"A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
#1
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"A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
A Bucket of Blood (1959) Selected by Trevor |
IMDB ENTRY
ON YOUTUBE
ALYXSTARR LINK
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These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.
The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day.
You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.
Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day.
Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.
Spoiler tags are unnecessary in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF SPOILERS.
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S P O N S O R E D B Y | S P O N S O R E D B Y |
2014 DISCUSSION THREAD | 2014 LIST THREAD
Last edited by Chad; 09-30-14 at 07:14 PM.
#2
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
I'd always dismissed A Bucket of Blood as early low budget public domain fluff but ended up having fun with it. The beatnik gags are great and Dick Miller really carries the show with his desperate needy/whiny character. Light hearted enough to be fun with a nice ironic humor and gruesome premise. The "Telltale Heart" style hallucinations at the end were fun and really made sense with the character.
Last edited by Undeadcow; 10-04-14 at 11:31 AM.
#3
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
I'd always dismissed A Bucket of Blood as early low budget public domain fluff but ended up having fun with it. The beatnik gags are great and Dick Miller really carries the show with his desperate needy/whiny character. Light hearted enough to be fun with a nice ironic humor and gruesome premise. The "Telltale Heart" style hallucinations at the end were fun and really made sense with the character.
#4
DVD Talk Legend
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
This is another title that is not streaming on Netflix but is available for free streaming if you have Amazon Prime.
#5
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
I still remain surprised that this was made in 1959. It just seems like all the dark humor seen in this would've been way too unacceptable for 50's cinema. But maybe it's because of it's indie roots that it was able to slide by the censors?
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Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
This just reminded me of an episode of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Can anyone guess which?
On another note, it's always so much worse to see a pet get killed than its owner!
On another note, it's always so much worse to see a pet get killed than its owner!
#7
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Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
Frankie the Cat does not fare as well as Rhubarb the Cat.
#8
DVD Talk Legend
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
Walter: 1 DEA: 0
I love this movie.
I love this movie.
#9
DVD Talk Legend
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
This movie does nothing for me. I seem to remember watching it for a past horror challenge but I don't remember how long ago it was. Seems it was a subset and I remember it didn't enthuse me then.
Dick Miller was 31 when he made this movie. Did the guy always look 60 years old no matter what age he was?
My rating: * out of *****
Dick Miller was 31 when he made this movie. Did the guy always look 60 years old no matter what age he was?
My rating: * out of *****
#10
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
A true classic imo. None of the characters are particularly likable, but they're all interesting. Dick Miller gives a great performance.
I wasn't sure what we were going to get in this film. It's almost more a social commentary on postmodern art than a horror film. Well scripted and nice technical work for a B grade budget.
I think I like it better than its 'sister' horror/comedies Corman did about the same time.
I wasn't sure what we were going to get in this film. It's almost more a social commentary on postmodern art than a horror film. Well scripted and nice technical work for a B grade budget.
I think I like it better than its 'sister' horror/comedies Corman did about the same time.
#11
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
It's been a couple of years since I last saw this film, but it only occurred to me this time around how much the plot seems lifted from an EC comic book. From the pulpy plot to Walter's ironic demise, the movie would have been right at home between the covers of Tales From the Crypt. Walter Paisley is almost the prototypical Crypt protagonist: a sad sack who's barely clever/unlucky enough to hatch a sinister scheme. You can practically see the thought bubbles hovering over Dick Miller's head as the poet's words echo in his mind.
I was planning on watching something else tonight, but I think I'm going to watch Chopping Mall for the Dick Miller/Walter Paisley connection.
I was planning on watching something else tonight, but I think I'm going to watch Chopping Mall for the Dick Miller/Walter Paisley connection.
#12
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
It's been a couple of years since I last saw this film, but it only occurred to me this time around how much the plot seems lifted from an EC comic book. From the pulpy plot to Walter's ironic demise, the movie would have been right at home between the covers of Tales From the Crypt. Walter Paisley is almost the prototypical Crypt protagonist: a sad sack who's barely clever/unlucky enough to hatch a sinister scheme. You can practically see the thought bubbles hovering over Dick Miller's head as the poet's words echo in his mind.
I was planning on watching something else tonight, but I think I'm going to watch Chopping Mall for the Dick Miller/Walter Paisley connection.
I was planning on watching something else tonight, but I think I'm going to watch Chopping Mall for the Dick Miller/Walter Paisley connection.
Good point on the Tales From the Crypt comic resemblance; but I get the feeling that Walter is more mentally deficient and almost innocently unaware of his horrific actions.
#13
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
It was a fun movie. Kind of dragged at the start, but I did end up enjoying it along the way. It's a short movie, as well, which is always a plus. Something I would probably watch again because of the length and some of the laughs it brought (especially the hand jesters).
#14
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
About EC Comics and Walter's deficiencies: It's funny, but I almost feel that in a different draft of the script, the cafe owner could have been the protagonist. He would also have made an ideal lead in a Crypt tale. Greedy and scheming, he's willing to let a simpleton murder several people in order to turn a fast buck. One major failing of the film is that it lets the cafe owner off the hook for his culpability in Walter's murders. All he has to do is pick up the phone, but the promise of a huge payday is too great a temptation. Fear of being killed may play a factor, but I do feel that money is the larger motive.
#15
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: "A Bucket of Blood" Reviews/Discussion - 2014 Horror Challenge: Day 9
Did anyone see the remake from the mid-90s that debuted on Showtime? It was released on VHS under the title The Death Artist and starred Anthony Michael Hall in the Dick Miller role and Justine Bateman in the Barboura Morris role. It wasn't bad.