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In the Theatre of the Macabre in New York, Sardu and his assistants present a show involving the torture and mutilation of young women. The audience assumes it is just an act, but the tortur... Read allIn the Theatre of the Macabre in New York, Sardu and his assistants present a show involving the torture and mutilation of young women. The audience assumes it is just an act, but the torture is real, as are the deaths.In the Theatre of the Macabre in New York, Sardu and his assistants present a show involving the torture and mutilation of young women. The audience assumes it is just an act, but the torture is real, as are the deaths.
Luis De Jesus
- Ralphus
- (as Louie de Jesus)
Ellen Faison
- Sardu's Assistant - Straight Hair
- (as Saiyanidi)
Alphonso DeNoble
- Middle Eastern White Slaver
- (as Alphonso)
Jenny Baxter
- Electrically Shocked Girl
- (as Janis Beaver)
Crystal Sync
- Caged Girl - Light Brown Hair
- (as Erica Wolfe)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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Featured reviews
Sick Gross And Absolutly Revolting I Love It!
If you enjoy a movie full of weird, sick and revolting content this is the one to watch! I absolutly love this movie. No their isnt any vampires in it (Although it does have similarities) but it is filled with sadistic, gross, torturistic images sure to satisfy any vampiristic desires..
Think of it as a sideshow of the grotesque for that is how I view it. If I had to point out the shortfalls in the movie I would say the ending although ok, could have been better and at times the content moves along rather slow but once it gets going you will love it..
In a strange way it reminds me of the "suicide club" segment in the "Nighttrain To Terror" movie.. You find yourself anticipating the next scene. Is this movie sick? Depends on the viewer and their outlook. I would say it was great grotesque entertainment..
Think of it as a sideshow of the grotesque for that is how I view it. If I had to point out the shortfalls in the movie I would say the ending although ok, could have been better and at times the content moves along rather slow but once it gets going you will love it..
In a strange way it reminds me of the "suicide club" segment in the "Nighttrain To Terror" movie.. You find yourself anticipating the next scene. Is this movie sick? Depends on the viewer and their outlook. I would say it was great grotesque entertainment..
Evil sadism wins again!
This is easily one of the most subversive, sick and demented films ever made..and badly made at that. A few of the scenes are stolen from early 1970's porno comics from Europe..as in the beheading/oral sex shot, scavenged from a really nasty little 8-pager called, "Nazi Sex." (!) If 1963 H.G.Lewis style gore and filmed-on-velveeta style direction are your joys, this is the film to seek out above all others..it's as bad as they come, and will get even jaded viewers to feel uncomfortable. I still regret renting this one, although it's good to know that any thought that is human is still available at the local video store...
There's something wrong here, even for an exploitation film
Anyone whose tastes run towards exploitation films kind of knows "the drill," the recurring themes, methodology, and clichés of the genre. We embrace them, and an exploitation film which effectively "plays the game" can get away with a multitude of since which would be unforgivable in mainstream cinema (bad acting, bad writing, bad production values, etc.).
By those standards, "Bloodsucking Freaks" should be hailed as a masterpiece of the genre, and, judging by its enduring cult popularity, it is. Still, there's something about this film which limits the viewer's ability to enjoy it for what it is, and, thus, limits itself. At first, it's hard to put one's finger on exactly what it is, but I think I've finally worked it out. Simply put, filmmaker Joel M. Reed made a film whose spirit is as mean-spirited and diabolical as what we see up on the screen.
"Bloodsucking Freaks," as often as not, plays its numerous horrors for laughs. (Indeed, Sardu and Ralphus occasionally come across as a kind of nightmarish stand-up comedy act.) The trouble is, the intention behind the humor is anything but good-natured. Any viewer with any kind of decency at all can't relate to the motivations behind what they see, and this diminishes the fun of watching this movie to a great degree. For exploitation fans, there is a fine line between brutal and unwatchable, and there are many times during which "Freaks" sinks below that line. And so while this film is an absolute must-see for fans of the genre (although how many such fans have not seen this movie?), it's not going to be one of the films in their collection which can be revisited often.
By those standards, "Bloodsucking Freaks" should be hailed as a masterpiece of the genre, and, judging by its enduring cult popularity, it is. Still, there's something about this film which limits the viewer's ability to enjoy it for what it is, and, thus, limits itself. At first, it's hard to put one's finger on exactly what it is, but I think I've finally worked it out. Simply put, filmmaker Joel M. Reed made a film whose spirit is as mean-spirited and diabolical as what we see up on the screen.
"Bloodsucking Freaks," as often as not, plays its numerous horrors for laughs. (Indeed, Sardu and Ralphus occasionally come across as a kind of nightmarish stand-up comedy act.) The trouble is, the intention behind the humor is anything but good-natured. Any viewer with any kind of decency at all can't relate to the motivations behind what they see, and this diminishes the fun of watching this movie to a great degree. For exploitation fans, there is a fine line between brutal and unwatchable, and there are many times during which "Freaks" sinks below that line. And so while this film is an absolute must-see for fans of the genre (although how many such fans have not seen this movie?), it's not going to be one of the films in their collection which can be revisited often.
Vile, But Tongue in Cheek
Bloodsucking Freaks is genuinely disgusting, but it's hard to say it's absolute trash, because it's so obvious that everything is done in a tongue in cheek way. It's as much a satire on the theatre world as it is a grimy, gory exploitation film.
The premise of the film is that the head of an experimental theatre group named Sardu is miffed that his torture stage show has been panned by a powerful critic so he kidnaps the critic, a ballet dancer, and a few other vixens and tortures them.
The entire film is absolutely ridiculous, but you'll recognize a few actors from the film Alice, Sweet Alice and the gore effects manage to be both impressive and hokey at the same time. It's not must see entertainment, but there are worse movies out there.
The premise of the film is that the head of an experimental theatre group named Sardu is miffed that his torture stage show has been panned by a powerful critic so he kidnaps the critic, a ballet dancer, and a few other vixens and tortures them.
The entire film is absolutely ridiculous, but you'll recognize a few actors from the film Alice, Sweet Alice and the gore effects manage to be both impressive and hokey at the same time. It's not must see entertainment, but there are worse movies out there.
Unforgettable
It's VERY hard to believe that it has already been four years since I first saw this film. I vividly remember the non-stop tastelessness, the pathetic attempts at humour, the frequent gore, and of course, Ralphus, who is one of the most vile characters that I have ever seen in the movies. Yet, having said all that, I liked this movie. There are some scenes that are as funny as anything that you're ever likely to see...although in a SICK way. It isn't for the squeamish or the easily offended, but if you can appreciate low-budget trash for what it is, then you'll probably find that this movie is well worth your time.
Did you know
- TriviaTroma had the film cut to gain an "R" rating, then shipped the unrated print to theaters telling them it was the R rated version. This was discovered when a woman allegedly complained after taking a very young child to see the movie. Eventually the MPAA sued Troma for improper use of the copyrighted "Rated R" logo.
- GoofsWhen Ralphus begins sawing the girl's hand off in the 'dismemberment' scene, the saw is to the inside of the shackle. When the camera view changes, the saw is to the outside of the shackle.
- Quotes
Master Sardu: Her mouth shall make an interesting urinal!
- Alternate versionsThe R-rated cut runs 84 minutes, the director's cut is also the uncut version and runs 89 minutes. Some DVDs state it is 91 minutes long, but this is an error. There never was a 91-minute version.
- ConnectionsEdited into Dying: Last Seconds of Life, Part II (1988)
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