BLOODSUCKERS FROM OUTER SPACE

The Horror Drunx DVD review

by EL VAMPIRO

I have always been a big fan of regional Horror movies. Always. Some of the best little nuggets in Horror have always come from outside the mainstream of Hollywood because they are made by outsiders that don’t follow the tends. Maybe because they are geographically challenged and are largely left to their own devices, but many of the most creatively original films just seem to come from regional film makers, so I’ve always been their biggest cheer leader.

These people usually don’t have financial backers and have socked their own life savings into these movies, so they HAVE to make a return on their investment. For that reason, they usually fall back on the old American standby of making them good... Or at least entertainingly exploitive.

Without them, we wouldn’t have such varied titles as NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, THE BLOB, CARNIVAL OF SOULS, THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH, THE WACKY WORLD OF MORGUS, THE MILPITAS MONSTER, CHILDREN SHOULDN’T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS, THE EVIL DEAD, CRIMINALLY INSANE and countless others. Sure some of them are better or more well known than others, but darn it and trust me on this, every single one of them has their own unique regional charm that you just can’t find anywhere else.

And for the obvious reason when you see the actors, who are strangers to you, dying or fighting for their lives, it grabs you in a way that is much more realistic than seeing that guy or girl who is making a movie on the hiatus from their television series.

All that said, BLOODSUCKERS FROM OUTER SPACE certainly falls into that category. There is not a damn person on the face of the earth that you ever heard of in this thing. Well, unless you know who Pat Paulson is. He was a guest comedian on the 1960's show THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS, who does a cameo in this movie, but most people born after 1973 wouldn’t remember that. Well, and then there is another character actor in this film named Dennis Letts, but most people wouldn’t recognize him either.

Made in 1984 during the zombie craze of the mid 80's... Oops, I guess that it wasn’t that original of an idea at the time either... But then again, it was released and did some similar things (some of them major plot points) a year before RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985) covered the same territory. I will give it that. See what I mean about those regional film makers?

Without giving away any spoilers (gee, I hate those, don’t you?) the story concerns some sort of invisible alien organism that floats to earth and is blown on the wind. When inhaled by humans they start hemorrhaging and turn into zombie flesh eaters. There is also a couple of gory limb removing zombie kung fu fighting scenes in this film too, if you are a fan of that sort of thing and I know I am. And did I mention that there is a fair share of comedy in this one too?

Anyways...

I’d been hearing rumors about this cult film for years, but never had the chance to see it. This movie was made in and around the cities of Arlington, Hamilton, Hasse, and Dallas Texas area by writer / director / actor Glen Coburn and I’m pretty sure that it didn’t play too many places outside of the south and the mid-west. As is the way with these kinds of films, there is usually only a few prints and they are self distributed. I’d almost forgotten about it, when I suddenly heard that there was a 24th Anniversary restored edition with some extras coming out. "Cool!" thought I, and the next thing I knew somehow a screener copy showed up for me to review and keep!

The only down-side was that when it showed up it was autographed for Sid Terror, so I guess I should give it to him when I’m done with it. Darn that popular guy.

So, as for my review? BLOODSUCKERS FROM OUTER SPACE was low budget horror fun and I got a few laughs out of it. Not great, but a good little party film that I think most people would enjoy.

Overall on the SIX-PACK-O-METER: I’d rate it 2 and a half beers out of a six-pack.

Not bad, not great, but it quenches your thirst if you’re in the mood for some zombie kung fu, naked people hemorrhaging in the shower, gut munching, that dude just got his head cut off with a chainsaw and he’s still moving fun that you probably haven’t had before.

"My name is Vampiro and I am a Horror Drunx and so am I and me too."

EL VAMPIRO

Parts Unknown, Transylvania

October 1, 2008