Two guys looking for a little action, visit a bordello, only to learn that it is run by a clan of bloodthirsty vampires. When the boys don’t return from their night out, a private investigator is hired to ensure their safe return. The PI quickly learns that there are shady dealings taking place at the Bordello of Blood.
Bordello of Blood is more than a little bizarre. It’s a lot bizarre. The idea of a televangelist employing a brothel to kill sinners for ‘The Lord’ is every bit as far-fetched as it sounds. The first time I saw the film, I was almost on board until that connection was revealed. It’s an imaginative premise an on paper, it almost sounds like it could work but in reality, it really does not work very well. It’s over-the-top and eventually digresses into complete silliness.
This film is definitely form over function. We get superb practical effects but the plot is silly, the performances cheesy, and the acting questionable at best. However, as a distraction to put on in the background while doing something else, you could do much worse.
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One of the things that does work about this movie–for the most part–is the cast. Chris Sarandon (Fright Night) is a welcome site and a smart casting choice but his scenery chewing is a bit too much, even for those that enjoy that kind of thing. I usually enjoy a bit of overacting but it’s too much, even for me. It’s nice to see Corey Feldman in one of his few mainstream adult roles. However, his entire post-conversion performance is completely silly and misguided. Dennis Miller is about as likable as Dennis Miller gets. I’ve never been a big fan but he is bearable here and perhaps easier to swallow than he’s been in a lot of other things.
Where it starts to lose me is in the second act. The pacing is a little bit off. Things start off well enough and it ends with a fast-paced finale but it meanders too much in the second act. The middle is a little exposition heavy and suffers from a lack of anything significant going on.
People usually think of this as the worst Tales from the Crypt property and I can’t say that I necessarily disagree. It pales in comparison to Demon Knight and both the Tales from the Crypt feature film and series had more cohesive stories than the one contained within this feature.
As is usually the case with Scream Factory, the big standout here is the array of special features included on the disc. In addition to a commentary track, you also get interviews with various cast members as well as effects wizard Todd Masters. There is also a neat featurette, the original hime video promo, and more included. The transfer won’t blow your mind but it’s more than sufficient and without any notable flaws. The audio track is also quite crisp. The featurette is brutally honest. It dives right into the troubled production and gives a warts-and-all look at exactly what went wrong.
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Ultimately, if you haven’t seen this one, Demon Knight is probably a better introduction to Tales from the Crypt. But you could definitely do worse in the grand scheme of things. Bordello of Blood is available on Blu-ray via Scream Factory today (October 20, 2015).
WICKED RATING: [usr 4]
Director(s): Gilbert Adler
Writer(s): Bob Gale, Robert Zemeckis, A L Katz, and Gilbert Adler
Stars: Dennis Miller, Angie Eberhart, Corey Feldman
Release: October 20, 2015 Blu-ray
Studio/ Production Co: Scream Factory
Budget: $13 Million
Language: English
Length: 87 Minutes
Sub-Genre: Horror Comedy
