Plot Synopsis: When an elderly heiress of a bay is murdered, people flock to the scene in hopes of inheriting the property. Some have more dubious ways of attaining it, as a murder spree commences.
Matt Stetler
Why is it, when some old countess kicks the bucket (or murdered in this case), anyone who will financially benefit from said death gets a super case of bloodlust? Thus is the question that Mario Bava’s Bay of Blood addresses. Horror films of the early 70’s, especially foreign ones, can sometimes come off cheesy and ineffective, but Bava’s solid track record made me want to wade in this one’s waters.
Bay of Blood has been labeled the “Grandfather of the slasher” by many a fan of the horror genre. It’s easy to see why when viewing it, as many things we slasher fans hold dear (skinny dipping, the killer’s point of view camera shots, etc) are here on full display. For fans of the Friday the 13th franchise, be sure to look for two kills that will look very similar to two that were used in the 2nd installment. Bava doesn’t hold back, and for a film released in 1971, it’s quite graphic. Some pretty grisly deaths await and some equally impressive effects (for 1971) to match. Don’t get to excited though, as your patience will be tested at times early on in Bay of Blood.
As stated above, the film starts off with a woman of wealth being murdered for her money. Then you’ll sit through about 25 minutes off padding, in which Bava somewhat introduces us to our killer. I feared the movie wouldn’t rebound from this, but it did. Once the main players are introduce to us, the fun starts. Lots of carnage, lots of blood and lots of terrible 70’s clothes and hairstyles.
The use of music, especially after some of the more “red”scenes, is just great. Bava takes beautifully orchestrated music and pairs it up with some of the more brutal parts of the film. It’s offsetting and wonderful all at the same time. The ending is also just great and it comes from out of nowhere, which is good thing but also bad because of the execution of it. All in all, as a fan of early 80’s slashers, I did enjoy Bay of Blood. It’s like a cinematic history lesson of sorts…with lots of blood and nudity.
Why you should you put it in your queue: If you’re a fan of slashers, it’s worth watching to see “how it all began.” It’s like getting into a band on their 2nd or 3rd album, then going back and checking out their first one to see how they sounded when they first came out.
Why you shouldn’t put it in your queue: The story is weak and is something you’ve seen before and probably have seen done better. It also plays out more like a “resume” of sorts for the effects department, showing off their blood and gore talents through a flimsy murder for inheritance storyline.
Justin Oberholtzer
If you’re a fan of slashers like I am, you owe it to yourself to see Mario Bava’s influential 1971 hit! It’s the inspiration for “Friday the 13th” and dozens of slashers that followed, mostly in the setting and murder departments. The campground setting became synonymous with the subgenre, as did the drunken teens that make an appearance here. They got amplified as time went on, as they’re only side characters in this outing.
As for the kills, one in particular was lifted for “Friday the 13th Part 2”. The spear through the gut of a couple making love, which is one of the most popular in the series, occurred first in this splatterfest. Even machetes & hacksaws being dug into faces and body parts could be argued to be uprooted from this film. The major difference is the blood on hand here resembles the red paint quality from giallos more than it does the dark, blood red from slashers.
As for the story, it’s not as simple as most slashers. The stake of a bay is up for grabs, bringing out the worst in people. Some want to obtain it to preserve it’s habitat (such as the bug freak & his gypsy-like wife), while others want to convert it into a resort. This does lend itself to some social commentary, but I feel Bava dropped the ball a little bit in this department. It becomes a bit of a hot mess towards the end.
Bava brings his notable eye for scenery to the table once again, capturing many picaresque shots of the bay. He even has one of the teenagers go skinny dipping (another popular trait of the slasher genre), that way we get both the beauty of nature and the human body. All before it gets hacked to pieces, that is.
If you’re not a fan of slashers, I’d avoid “Bay of Blood”. While it has more of a story to it, I don’t think it’ll be engaging enough to sustain your interest. It will be if you dig these kinds of films, as it does a fine job of carrying the material. This may not be Bava’s strongest (that still remains to be “Black Sunday”), but it’s an entertaining entry into his filmography.
Why Should You Put This In Your Queue? It’s a precursor to the slasher boom and a pretty strong one at that. Many inventive kills, pretty cinematography and a decent enough story to move the pace along. Also, as strange as the ending is, it works because of it’s dark humor.
Why Shouldn’t You Put This In Your Queue? It does drag in spots, especially when it loses control near the back half. If you’re not into slashers, this won’t do much for you. Some of the post-production dubbing is lousy.