Hemisphere Box of Horrors
The Blood Drinkers
Five years after TERROR IS A MAN became the first international horror hit from the Philippines, producer Cirio Santiago (THE BIG BIRD CAGE) and director Gerry de Leon (BRIDES OF BLOOD) delivered Hemisphere’s next landmark shocker: Ronald Remy (MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND) – in a performance Critic After Dark calls “perhaps the most compelling incarnation since Christopher Lee” – stars in this orgy of gothic terror and Filipino pulp, complete with rubber bats, hunchback henchmen, theremin, whippings, rampant Catholicism and radical color tinting that remains unnerving more than half a century later. Amalia Fuentes (CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES) co-stars in “one of the more unusual vampire movies you’ll ever see” (DVD Drive-In) – also known as BLOOD IS THE COLOR OF NIGHT and VAMPIRE PEOPLE – now scanned from the only complete 35mm print known to exist.
Special Features:
- Manong of the Philippines: Interview With Script Supervisor and Gerry De Leon’s AD Dik Trofeo
- Hemisphere Appreciation by Filmmaker David Decoteau
- Audio Commentary With Film Historians Nathaniel Thompson and Howard S. Berger
- Partial Audio Commentary With Hemisphere Marketing Consultant Samuel M. Sherman
- Deleted Scenes
- Blood Drinkers Trailer
- Vampire People Trailer
- Radio Spot
Curse of the Vampires
In this pseudo-sequel to his masterpiece THE BLOOD DRINKERS, director Gerry de Leon (TERROR IS A MAN, BRIDES OF BLOOD) delves even deeper into themes of lust, guilt, faith and redemption within an aristocratic family cursed by vampirism. But this time, he adds rich gothic dollops of torture, incest, carnal depravity and blackface that “oozes sexual menace, brims with potent cultural metaphors and makes for unusually hypnotic viewing” (Senses Of Cinema). Amalia Fuentes (THE BLOOD DRINKERS) and Eddie Garcia (BEAST OF BLOOD) star in this “artfully executed vampire chiller” (Blu-ray.com) – also released as WHISPER TO THE WIND, BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRES and CREATURES OF EVIL – from “The Father of Philippine Horror” (DVD Drive-In) and now scanned in 2k from the only surviving film elements.
Special Features:
- Cursed Vampire: Interview With Actor Eddie Garcia
- The Market Of Hemisphere: Interview With Marketing Consultant Samuel M. Sherman
- Audio Commentary With Philippine Genre Documentarian Andrew Leavold
- Partial Audio Commentary with Sam Sherman
- Deleted Scenes
- Trailer 1
- Trailer 2
- Beast of Blood / Curse of the Vampires radio spot
Brain of Blood
By 1971, drive-ins across America were clamoring for a new BLOOD ISLAND movie. But with de Leon/Romero busy creating the ‘machete maidens’ genre, Hemisphere instead turned to writer/producer/distributor Sam Sherman (SATAN’S SADISTS) and director Al Adamson (BLOOD OF DRACULA’S CASTLE) to deliver a comparable saga of gruesome shocks and mad doctor mayhem. The result – the only Hemisphere production to be shot outside the Philippines – remains the insane epitome of low-budget ‘70s horror and one of Adamson’s most infamous epics. Kent Taylor (BRIDES OF BLOOD), Grant Williams (THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN), Regina Carrol (ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN), John Bloom (THE INCREDIBLE 2 HEADED TRANSPLANT), Angelo Rossitto (FREAKS) and Zandor Vorkov (DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN) star in this “great bloody film” (Grindhouse Database) – also known as THE CREATURE’S REVENGE and THE OOZING SKULL – now featuring a new 2k CRI scan.
Special Features:
- Memories Of Blood: Interviews With Director Al Adamson, Producer Samuel M. Sherman, Associate Producer J. P. Spohn, Actor Zandor Vorkov, Actor Sean Graver, and Filmmaker Fred Olen Ray
- Partial Audio Commentary With Producer / Co-Writer Samuel M. Sherman
- Trailer
- Radio Spot
BOX EXCLUSIVE BLU-RAY: The Black Cat/The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism
When it came to acquiring outside product for their drive-in/grindhouse packages, Hemisphere Pictures aimed straight for the brutal and bizarre: THE BLACK CAT – double-billed with THE BLOOD DRINKERS – is “Poe’s immortal classic of horror and hate!” made in Dallas by the writer/producer of THE TRIAL OF LEE HARVEY OSWALD, the editor of MUDHONEY and the cinematographer of FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL!, complete with feline mutilation, axe murders and go-go dancers. TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR. SADISM – released with MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND as BLOOD DEMON – is a lush yet grisly West German hybrid of Corman, Hammer and Bava starring former Tarzan Lex Barker, Bond Girl/Hitchcock starlet Karin Dor (YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, TOPAZ) and Christopher Lee. Both films are newly transferred – CAT in 4k, DR. SADISM in 2k – from the best quality prints available.
Special Features:
- Blood Demon Trailer
- Black Cat Trailer