Blood Rage (First viewing; f.o.c.) – 5.5/10
A mentally-disturbed young boy Terry blames his twin brother Todd for a bloody murder he has committed. Considered a psychotic juvenile miscreant, Todd is institutionalized while Terry is still at large. Ten years later, during Thanksgiving, Todd escapes. Knowing that his twin brother is returning home to settle the score, Terry thinks of blaming his poor brother again and unleashes his blood rage!
Frankly, I’ve just heard of this little-known 80’s slasher film when Arrow Video released it. Normally I don’t watch this genre of film (I hardly own ten in my collection!) but I thought I would give it a try thinking that it would make a perfect companion to the upcoming
The Mutilator, which is on my list (There’s a backstory for this one).
Just like other stalk-and-slash films I’ve watched (
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hell Night, Rosemary’s Killer a.k.a.
The Prowler, Maniac, The Berserker, etc.), this pedestrian B-movie does not have anything interesting to offer in its plot. But it takes advantage of the ‘ew’ make-up effects that are interspersed among the hammy acting and half-baked plot that somewhat resembles
Halloween with a nod to
Psycho. The music, too, elevates this obscure film a notch.
Considering the commendable effort Arrow Video have put in, I have ordered myself a copy
Amsterdamned (YouTube) – 7/10
What works? ■ creative basic plot (a maniacal diver lurking in the Amsterdam canals murdering unsuspecting victims),
■ fast-paced directing (focusing on the murder investigations),
■ comic relief (old man admits being the stalker, the detective’s partner falls into the river when speedboat starts to rush),
■ suspenseful music (effective minimal synthesizer score typical of slasher films),
■ cinematography (point-of-view shots),
■ unusual locations (the canals of Amsterdam), and
■ intense action set pieces (motor-cycle chase, speedboat chase).
What doesn't work? ■ uncharismatic lead actor (Huub Stapel),
■ contrived plot thread (killer waiting till morning inside a sunken boat), and
■ anti-climactic ending (no confrontation).
Amsterdamned is another rare find that I watched in my video days, and still holds my interest.