. I wasn't particularly bothered prior to reading.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Your review makes me want to see this film, Nos. I wasn't particularly bothered prior to reading.

To be honest, I don't think I was particularly bothered prior to watching! It's an oddity and I can understand why some people will completely dismiss it or not even make it to the end credits, but I think you have to embrace the weirdness and inconsistency in tone and narrative structure to get the most out of the film. It's strange, but I think it's something which impressed me at the time, but seems to be even better the more I reflect on it. It'll be interesting to see how well it stands up to a second viewing.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

To be honest, I don't think I was particularly bothered prior to watching! It's an oddity and I can understand why some people will completely dismiss it or not even make it to the end credits, but I think you have to embrace the weirdness and inconsistency in tone and narrative structure to get the most out of the film. It's strange, but I think it's something which impressed me at the time, but seems to be even better the more I reflect on it. It'll be interesting to see how well it stands up to a second viewing.

You got me with the upside down throat slitting scene. Those have always been ugh! moments for me since i first watched Dracula Prince of Darkness. I like them in a self torture sort of way.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

You got me with the upside down throat slitting scene. Those have always been ugh! moments for me since i first watched Dracula Prince of Darkness. I like them in a self torture sort of way.

The first one probably occurs in the first 10 minutes, and they continue with regularity throughout the film, so it sounds exactly like your sort of masochistic treat!

Something I didn't mention in my review, and probably should have, is the overall dirty and rundown aesthetic which is reminiscent of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and a few other early-1970s slasher films set in the country. Blood Harvest has that look which, added to the unsettling and occasionally nasty content, makes it the sort of film someone unaccustomed to such films would likely say made them feel like they needed a shower afterwards!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

The first one probably occurs in the first 10 minutes, and they continue with regularity throughout the film, so it sounds exactly like your sort of masochistic treat!

Something I didn't mention in my review, and probably should have, is the overall dirty and rundown aesthetic which is reminiscent of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and a few other early-1970s slasher films set in the country. Blood Harvest has that look which, added to the unsettling and occasionally nasty content, makes it the sort of film someone unaccustomed to such films would likely say made them feel like they needed a shower afterwards!

When it goes on general sale i'll pick up a copy. It's not even listed on Amazon yet.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

When it goes on general sale i'll pick up a copy. It's not even listed on Amazon yet.

I'm not sure what's going on with that as there is no release date on the 88 Films website. Maybe they are waiting until the stock level decreases in the warehouse before looking towards general sale, or maybe there is an issue with rights which they're ironing out first.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I'm not sure what's going on with that as there is no release date on the 88 Films website. Maybe they are waiting until the stock level decreases in the warehouse before looking towards general sale, or maybe there is an issue with rights which they're ironing out first.

I thought it was a dual format. It isn't. It may be a while before they release it o dvd but i'm sure they will...eventually.