Coming Soon
BLOOD BEAT
1982
Director
Fabrice A. Zaphiratos
Starring
Helen Benton
Terry Brown
Dana Day
James Fitzgibbons
Runtime
86 min.
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"One of the weirdest things I have ever seen." - Matt Lynch
"Borderline avant-garde. Plays by it's own rules. Doesn't give a shit." - Scumbalina
Sarah and her boyfriend Ted have decided to spend Christmas with Ted's mother at her home in rural Wisconsin. Upon arriving, a mysterious figure garbed in a samurai outfit begins murdering the townsfolk, eventually setting his sights on Sarah, Ted, and his family! A co-production between France and Wisconsin, BLOOD BEAT is a supernatural slasher like no other. Director Fabrice A. Zaphiratos applies an arthouse aesthetic to American regional cinema stylings, resulting in a dreamy and haunting atmosphere that compliments the bloodletting and outrageous twists. Barely released on video in the U.S., this one-of-a-kind seasonal horror movie has been restored in 2K from its original 35mm negative and screens thanks to the heroic efforts of American Genre Film Archive.
"BLOOD BEAT feels like a Constructivist photomontage. Everything settles at disparate angles, but the more you examine it, the more appropriate it seems. Unlike a majority of obscure 80s trash, this film doesn’t force us to rely solely on humorous details for satisfaction. It’s not FATAL GAMES or TWISTED NIGHTMARE. Obviously, there are unintentionally comedic elements. But there’s more going on. BLOOD BEAT's baffling lineage (shot in Hyde, Wisconsin, edited in Paris) aligns with its baffling logic. And that makes it attractive, more as an 'experience' than a narrative film. In addition to the cryptic plot points and sexual absurdity, the film is immersed in artsy techniques. Duotone negatives. Unexplained slow motion. Music that sounds like a midnight jam session featuring a Moog, a stick hitting a fence, and a string quartet. The landscapes are cold and ugly, just like the sex. All of this keeps us at arm's-length, but never pushes us away completely. We want to see what happens next, even if it makes no sense. And there’s a power in that, too. Never underestimate the power of a Samurai-induced orgasm." - Joseph Ziemba, Bleeding Skull
"Borderline avant-garde. Plays by it's own rules. Doesn't give a shit." - Scumbalina
Sarah and her boyfriend Ted have decided to spend Christmas with Ted's mother at her home in rural Wisconsin. Upon arriving, a mysterious figure garbed in a samurai outfit begins murdering the townsfolk, eventually setting his sights on Sarah, Ted, and his family! A co-production between France and Wisconsin, BLOOD BEAT is a supernatural slasher like no other. Director Fabrice A. Zaphiratos applies an arthouse aesthetic to American regional cinema stylings, resulting in a dreamy and haunting atmosphere that compliments the bloodletting and outrageous twists. Barely released on video in the U.S., this one-of-a-kind seasonal horror movie has been restored in 2K from its original 35mm negative and screens thanks to the heroic efforts of American Genre Film Archive.
"BLOOD BEAT feels like a Constructivist photomontage. Everything settles at disparate angles, but the more you examine it, the more appropriate it seems. Unlike a majority of obscure 80s trash, this film doesn’t force us to rely solely on humorous details for satisfaction. It’s not FATAL GAMES or TWISTED NIGHTMARE. Obviously, there are unintentionally comedic elements. But there’s more going on. BLOOD BEAT's baffling lineage (shot in Hyde, Wisconsin, edited in Paris) aligns with its baffling logic. And that makes it attractive, more as an 'experience' than a narrative film. In addition to the cryptic plot points and sexual absurdity, the film is immersed in artsy techniques. Duotone negatives. Unexplained slow motion. Music that sounds like a midnight jam session featuring a Moog, a stick hitting a fence, and a string quartet. The landscapes are cold and ugly, just like the sex. All of this keeps us at arm's-length, but never pushes us away completely. We want to see what happens next, even if it makes no sense. And there’s a power in that, too. Never underestimate the power of a Samurai-induced orgasm." - Joseph Ziemba, Bleeding Skull