A Bay of Blood

This week I watched:

A Bay of Blood (1971)

aka. Twitch of the Death Nerve, this movie by legendary Italian director Mario Bava is one of the major prototypes for the Slasher genre.

The story takes place in the eponymous bay, a lovely quiet place with small but cozy villas. It is owned by Countess Donati who is promptly murdered which sets off a long, and I do mean long string of murders. In an almost Agatha Christie like fashion, all the characters have motives for the killings, at least until they themselves get killed. If you wonder why I didn't include a spoiler warning, it's very simple. This isn't really a whodunit. The identity of a killer or killers is only a minor part of the plot itself. Or as much of a plot this movie even has. The rest is pretty much murders. When I say that it is a prototype for the Slasher genre, I'm not joking.

Some claim the Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) is the father of the Slashers, but I'd say Psycho is the grandfather and A Bay of Blood is the father. Ultimately you will have to make up your own mind on the subject, since there isn't really a right answer.

As I watched it, it struck me that some of the kills wouldn't look out of place in a Friday 13^th movie (Jason with the hockey mask), and it turns out that one of the kills in the first Friday 13^th and one in Friday 13^th Part Two are in homage to A Bay of Blood.

Despite the plethora of murders, there is very little blood. Some yes, but considering the amount of graphic killings, I expected more of the red stuff, so if you are a little bit sensitive, no need to worry too much. I suppose there may exist a gorier cut of the movie, but the one I watched was quite tame.

Mario Bava directed the movie as well as being the co-author and the films cinematographer due to an extremely low budget of $500.000. Most was shot in and on locations owned by Bava or other crew members. Instead of a real camera dolly used to get smooth shots, Bava used a child's wagon. Other tricks included setting up branches for the camera to move through in order to make the area seems forested. All in all, it is a bit of a case study in how to work within a small budget. Many filmmakers could learn a thing or two...

Beyond the lovely cinematography, the movie is fine. Actors, music etc. are all fine, nothing to complain about. Interestingly, Dario Argento loved the movies so much he got a friend who worked at a cinema to steal it for him, but legendary horror icon Christopher Lee left the theater in disgust.

That is about all I can say without going into detail, and if you want that, you have to watch it yourself. Do I recommend this movie? Yes. It was actually a pretty good movie, despite its simple premise. Part giallo, part slasher, Bava leaned on his experience in horror cinema to produce a surprisingly good film. Not for the squeamish, but anyone who is looking for a gruesome and fun experience should enjoy it.

That is that and all that. Join me again next time, and until then, have a great and safe week!