On B List of Movie Reviews
(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)
A Bucket of Blood (1959)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
2/09
2/09:
A Bucket of Blood borders between brilliant and unique but is robbed of its greatness in the final five minutes.
In a way, it's reminiscent of The Twilight Zone with a bit of
The Little Shop of Horrors thrown in. The
personality shown by Walter Paisley (Dick Miller) is intriguing and fascinating. Antony Carbone's performance is also good.
What I love is the blend of horror with comedy which is a rare achievement, something that Alfred Hitchcock wasn't able to do
when he directed The Trouble with Harry. Other delectable elements are the atmosphere, the beatnik characters,
and the substitution of poetry for logic.
My lament about the last five minutes is the failure to run the ball to the goal line. Roger Corman just had it
when he put the attention on Carla after discovering the true figure inside the statue. It'll be similar to
Miles Bennell's reaction to Becky Driscoll's transformation during
Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Instead, the
momentum evaporates quickly and ends with an okay final shot.
All in all, A Bucket of Blood is a well-done horror/comedy picture with a great script.