Blood Freak (1972)

Having spent a lifetime devoted to the strangest, most twisted films imaginable (including Pashto language masterworks), I honestly believed I had seen it all.  However, with the discovery of a cheap 1971 exploitation shocker, Blood Freak (recently released on DVD), my entire concept and definition of cinematic strangeness would forever be altered.  Quite simply, one could live for another 40 years and not come across a film so stunningly loopy as this epic tale of Drugs, Christianity, dark scientific experiments and Turkeys!

First, a bit about the history of this spectacular epic; it was the brainchild of two supremely talented men who were bought together by fate and hard times.  Steve Hawkes had arrived as a muscle-bound teenager in the US from Eastern Europe to pursue a career in movies following his hero Johnny Weissmuller of Tarzan fame.  Hawkes did not make much headway but did manage to find work in a Tarzan rip-off shot in Spain.  Unfortunately, during one of these “Zan” films, he was burned in an on-set accident resulting in a charred body and a tattered career and with enormous medical bills to foot.

Meanwhile, the co-director of this magnificent turkey Brad Grinter used to make cheap nudie flicks in the 50s style.  Sadly for him, the ’70s had brought major hardcore porn to the high street resulting in his brand of bathing beauties rapidly relegated to nostalgia.

Grinter was also anxious about work when he collided with “Husky” Hawkes.  Their creative marriage resulted in the magnificent Blood Freak.  Shot in Florida on an invisible budget, the film utilised student actors duped into appearing.  They believed they were working on one of Mr Grinter’s exciting film classes.   (Grinter amazingly held acting classes in his many spare hours).

The film begins with Handsome Hunk Herschel helping a woman with a flat tyre, who then invites him home.  When Herschel befriends Ann’s saucy sister’s drug-debauched crowd, he’s an instant hit with the girls.  They try to seduce Herschel without success, his attention more inclined to listen to what Angel has to quote from the bible than any other frivolous activity.  Angel warns Hershel that her sister’s friends are “heavy into the drug scene”, to which he responds, “So they smoke pot”- Some heavy drugs indeed.

The raven-haired drug-crazed Ann is shocked at having her advances turned down by Herschel that she resorts to trying to drug him so that she can win him over.  She scores some dope “guaranteed to make you fly” and spins another scheme to trap the dim-witted Hunky Herschel.

When it seems that her efforts are yet again doomed to fail, she manages to hit Herschel’s tender spot by calling him a coward, to which he responds by grabbing the joint off her and puffing away at it to prove to her that he is anything but a ninny!  

It takes no more than two puffs, and suddenly, Herschel is flying high, giggling like a retard.  Moments later, the scheming Ann seduces her man.  Later Herschel decides to take up an old fogey on an offer to work on the local poultryman as he could do with a “Husky Man” like big Herschel.  Herschel comes across some dodgy scientists (looking more like garbage collectors) who invite him to partake in their experiments for a bit of money and some dope in exchange.  Herschel, having been transformed into a hardened dope addict after just two puffs, agrees and is given a turkey to eat that has been tampered with scientifically.

Later that night, he suffered severe seizures that left him twitching and passed out on the floor.  However, Far worse is to follow as the next day, having eaten more contaminated meat, Herschel’s head transforms into a turkey, complete with oversized beaks and bug eyes.  Then he goes on the rampage attacking drug addicts, feasting on their blood as it supplies him with the necessary nourishment.  

Ann is somewhat taken aback at finding her lover suddenly sprout a turkey head.  Though she professes undying love to Hershel, she also expresses concern about their future together if he remains turkey headed.  In a touching scene, Ann appeals to Herschel for understanding “What will the children think of their father looking like that”….and then “, My God, what if the children look like their father” Herschel continues his gruesome rampage, leaving a trail of hen-pecked drug addicts in his wake.

Some of the gore is quite spectacular (the film managed an “X” rating in the US for violence), involving hacking off limbs in loving, if slightly out of focus close up shots!  However, perhaps the feature of the brilliantly staged gore scenes is the voice-over screams used.  The director had just recorded the one scream on his sound effects tape, and he decided to use the same cry repeatedly.  There is a male version of the scream and a female one, both equally blood-curdling.  

All this stunning action is interrupted periodically by a seedy-looking narrator (Grinter) who philosophises the most inane gibberish and is finally cut short, ironically, by a severe coughing fit!  The burning question remains: will the effects of the drugged meat and the dope wear off, or will poor Herschel be condemned to live with a Turkey head, warbling sweet gobbledygook to his disgruntled sweetheart, or will he find redemption through Angel’s bible talk.

The formidably atrocious acting enhances the exceptionally warped plot and drama.  The similarly horrid camerawork often focused on some inanimate object by mistake.  The background music deserves recognition for being incredibly cheap, on par with epic soundtracks such as Don’t Go in the Woods Alone and Drive-in Massacre.  Massive credit to Steve Hawkes, the inspired genius who has delivered a pretty superlative performance as Herschel and wrote and co-directed this masterpiece.  

Without a doubt, this must be the best Anti-drug, Pro-Christianity Turkey Beast film by many a mile!  Not to be missed by scholars and admirers of fantastic cinema.  Outrageously awful but brilliantly so!