additional review from DVD-drive in... (George R. Reis) Shot in 16mm in Jacksonville, Florida, late director Bob Favorite proves that he can make a vampire film that stinks worse than Staten Island -- ahhhh, I mean stinks worse than Andy Milligan's vampire films, not the actual Staten Island. This rarely-seen effort tells the story of a pretty young blond who moves to Florida after a psychic tells her to go there to start a new life (I only wish it was that easy, I'd be on a plane tomorrow). She runs into an old man who invites her and three other young girls on a free tour of his ancestral mansion. The next day, the girls are invited to come back and meet his unattached nephew, whom he wants to marry off.
Turns out that the nephew is a vampire, and the screen's dullest one at that (picture Don "American Pie" McLean wearing a cape in 1972). One girl is turned into a vampire with exaggerated dime store fangs, and she must of learned how to act like one by watching "The Groovy Ghoulies" Saturday morning cartoon show. Another girl (a stuck-up photographer) is drained of blood in a gratuitous "needle" scene, and after her useless boyfriend tries to save her, they're both killed by a hideous guy who looks like half of the two-headed monster in THE MAGIC SWORD.
The blond girl is chosen as the bride and to continue the family bloodline, and she is kept prisoner by an idiot (hunchback?) with a mid-60s "British Invasion" hairdo. The vampire is killed by sunlight in a lame attempt to recreate Hammer's remarkable Dracula climaxes. Actually, the vampire's death scene resembles a ten-year-old's Super 8 remake of the end of HORROR OF Dracula. Amateurish in every way, THE BRIDES WORE BLOOD is badly shot and terribly acted, and the Florida background feels totally inappropriate here.
Retromedia has rescued this baby from almost total obscurity (unless you count the out-of-print Regal tape). Considering that this was shot in 16mm, the film source is remarkably well preserved, making for a pleasing DVD transfer. Colors sometimes look muted, and there is a fair share of grain evident, but this is due to the film's low-rent production values. The mono sound is perfectly acceptable. No trailer for the film is included (I doubt one exists), but it's introduced by Ohio TV horror host Son of Ghoul. See the Ghoul teach his dwarf friend about hygiene by shoving red toothpaste and green mouthwash down his throat! (George R. Reis) HISTORICAL INFO: here's my observations... ever October i rent ever increasingly obscure horror movies in an attempt to re-connect to my indie horror roots. my dad used to work on gore films... most notably, faces of death 4... and i remember loving moves like children shouldn't play with dead things, when i was a kid. so naturally, a low budget 70's horror titled, "brides wore blood" is gonna get my vote.
i noticed early on in the film that this movie seemed to be shot in Florida or a place that looked like Florida. a few times i even thought it might be europe, based on the marina, the characters and the mansion.
but then i saw something interesting. in the scene when the would-be protagonist, talks at a pub with the bartender, the name of the pub JUMPED out at me. the white lion pub. i've been here! and as a matter of fact... i lived in this town! this wasn't europe... this was st. augustine Florida. i also noticed that the "mansion" was in fact the historical flagler college, built by R/R tycoon henry flagler as a resort. i used to work for flagler college radio in the 90's.
from the best that i can gather, based on the clothes, the wind, etc... this movie was likely filmed during spring break 1972.
oh... and the movie? WONDERFULLY cheesy and horrible.
