I DRINK YOUR BLOOD (1970)
Article #1543 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 6-5-2005
Posting Date: 11-2-2005
Directed by David E. Durston
Featuring Bhaskar roy Chowdhury, Jadine Wong, Rhonda Fultz

When a gang of Satanist hippies rapes a girl and force-feeds LSD to an elderly man, a young boy seeks revenge on them by injecting their meat pies with rabies. The hippies go crazy and embark on a killing spree.

“2 Great Blood-Horrors to Rip Out Your Guts!” screamed the adds when the double feature I DRINK YOUR BLOOD / I EAT YOUR SKIN made its way around the drive-in circuit. I’ve already covered the second feature, a lame zombie flick that certainly didn’t threaten your guts in any way. This one comes a lot closer to the type of movie that would be expected by those who were attracted by the promotional phrase. I think the gorehounds would probably be satisfied, though I’m not sure; the DVD claims that this is the uncut director’s version, which had to be cut to receive an ‘R’ rating, so how much of what I saw was actually seen by audiences back then, I don’t know. In it’s present form, it’s a bloody piece of nastiness, somewhat effective, and it hints somewhat at later movies such as LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and the works of David Cronenberg (particularly RABID). Ultimately, however, it’s a variation on NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. I’ve also heard it said that the movie might be a comedy, though that’s hard to say; the movie is extremely silly at times and has some laughable dialogue and acting, but I suspect any comedy is unintentional. Animal lovers will surely want to keep away; I suspect some of the scenes involve the real slaughter of animals.

I EAT YOUR SKIN (1964)
(a.k.a. ZOMBIES/VOODOO BLOOD BATH)
Article #946 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 10-17-2003
Posting Date: 3-15-2004
Directed by Del Tenney
Featuring William Joyce, Heather Hewitt, Betty Hyatt Linton

A writer, his boss, and his boss’s wife land on a Caribbean island to get a story, and encounter a scientist and zombies.

When producer Jerry Gross decided he needed a companion movie for his gory thriller I DRINK YOUR BLOOD (it sounds like it should be about vampires, and it’s actually about rabid hippies), he dredged up this Del (HORROR OF PARTY BEACH) Tenney movie and slapped its new title on it (it sounds like it should be about cannibals, and it’s about crusty zombies). This title is more exploitable, but inaccurate; no flesh-eating goes on in this movie. It’s a tad livelier than it might have been, thanks to an energetic soundtrack, but it doesn’t really cover up the fact that the dialogue is awful, the plot is hackneyed, and the acting is at a fairly low level. Those looking for some of the gore of HORROR OF PARTY BEACH will be disappointed; except for an unexpected decapitation, it’s a pretty bloodless affair.

It’s a strange movie in some ways; it seems to be somewhat influenced by the James Bond movies, as the hero surrounds himself with beautiful women and recites passages from his books (they’re supposed to be adventure stories, but the adventures never seem to leave the bedroom). In fact, the opening leads you to believe this is a comedy, but the comedy element vanishes once they reach the island.

Incidentally, the writer’s boss’s wife is played by Betty Hyatt Linton. It’s her only screen role, and once she opens her mouth, you can hear why; she has one of those voices that is guaranteed to cause migraines.