Blood Harvest (film) explained

Blood Harvest
Director:Bill Rebane
Producer:Leszek Burzynski
Screenplay:Ben Benson
Emil Joseph
Story:Chris Vaalar
William Arthur
Starring:
  • Itonia Salchek
  • Lori Minnetti
Music:George Daugherty
Cinematography:Bill Rebane
Editing:Teddy Darvas
Studio:Shooting Ranch
Distributor:Cinema Group
Runtime:88 minutes
Country:United States
Language:English

Blood Harvest is a 1987 American slasher film directed by Bill Rebane, and starring Tiny Tim, Itonia Salochek and Lori Minnetti.[1] Peter Krause appears in his first feature film role.

Plot

Jill Robinson, visiting home from college, arrives to find her parents missing and their home vandalized. Her father, a banker, has become a pariah in the rural community for foreclosing on local farms. Matters soon take a turn for the worse when Jill finds herself being stalked, and her friends disappearing one by one. With only her childhood friend and former lover, Gary, and his mentally unstable brother, Mervo, Jill fears for her life.

Cast

Production

Alternate titles include "Nightmare" and "The Marvelous Mervo". Blood Harvest was filmed in three Wisconsin locations: Gleason, Irma and Merrill.

Release

Blood Harvest was released on January 1, 1987.

Home media

A Blu-ray version featuring a new 4k scan of the original 16mm camera negative was released by Vinegar Syndrome in October 2018. The first 1,500 copies featured a limited edition slipcover. Special features on the Blu-ray include:[2]

Reception and legacy

Allmovie called Blood Harvest "an obvious stab at a piece of the dwindling slasher market shot on cheap, grainy stock with a small, amateur cast", writing that "those who appreciate Tiny Tim for his astonishing vocal range and vast repertoire of turn-of-the-century Tin Pan Alley songs will feel depressed watching him debase himself", but that "others might find enjoyment in a particularly wretched slasher fiasco that should provide derisive yucks for genre fans.[3]

Squanch Games licensed the film to be used in their 2022 video game High on Life. The opening scene can be seen on the TV in the main character's living room after defeating the first three bounties.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Gilpatrick, Kristin . Famous Wisconsin film stars. Badger Books Inc. Inc.. 2002. 251. 978-1-878569-86-8.
  2. Web site: Blood Harvest Blu-ray/DVD . Vinegar Syndrome . 29 April 2022.
  3. Web site: Blood Harvest (1987) . Fred Beldin . . 22 June 2012.
  4. Web site: 2022-12-13 . What Movie is Playing in the Living Room in High on Life? . 2022-12-14 . Gamer Journalist . en.