Cult sleazefest arrives on Blu-ray from Scream Factory.
70s exploitation film fans rejoice! The horror heroes at Scream Factory are poised to release one of the most lurid psychodramas of the period, a film filled to the choking point with sleaze, murder, hammer murders and sadism and yet was mysteriously saddled with a GP rating (which at that point was the equivalent of a PG)
Director Phillip Gilberts BLOOD AND LACE is indeed a nasty, nasty number. This writer fondly recalls feeling filthy when I caught it as a kid commercial free at 3am on Buffalo channel WGRZs now legendary after hours show THE CAT’S PAJAMAS and was promptly shaken by its shrill tone, brash sound design, cruelty and, perhaps most disturbingly, the presence of Vic Taybeck yknow, Mel from TVs ALICE. Now thats scary
BLOOD AND LACE (often confused with but unrelated to the Mario Bava masterpiece BLOOD AND BLACK LACE) has been only available in battered bootlegged TV prints, the likes of which can currently be seen pirated on YouTube and elsewhere. But on November 24th, Scream Factory will cheerfully skip the VHS foreplay and finally release the film on a sexy Blu-ray and DVD combo pack, complete with colorful HD transfer and wealth of bonus features. Rapturous; Im writing this with tears of joy leaking from my eyes
The film sees teenager Ellie Masters (Melody Patterson), shipped to a skeezy orphanage after her mothers brutal murder at the hands of a hammer-wielding maniac. Said awful home for children is run by the leering Mrs. Deere (Gloria Grahame, miles away from her turn in OKLAHOMA!), a nasty dame who tortures the tots who she fancies are naughty, including, if memory serves, locking at least one of them in a freezer. Soon, its hammer time again as the murders strike and poor Ellie is caught between the killers tool and Mrs. Deeres evil eye.
Bonus points that the killer looks like Freddy Krueger, a good 13 years before there was a Freddy Krueger.
Oh, and did we mention SEINFELDs Uncle Leo (Len Lesser) shows up to the party?
Heres a peek at the special features:
Brand New High-Definition transfer
New Audio Commentary by Film Historian Richard Harland Smith
Alternate Opening Title
Original Theatrical Trailer
Circle November 24th on your calendar, kids. And keep your hammer handy
