Having picked up Marcel Walz’s remake of Hershell Gordon Lewis’ splatter classic Blood Feast earlier this year, Hannover House and Crimson Forest Entertainment Group quickly announced a June nationwide theatrical release and while a wide release is still planned, it’ll happen a little later than originally slated. In order to secure the release, the film had to undergo some slight trimming to receive an R-rating from the MPAA. We’re assured the cuts are very minor however, and Blood Feast will be rolled out across the US from July 28th.
“Some markets are unable to screen an unrated film,” explains Hannover House CEO Eric Parkinson. “The decision to seek the MPAA rating for Blood Feast was tailored after a similar development impacted the release of Saw a few years back. So the film has been very modestly edited to conform to the film ratings standard that should make it accessible to a larger audience.”
Walz himself is clearly not too put out by the delay, having the following to say on the new release plan:
“It’s really amazing what has happened in the last weeks. We of course all hoped to get a theatrical release with our movie Blood Feast, but we never expected that what’s going on now would really happen. On the one hand I felt bad that our announced date was shifted again and again, but in fact it was the best thing that could happen to Blood Feast and its fans in North America. The cooperation with Regal Entertainment Group…brings Blood Feast to all main markets and gives it a release that we would never had expected. Therefore, we need an MPAA rating to make Blood Feast available to all main markets in North America. I am more than grateful that I had the chance to direct this movie and to be part of the Blood Feast family, and I think Herschell Gordon Lewis would be very proud of us. We dedicated the movie to him, remembering him and his achievements for splatter horror movies… So finally it’s time for Blood Feast! We’ll be in cinemas on July 28th.”
Walz’s take on the late Herschell Gordon Lewis’ horror landmark shifts the action to France, where exotic caterer Fuad Ramses and his family have moved to run an American diner. Picking up shifts at a museum of ancient Egyptian culture, Fuad becomes allured by goddess Ishtar who speaks to him in visions. Succumbing to her deadly charms, he sets about a new life of murder and cannibalism.
Fuad Ramses (played with high levels of boggle-eyed camp by Mal Arnold in the original) is played by A Nightmare on Elm Street 2’s Robert Rusler, who stars alongside The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2’s Caroline Williams, Sadie Katz (Wrong Turn 6) and Sophie Monk (The Hills Run Red).
A home release of Blood Feast is expected on October 31st.
Words: Kevan Farrow (@KevanX)
