A Cult Movie Is Restored To All Its Infamous Glory!
Yes, sometimes a title CAN say it all, and it certainly does here: this is a legendary cult horror film that has been re-released for a new generation of film buffs!
Here is how the terrific home video website “Mondo-Digital.com” describes the new blu-ray release of “The Blood-Splattered Bride”:
“Thanks to its title alone, this Spanish entry in the lesbian vampire craze of the 1970s became a 42nd Street and drive-in favorite. Like most European horror films, it suffered a number of heavy cuts before reaching the States, but its bizarre imagery and visceral nastiness still gripped viewers well into the home video era.”
And now, an uncut remastered version is on the way, thanks to Mondo Macabro!
Here is the trailer for the film’s original release.
And Great News For Cult Film Fans!
Mondo Digital shares the great news about a newly released version of the film:
“Fully restored to its original perverse glory, this film has since been reappraised as a striking and essential entry in development of erotic cinematic horror, and forming a sort of sexy, dreamlike trilogy along with Harry Kümel’s Daughters of Darkness and Roger Vadim’s Blood and Roses, this nominal adaptation of J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s oft-filmed Carmilla strays very far from its source but still captures the twisted essence of the Gothic vampire tale.”
There are a lot of special features included on this new release as well:
“A very solid, well-versed new audio commentary with Daughters of Darkness’ Kat Ellinger and Samm Deighan puts the film in context within the cycle of lesbian vampire films, discusses Aranda’s reputation in his native country, explains the background of Spain necessary to appreciated the film, the female archetypes at play in the story, the queasy gender conflicts at play here including the innocent child treatment of Susan, and the ties to other filmmakers of the era like Eloy de la Iglesia, Jess Franco, José Ramón Larraz, and Pedro Almodóvar. Andreu is featured in a substantial two-part interview by Uwe Huber segregated into a discussion of this film (32m13s) and then the rest of his career (28m36s), including some sifting through lobby cards and video releases of his films as he chats (mostly in excellent English) about how he got into the business and had to do some impromptu translating and dialogue coaching on this film, not to mention a completely bizarre tangent about actor (and government agent) Dean Selmier, his affection for this particular film as one of his dozen favorites, his discomfort with the level of sexual explicitness Aranda wanted, the advantages of speaking English (not with a precisely Castilian accent), his work with “crazy” Amando de Ossorio and Luciano Ercoli, and lots more.”
The website goes on to explain even more great features on the release:
“Next up, cinematographer Fernando Arribas appears for a featurette 32m26s) about his switch from studying to become an engineer to working in cinematography, his first collaboration with Aranda on Fata Morgana, the working relationship with Bastedo and Andreu, the shooting locations, and the trickery involved in shooting the memorable beach scene. Finally, author Jonathan The Blood Spattered BrideRigby (Euro Gothic: Classics of Continental Horror Cinema) offers his own dissection (28m20s) of this place in the European classic horror pantheon as it plays The Blood Spattered Bridewith familiar horror tropes (a mangled portrait, a mysterious chapel, etc.) in an unorthodox and extremely Spanish fashion compared to other Carmilla-inspired Euro horrors like The Vampire Lovers and Terror in the Crypt.”
Bravo on this great release – and to see more about it, as well as a ton of other great reviews, check out the Mondo digital website here:
Bravo to Mondo Macabro for bringing this film back – this home video company is keeping so many great cult films alive – check out their website for more on this title:
I’m pretty jazzed about this release. One of those great euro-shock titles that entered my life as a murky bootleg videotape way back when, and I’m finally going to see in HD (the DVD is adequate, but not especially crisp or vivid). Lacking some of the lurid elements of Spanish horror you get with Paul Naschy and Amando de Ossorio, The Blood Spattered Bride might disappoint a few viewers. In ways it feels like a Jean Rollin film.
Completely agree with your Jean Rollin point – I knew nothing about it and found it very enjoyable in a “not scary but fun” way and it looks really good!
Your thoughts on Vampyres (1974)? It’s a curious sub-genre, the lesbian vampire film. It sounds so trashy, but they’re typically quite character driven and sympathetic to the women and their choices.
johnrieber 
This looks deliciously outrageous.
LikeLike
I’m pretty jazzed about this release. One of those great euro-shock titles that entered my life as a murky bootleg videotape way back when, and I’m finally going to see in HD (the DVD is adequate, but not especially crisp or vivid). Lacking some of the lurid elements of Spanish horror you get with Paul Naschy and Amando de Ossorio, The Blood Spattered Bride might disappoint a few viewers. In ways it feels like a Jean Rollin film.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Completely agree with your Jean Rollin point – I knew nothing about it and found it very enjoyable in a “not scary but fun” way and it looks really good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your thoughts on Vampyres (1974)? It’s a curious sub-genre, the lesbian vampire film. It sounds so trashy, but they’re typically quite character driven and sympathetic to the women and their choices.
LikeLike
That film has your name written all over it, John. Looks like a fun slice of hokum!
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pete, a classic slice of cult exploitation with great reviews – and an unforgettable title!
LikeLiked by 1 person