Blood River

[Sam@Cult Labs]

BLOOD RIVER
On DVD 19.07.2010




“INTENSE, VIOLENT AND THOROUGHLY THRILLING.”

QUIET EARTH

The winner of the Breakthrough Performance Award (Andrew Howard) and the Film Competition Award for Best Cinematography (Stuart Brereton) at the 2009 New York VisionFest as well as the Jury Prize for Best Actor (Andrew Howard) at the 2009 Honolulu International Film Festival, Blood River is a tense, psychological thriller that recalls the atmosphere and unnerving terrors of ‘The Hitcher’, ‘Dust Devil’, ‘Wolf Creek’ and ‘Kalifornia’.

Directed by Adam Mason (Isle Of Dogs; Broken; The Devil’s Chair) and co-written by Mason and Simon Boyes (Broken; The Devil’s Chair), the film stars Andrew Howard (I Spit On Your Grave; Pig; The Devil’s Chair), Tess Panzer (Pumpkinhead: Ashes To Ashes) and Ian Duncan (Fix; Creep) in a twisted, nerve-shredding exploration of the collapse of a young couple’s seemingly perfect relationship following their chance encounter with a mysterious drifter on a remote desert highway.

After a blown out tyre results in a near-fatal car crash in the middle of the Nevada desert, newlyweds Clark (Duncan) and his pregnant wife Summer (Panzer) are shocked to discover they have no spare in the trunk and so are forced to walk to the nearest town, Blood River, to find help. Shortly arriving at what has obviously become a long-deserted ghost town, they are greeted by the arrival of a lone drifter, Joseph (Howard), who himself has become stranded by his car running out of gas several miles down the road. Joseph offers his assistance to the couple, suggesting he and Clark walk to the next nearest town together. But tensions soon begin to mount between all three individuals as the two men embark on a series of mind games with each other, placing Clark’s life in danger and leaving Summer vulnerable to the mysterious stranger’s sinister schemes.

Hailed as “a tight-knuckled and disconcertingly handsome thriller” by Fearnet.com, Blood River is an intelligent, thought-provoking and disquieting journey into the darkest corners of the human soul.

Blood River (cert. 15)

will be released on DVD (£12.99)

by Revolver Entertainment

on 19th July 2010.

Hyperlinked Blog Version

[Sam@Cult Labs]

Some upbeat reviews:

DREAD CENTRAL

"an emotionally draining slice of cinema" 4.5/5


TWITCH FILM

"Blood River is an immediately striking visual piece of work."


BLOODY DISGUSTING

"...a genre-blending mind-f*ck" 8/10

[Daemonia]

So, basically, they've nicked the premise of Hitch Hike...?

I'm sure it's a good, well made film - but it doesn't look very original to me. Still, I'll no doubt pick it up for a look. I'm sure it'll be highly entertaining nevertheless.

[vipco]

Your right Daemonia, it does sound familiar , but i'll probably pick this up as well.

[Sam@Cult Labs]

I'm watching a screener today. Online buzz about the movie is that it transcends it's low budget origins thanks to tight directing, a lean script and a strong cast. Much has been made of how slick the whole affair is considering the lowly financing.

The problem with a lot of Indie horror is that it goes done the psycho-thriller route as that requires little in the way of make-up or SFX. Many of these films then make up the lack of visual sensation with sadism, misogyny and mental torture. The problem with this is that in the hands of a hack filmmaker or cynical producer, such content becomes an exercise in offence, endurance and controversy. Without a good script, good ideas and a careful hand, you end with a glut of really rank movies with unsavory underlying themes.

Blood River is not the above apparently and according to reviews I've read, handles the psycho-drama with real skill.

[Splatterdragon73]

Originally Posted by Daemonia

I'm sure it's a good, well made film - but it doesn't look very original to me. Still, I'll no doubt pick it up for a look. I'm sure it'll be highly entertaining nevertheless.

I agree. BR certainly looks visually impressive but that's about it imo. So i can wait until the DVD comes down in price before buying a copy.

[Sam@Cult Labs]

New Blood River Stills and Links:

CULT LABS BLOG

[wayfarer]

If it's anything like Wolf Creek or Switchblade Romance, it'll be worth a look. I haven't got a review disc though.

[Sam@Cult Labs]

This weeks Blood River promo blog:

THE FILMS OF ADAM MASON

[Sam@Cult Labs]

Blood River is out tommorow on DVD

Click Here to read a couple of fine reviews and there's a competition link for anyone who wants to try for a freebie.