Bloody Birthday (1981)
Studio: Severin/CAV
Theatrical Release: April 28, 1981
DVD Release: June 28, 2011
Director: Ed Hunt
R
Review by James Klein
Advocators of political correctness please be advised: Bloody Birthday is not for you. Overly protective and sensitive parents be advised: Bloody Birthday is not for you. Fans of good old fashioned 80's horror with killer kids running amok, killing everyone that pisses them off be advised: Bloody Birthday is for you.
The hokey and ridiculous plot is about three children born at the same time and at the same hospital in 1970 during a solar eclipse. These children are all born without "feelings" and as they get older they hang out together, plotting several accidentally deaths on the towns folk for no other reason but evilness. The children (Debbie, Curtis, and Steven) seem to have their focus set on Timmy, who happened to see that they had just got done killing Debbie's father who happens to be the sheriff. With the help of Timmy's older sister Joyce, they must band together and stop these murderous little tykes before it is too late.
While the movie was cheaply made with some inconsistencies in both plot and characterization (why does Debbie's Mom suddenly take her daughter away? Why does Debbie charge her emotionless friends .25 cents to watch her older sister get naked?)) Bloody Birthday is so much fun. Right from the very opening we get two teenagers making out with constant cutaway close ups of the woman's natural boobers. There can be no other reason for these cutaways other than director Ed Hunt loves tits. The teens instantly get killed off via shovel and rope. While the sheriff investigates, Debbie and her friend's quickly kill off the sheriff within the next 10 minutes with a baseball bat. One can't help but laugh when we see a little kid grinning as he's smashing in someone's skull with a Louisville Slugger. I also loved Curtis's sadistic smile every time he points a gun at someone.
Bloody Birthday is never dull and while I would have loved to have seen more graphic violence, the low budget made up for it in the nudity department. Yep, plenty of natural REAL titties flop about constantly and for no reason, making it all the more insanely pleasurable. The film is also casted very well and the children are all great in their roles. There are also plenty of genre names in various small parts like Susan Strasberg as a teacher who gets shot and Jose Ferrer as the doctor who brought the children into the world. Joe Penny, Julie Brown, Cyril O'Reilly, and a very young Michael Dudikoff round out this stellar cast. If one can get over the sheer absurdness of the movie, you should have a good time unless you are some stuck up pussy who gets offended over every little thing.
Severin's DVD of Bloody Birthday is a step up from the old VCI DVD. The picture is a bit more clearer but the print damage is still noticeable and can be distracting. However, the Severin DVD has a quick interview with star Lori Lethin and also a brief documentary on 80's slasher films. There is also an audio interview with Ed Hunt. Rounding out the special features are trailers for other films of that era but unfortunately none for Bloody Birthday.
This would make for a great double feature with 1981's slasher Happy Birthday To Me. Call me sick, but Bloody Birthday gets my recommendation. Just stay away if you are easily offended.
[rating:3]
Theatrical Release: April 28, 1981
DVD Release: June 28, 2011
Director: Ed Hunt
R
Review by James Klein
Advocators of political correctness please be advised: Bloody Birthday is not for you. Overly protective and sensitive parents be advised: Bloody Birthday is not for you. Fans of good old fashioned 80's horror with killer kids running amok, killing everyone that pisses them off be advised: Bloody Birthday is for you.
The hokey and ridiculous plot is about three children born at the same time and at the same hospital in 1970 during a solar eclipse. These children are all born without "feelings" and as they get older they hang out together, plotting several accidentally deaths on the towns folk for no other reason but evilness. The children (Debbie, Curtis, and Steven) seem to have their focus set on Timmy, who happened to see that they had just got done killing Debbie's father who happens to be the sheriff. With the help of Timmy's older sister Joyce, they must band together and stop these murderous little tykes before it is too late.
While the movie was cheaply made with some inconsistencies in both plot and characterization (why does Debbie's Mom suddenly take her daughter away? Why does Debbie charge her emotionless friends .25 cents to watch her older sister get naked?)) Bloody Birthday is so much fun. Right from the very opening we get two teenagers making out with constant cutaway close ups of the woman's natural boobers. There can be no other reason for these cutaways other than director Ed Hunt loves tits. The teens instantly get killed off via shovel and rope. While the sheriff investigates, Debbie and her friend's quickly kill off the sheriff within the next 10 minutes with a baseball bat. One can't help but laugh when we see a little kid grinning as he's smashing in someone's skull with a Louisville Slugger. I also loved Curtis's sadistic smile every time he points a gun at someone.
Bloody Birthday is never dull and while I would have loved to have seen more graphic violence, the low budget made up for it in the nudity department. Yep, plenty of natural REAL titties flop about constantly and for no reason, making it all the more insanely pleasurable. The film is also casted very well and the children are all great in their roles. There are also plenty of genre names in various small parts like Susan Strasberg as a teacher who gets shot and Jose Ferrer as the doctor who brought the children into the world. Joe Penny, Julie Brown, Cyril O'Reilly, and a very young Michael Dudikoff round out this stellar cast. If one can get over the sheer absurdness of the movie, you should have a good time unless you are some stuck up pussy who gets offended over every little thing.
Severin's DVD of Bloody Birthday is a step up from the old VCI DVD. The picture is a bit more clearer but the print damage is still noticeable and can be distracting. However, the Severin DVD has a quick interview with star Lori Lethin and also a brief documentary on 80's slasher films. There is also an audio interview with Ed Hunt. Rounding out the special features are trailers for other films of that era but unfortunately none for Bloody Birthday.
This would make for a great double feature with 1981's slasher Happy Birthday To Me. Call me sick, but Bloody Birthday gets my recommendation. Just stay away if you are easily offended.
[rating:3]
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