Clearly gunning for Night Of The Living Deads closed-in, apocalyptic feel (the protagonists even head into the cellar during the climax) and playing off the then-recent Charles Manson slayings, I Drink Your Blood isnt always on the money but still delivers a rousing sleazefest with the colour photography and brisk pacing that George Romeros movie lacked. Critically, though, Romero had better actors, a killer pay-off and, in particular, a more credible set up. When a local girl is assaulted, blame falls on a group of hippies who call themselves the sons and daughters of Satan. After deciding to take the law into his own hands, an old man is doped with that stuff they call LSD, beaten and thrown out, which only angers his grandson. Taking blood from a rabid dogs corpse, the young fella sneaks into the local bakery, injects some fresh-baked pastries and hawks them to the family members, who immediately tool up with knives and axes for a foaming-at-the-mouth rampage. Among the manifestations of rabies are, of course, the sudden and uncontrollable urge to hack up strangers with an electric carving knife, as well as a pathological fear of water, leading to some amusing scenes of the infected being repelled simply by being splashed. Do you realize what youve done? asks one horrified character. Yes, the grandson replies, but I hope you wont tell grandpa.
Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'
