Honourable Mention: Bloodstream

Bloodstream is up there with the most obscure of 80s straight to video films, which tries to offer a wry look at straight to video horror film but trips over its own budget limitations. It was directed by Michael J. Murphy and released in 1985 but the challenge would be to find the film and – to be honest – I can’t recall how I managed to stumble over it.

But stumble over it I did, and watched a film that followed Alistair (Patrick Olliver) a man who has directed a movie entitled Bloodstream. As the film begins we watch his film and the reactions of the producer. The producer, King, hates it – or so he says – and points out that the contract he has says that if he is unhappy with production – at any time – he may render the contract null and void. This he does at this late point.

sucked by death poster

Once Alistair has left he declares the film a winner that will make him a fortune. Alistair was not paid but the contract gave him a profit share. That is now null and void and King has promised he won’t work again. As the film progresses, King’s secretary, Nikki (Jacqueline Logan) tries to help Alistair but that help transforms itself into a plot to kill all those closest to King and frame the man. To acclimatise Alistair he watches videos.

female vampire

And this is where the honourable mention comes in, not only is there a poster in King’s office for the vampire film Sucked by Death – and don’t we just wish that had really been made – but one of the films that Alistair watches is a vampire film. As well as that there is a slasher, a possession film, a witchcraft film (that transposes into one of his anxiety dreams), a zombie movie and a werewolf film – amongst others.

reacting to the cross

The vampire film has a male and female vampire in it and they are both stereotypical. He wears an evening suit and cape, she wears a cleavage revealing dress and has long dark hair. He is warded by a crucifix. It is all typical stuff and it is a film within another film, but it is there. The fangs are bad, but no worse than other effects in the film and there is little else to say.

At the time of article there is no IMDb page.