Feasting on Forgotten Flicks: ‘Blood Freak’ – A Thanksgiving Tale of Cinematic Oddities!
In the early 1990s, a lone cinephile named Mike Vraney had a visionary idea — to rescue and release long-forgotten films that were on the brink of disappearing into oblivion. These cinematic gems, overlooked by mainstream audiences, were given a new lease on life through his collaboration with the legendary Mr. Sexploitation himself, Dave Friedman. Together, they birthed Something Weird Video, an enterprise dedicated to unearthing and preserving cinematic curiosities. Among their eclectic catalog of DVD releases, Blood Freak, stands out as a peculiar addition, a film that I once stumbled upon in a bargain bin at a flea market and could scarcely believe would make its way to this medium.
Now, let’s delve into the madness of what can only be described as the world’s first and only Turkey-Monster-Anti-Drug-Christian-Gore film.
The story revolves around Herschel (played by Steve Hawks, Tarzan in the Golden Grotto, Tarzan and the Brown Prince), a biker with an Elvis-worthy hairdo and a Vietnam veteran, who comes to the aid of Angel, a virtuous Christian girl stranded due to car trouble. Angel extends her gratitude by inviting Herschel to her home, where her wayward sister Ann is hosting a party involving a bit too much drug experimentation. Angel takes the opportunity to preach a bit about the sanctity of one’s body as the temple of the Holy Spirit, while Ann and her friend make clumsy attempts to seduce Herschel. However, Herschel resists their advances, which leads to a surprising turn of events. Angel’s father offers Herschel a job on his turkey farm.
As Herschel starts working on the farm, he becomes an unwitting participant in some bizarre scientific experiments conducted by two unlikely scientists residing on the turkey farm. The experiments involve a peculiar turkey injected with an unusual drug. After consuming this drugged turkey, Herschel undergoes a nightmarish transformation into a bloodthirsty biker with an absurd papier-mâché turkey head. He embarks on a gruesome quest to quench his insatiable thirst, which can only be satiated by the blood of drug addicts.
Blood Freak is a cinematic rollercoaster of insanity, directed by both Brad Grinter and the film’s star, Steve Hawkes. Hawkes, who would later become known for running an animal sanctuary, took on the role of the Wereturkey after suffering severe burns on over 90% of his body during the filming of Tarzan and the Brown Prince. In dire financial straits, he was compelled to rewrite and shoot the rest of the film when the movie’s producers faced bankruptcy. Hawkes claims to have earned a staggering $140,000 for his involvement, a baffling revelation considering the film’s actual production values.
Brad Grinter, besides co-directing, portrays the chain-smoking narrator who intermittently intrudes upon the film, providing character briefings and philosophical musings on society. His coughing fit at the film’s conclusion is nothing short of surreal. Every aspect of Blood Freak is so breathtakingly terrible that it becomes comically endearing. The film’s choppy editing, abrupt scene transitions mid-sentence, erratic camera work with inexplicable zoom-ins, wooden acting, recycled screams for sound effects, and laughable turkey-themed gore effects contribute to its unintentional charm. Even the moment when you can hear Grinter call “action” during a joint-smoking scene adds to the film’s surreal quality.
It remains a mystery what the filmmakers intended to achieve with Blood Freak. Did they aim to dissuade people from drug use or perhaps frighten them into embracing a more biblical way of life? One thing is certain, Blood Freak unintentionally achieves classic status as a cheesy Turkey-Man-Monster extravaganza. Whether by design or accident, the makers have crafted an entertaining and unforgettable film.
Something Weird Video presents Blood Freak in a digitally remastered 1.33:1 aspect ratio. While the print is not pristine, it represents a significant improvement over washed-out VHS copies. The colours are more vibrant, although some black flecks still mar the picture, a testament to the film’s resurrection by SWV. The Dolby Digital Mono audio track, while not flawless, adds character to the film with background noise and occasional difficulty in hearing dialogue. Given the film’s nature, these imperfections hardly diminish the viewing experience.
As always, Something Weird Video treats its fans to a treasure trove of bonus features. ‘The Walls Have Eyes’ is a 1969 black-and-white featurette starring Steve Hawkes as Jack Owens, a promiscuous man caught in the crosshairs of a motel owner with voyeuristic tendencies. While the film is scratchy and disjointed, it offers a glimpse into Hawkes’ pre-Blood Freak career.
The ‘Short Subjects’ section includes several quirky pieces. ‘Brad Grinter, Nudist’ follows George Bowman (played by Brad Grinter), a sports announcer who recommends a trip to a nudist camp to solve bedroom issues. The short features awkward nudity and odd dialog. ‘Narcotics, Pit of Despair’ presents the descent of a clean-cut high school kid into drug addiction. It serves as an anti-marijuana public service announcement, complete with groovy dialog. ‘Beggar at the Gates’ interweaves drug use with religious experiences, Christian propaganda, speaking in tongues, and gospel singing. While it may be dull, it aligns with the film’s thematic content. ‘Turkeys in the Wild’ offers a documentary on wild turkeys, adding a touch of realism to the disc. Finally, ‘A Day of Thanksgiving’ is a black-and-white educational film that weaves family values with Thanksgiving traditions, albeit with ham-fisted acting and cheesy dialog.
The ‘Ghastly Gallery of Ghoulish Comic Cover Art with Music by The Dead Evil’ is an engaging slideshow of vintage horror comic book covers accompanied by the eerie music of The Dead Evil. This feature allows viewers to glimpse a variety of rare and obscure horror comic covers, including ‘Terror Tales,’ ‘Weird,’ and ‘Tales from the Tomb.’
The bonus content concludes with a collection of ‘Blood-Drenched Horror Trailers,’ featuring previews of films like Blood Feast, Color Me Blood Red, Bloody Pit of Horror, The Blood Splattered Bride, The Dorm That Dripped Blood, I Drink Your Blood/I Eat Your Skin, Night of the Bloody Apes, Flesh Feast, and Blood Freak.
Moreover, keen-eyed viewers can discover hidden “turkey eggs” throughout the DVD, including a drive-in commercial for a turkey giveaway, an infamous scene from Blood Freak with Brad Grinter’s coughing fit, and a radio spot for the film.
Blood Freak may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it undoubtedly holds a special place in the annals of “so bad it’s good” cinema. If you’re a lover of cinematic cheese or an explorer of the bizarre and obscure, this DVD is a must-have and has never since received the Blu-ray treatment. Blood Freak was destined to find a home with Something Weird Video, and it’s now easily accessible for those seeking an offbeat cinematic experience. With bonus features like these, it’s a cinematic feast worthy of gobbling up without delay!
Directed by: Brad Grinter, Steve Hawkes
Written by: Brad Grinter, Steve Hawkes
Produced by: Brad Grinter, Steve Hawkes
Cinematography by: Ron Sill
Editing by: Gil Ward
Music by: Gil Ward
Cast: Steve Hawkes, Dana Cullivan, Randy Grinter, Brad Grinter, Heather Hughes
Year: 1972
Country: USA
Language: English
Colour: Colour
Runtime: 1h 26min
Studio: Sampson Motion Picture Production Company
Distributor: Something Weird Video
Blood Freak Special Edition DVD Specs:
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 16:9 MPEG-2
Region: R1
Audio: Dolby Digital Mono
Supplemental Material:
– The Walls Have Eyes featurette
– Short Subjects featurette
– Brad Grinter, Nudist short film
– Narcotics, Pit of Despair featurette
– Beggar at the Gates featurette
– Turkeys in the Wild documentary
– A Day of Thanksgiving feature film
– Ghastly Gallery of Ghoulish Comic Cover Art with Music by The Dead Evil slideshow
– Trailers