I Drink Your Blood
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''I Drink Your Blood'' is a 1971 American
exploitation Exploitation may refer to: *Exploitation of natural resources *Exploitation of labour **Forced labour *Exploitation colonialism *Slavery **Sexual slavery and other forms *Oppression *Psychological manipulation In arts and entertainment *Exploita ...
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
written and directed by David E. Durston, produced by Jerry Gross, and starring Bhaskar Roy Chowdhury, Jadine Wong, and
Lynn Lowry Linda Kay "Lynn" Lowry (born October 15, 1947) is an American actress, screenwriter and producer. She is perhaps best known for her work in horror films, having appeared in the cult films '' I Drink Your Blood'' (1970), George A. Romero's '' Th ...
. The film centers on a small town that is overrun by rabies-infected members of a Satanic
hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
cult after a revenge plot goes horribly wrong. The story was inspired by reports of an incident in a mountain village in
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
in which a pack of
rabid Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, vio ...
wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; plural, : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been reco ...
attacked a schoolhouse, infecting people with rabies. Further inspiration came from coverage of the trial of
Charles Manson Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934November 19, 2017) was an American criminal and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California, in the late 1960s. Some of the members committed a series of nine murders at four loca ...
.
Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
took place in
Sharon Springs, New York Sharon Springs is a village in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 558 at the 2010 census. Its name derives from the hometown of the first Colonial settlers, Sharon, Connecticut, and the important springs in the village ...
over eight weeks, with the cast consisting of mostly unknown and amateur actors. ''I Drink Your Blood'' was marketed and released as a
double feature The double feature is a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown. Opera use Opera ho ...
with
Del Tenney Delbert "Del" Tenney (July 27, 1930 – February 21, 2013) was an American actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer. Starting out as an actor he appeared in some Off-Broadway plays and also performed in the Broadway premiere of Teren ...
's previously-unreleased 1964 film ''Zombies'', which Gross had acquired and retitled '' I Eat Your Skin''. ''I Drink Your Blood'' was one of the first films to receive an
X-rating An X rating is a rating used in various countries to classify films that have content deemed suitable only for adults. It is used when the violent or sexual content of a film is considered to be potentially disturbing to general audiences. Aust ...
from the
Motion Picture Association of America The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is an American trade association representing the five major film studios of the United States, as well as the video streaming service Netflix. Founded in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distribu ...
based on violence rather than on nudity. Since its initial release, the film has received generally mixed-to-positive reviews; some critics praised Chowdhury's performance and the film's ability to shock, while others have criticized its explicit violence. ''I Drink Your Blood'' has garnered a
cult following A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...
and is widely cited as a classic exploitation film. A remake, which was to be produced by and star Sybil Danning with Durston returning as director, was announced in 2009, but was cancelled after Durston's death the following year.


Plot

Horace Bones, the leader of a Manson-like cult of
hippies A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
, conducts a Satanic ritual in the woods. Local girl Sylvia, who had befriended cult member Andy, secretly observes the ritual. Sylvia is seen by cult member Molly and flees, but is caught and raped by several of the cultists. Sylvia emerges from the woods the next morning, beaten and traumatized. She is found by her younger brother Pete and Mildred, who runs the local bakery. They return Sylvia home to her grandfather, Doc Banner. Mildred seeks help from her boyfriend Roger Davis, leader of a construction crew working on a nearby dam. The cult members' van breaks down, forcing them to remain in the town. They buy pies from Mildred, who explains that, as most of the town is deserted and awaiting demolition, they can stay in any vacant building they wish. Learning of the assault on Sylvia, Banner confronts the cult, but they assault him and force him to take LSD. Horace initially wants to kill Banner, however, Pete and cult member Sue-Lin intervene and Banner is released. Enraged by the incident, Pete takes a shotgun to get revenge but encounters and kills a rabid dog. Pete takes some of the dead dog's blood, then injects it into meat pies at the bakery and sells them to the cult members. After eating the contaminated pies, the cultists begin to showing signs of infection and lapse into violent behavior. One of the cultists panics and runs into the night. She is picked up by construction workers sent by Roger to investigate. She parties with the group and has sex with some of them, before showing signs of infection. Molly also absconds with Carrie, another cult member. Two construction workers investigate the house occupied by the cultists, and Horace kills them. Andy and Sylvia, who have made peace, are discovered at the Banner house by Pete, who admits what he has done. Meanwhile, Banner has reported the potential rabies epidemic and is joined by Dr. Oakes, the town doctor. Banner, Oakes, and Roger soon discover that the entire construction crew is infected with rabies, and are pursued by the mob until they reach a water-filled quarry, which frightens the attackers off. Molly and Carrie emerge from the woods and are taken in by a concerned homeowner. Carrie soon begins showing signs of being infected and attacks the homeowner with a knife. Andy helps Sylvia and Pete escape after they discover Banner dead in the barn, impaled on a pitchfork. They encounter Molly, who commits suicide after learning that she has rabies. Horace encounters Sue-Lin, but she escapes his attempt to kill her by committing suicide via immolation. Horace and Sue-Lin loyalist Rollo engage in a fight, allowing Andy, Sylvia, and Pete to escape. Rollo soon gains the upper hand and impales Horace with a sword. Andy, Sylvia, and Pete encounter Mildred, who has barricaded herself in the bakery. As Mildred opens the barricade, Andy is killed by one of the rabid construction workers. Sylvia and Pete retreat with Mildred to the basement, with one of the rabid townsfolk managing to get through, where he is subsequently killed by Mildred. The group leaves the bakery to escape in Mildred's car, but crowds of the rabid cultists and the townsfolk converge on them, overturning the car. Oakes arrives with reinforcements and guns down the infected. Mildred, Sylvia, and Pete then emerge from the car, shaken but otherwise unharmed.


Cast


Production


Development

''I Drink Your Blood'' was written and directed by David E. Durston. Development for the film began in 1970 when Durston was contacted by Jerry Gross, the CEO of
Cinemation Industries Cinemation Industries was a New York City-based film studio and distributor owned and run by exploitation film producer Jerry Gross. History Gross released ''Girl on a Chain Gang'' (1966) and achieved success with Cinemation's release of sexplo ...
and a producer of exploitation films. Gross asked Durston to write and direct a low-budget horror film. Durston had previously directed several
sexploitation film A sexploitation film (or sex-exploitation film) is a class of independently produced, low-budget feature film that is generally associated with the 1960s and early 1970s, and that serves largely as a vehicle for the exhibition of non-explicit sex ...
s and
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
's financially successful TV series '' Tales of Tomorrow'' (1951-1953). As Durston later recalled, "
ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...
said he wanted to make the most graphic horror film ever produced, but he didn't want any vampires, man-made monsters, werewolves, mad doctors, or little people". Gross had been impressed by Durston's work in ''Tales of Tomorrow'' and made a deal with Durston that if he came up with a good idea, he would double his previous writing and directing contract with the Guilds. For a period of three weeks, Durston struggled to come up with a proper storyline for the film until reading a newspaper article on an incident involving a mountain village in
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. According to Durston, the article described an incident where a pack of
rabid Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, vio ...
wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; plural, : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been reco ...
attacked a schoolhouse occupied by 18 to 19 children and two teachers. Fascinated by the idea, Durston contacted a doctor who was an authority on the disease and had visited the village. He was shown
8mm 8 mm or 8mm may refer to: ;Film technology *8 mm film, a photographic cine film format principally intended for domestic use. The term may also refer to later variants: ** Super 8 mm film ** Single-8 film ** 8 mm video format, a type of video record ...
footage that the doctor had taken during his work at the village of the infected children locked in cages and foaming at the mouth. Durston later recalled: "It made the hair on the back of my head elevate. I had never seen anything so horrible, yet so real, in my life". Inspired by the experience, and feeling that a film about a rabies epidemic had never been done before, Durston wrote a story outline that centered on a small town overrun with a rabies epidemic. Durston pitched the idea to Gross, who liked the concept and immediately greenlit the project. The development of the script took eight weeks, with Durston making frequent additions and revisions in later drafts over an additional five-week period. Further inspiration for the film came from coverage of the trial of
Charles Manson Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934November 19, 2017) was an American criminal and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California, in the late 1960s. Some of the members committed a series of nine murders at four loca ...
. Using the high publicity generated from the trial, Durston rewrote the script, creating the character Horace Bones, a Manson-like leader of a Satanic cult of hippies that terrorizes the town. According to Durston, the character Horace Bones created a real threat to the town as well as adding scenes that genuinely shocked the audience. Impressed with the film's script, Gross authorized Durston to begin pre-production.


Casting

Due to the film's relatively low budget, the film's cast was mostly composed of unknown and amateur actors. The film was distinctive for its multi-ethnic cast, with members of the Satanic gang portrayed by black, white, Chinese and Indian actors. For the film's major villain, Horace Bones, actor and
Indian dancer Dance in India comprises numerous styles of dances, generally classified as classical or folk. As with other aspects of Indian culture, different forms of dances originated in different parts of India, developed according to the local tradi ...
Bhaskar Roy Chowdhury was cast. Several critics have cited Bhaskar's performance as Horace Bones as being one of the film's major assets. Bhaskar would later star in Durston's next film ''Blue Sextet'', and would provide audio commentary in Grindhouse Releasing, and MTI Home Video's release of the film in 2003 before his death on August 4 that same year. Arlene Farber and
Lynn Lowry Linda Kay "Lynn" Lowry (born October 15, 1947) is an American actress, screenwriter and producer. She is perhaps best known for her work in horror films, having appeared in the cult films '' I Drink Your Blood'' (1970), George A. Romero's '' Th ...
were also cast in the film in uncredited roles, with Lowry making her screen debut in the film. Both actresses would go on to star in major motion pictures. Farber, Gross' wife, had starred in several of her husband's previous films, and later starred as Angie Boca in William Friedkin's critically acclaimed 1971 film '' The French Connection'' and the 1974 made-for-television film ''
All the Kind Strangers ''All the Kind Strangers'', also known as ''Evil in the Swamp'', is a 1974 American television film directed by Burt Kennedy. It originally aired as an ''ABC Movie of the Week'' on November 12, 1974. Plot summary Children of a bootlegger in an ...
''. Lowry would eventually star in such films as
George A. Romero George Andrew Romero (; February 4, 1940 – July 16, 2017) was an American-Canadian filmmaker, writer, editor and actor. His ''Night of the Living Dead'' series of films about an imagined zombie apocalypse began with the 1968 film of the ...
's '' The Crazies'', Radley Metzger's ''
Score Score or scorer may refer to: *Test score, the result of an exam or test Business * Score Digital, now part of Bauer Radio * Score Entertainment, a former American trading card design and manufacturing company * Score Media, a former Canadian m ...
'',
David Cronenberg David Paul Cronenberg (born March 15, 1943) is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror genre, with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation ...
's '' Shivers'' and
Paul Schrader Paul Joseph Schrader (; born July 22, 1946) is an American screenwriter, film director, and film critic. He first received widespread recognition through his screenplay for Martin Scorsese's ''Taxi Driver'' (1976). He later continued his collabo ...
's remake of '' Cat People''.


Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
for ''I Drink Your Blood'' commenced later that year and was shot on location during a period of eight consecutive weeks in
Sharon Springs, New York Sharon Springs is a village in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 558 at the 2010 census. Its name derives from the hometown of the first Colonial settlers, Sharon, Connecticut, and the important springs in the village ...
. By the time of the production, Sharon Springs, once famous as a summer spa town, had largely become a
ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...
and the producers were allowed to use the abandoned hotels as locations. Durston became friends with the town sheriff, who helped the crew during filming. Durston later cast him in a
bit role In acting, a bit part is a role in which there is direct interaction with the principal actors and no more than five lines of dialogue, often referred to as a five-or-less or under-five in the United States, or under sixes in British television, ...
as the sheriff seen in the film's climax. One of the town's locations used in the film was the Roosevelt, an old hotel that was scheduled for demolition within the next couple of months. The crew paid the town $300 for use of the hotel, which, according to Durston, they practically tore down themselves. Due in part to the film's relatively low budget, most of the film's effects and stunts were practical and the cast performed their own stunts. For scenes involving rats, trained rats were brought in, while dead rats were purchased from a local medical center and painted to match the color of the trained rats. Several of the trained rats featured in the film would later be used in the 1971 horror film '' Willard'' and its 1972 sequel ''
Ben Ben is frequently used as a shortened version of the given names Benjamin, Benedict, Bennett or Benson, and is also a given name in its own right. Ben (in he, בֶּן, ''son of'') forms part of Hebrew surnames, e.g. Abraham ben Abraham ( he, ...
''. During the course of filming, tensions between the town locals and the film's cast and crew mounted because of the locals' uncertainty and misunderstandings with the film's director. After one incident in which the locals witnessed Durston attempting to motivate actress Iris Brooks for an emotional scene, they contacted the town sheriff, insisting that Durston was abusing the cast and crew and should be arrested or replaced with another director. Nonetheless, Durston remained the film's director throughout the duration of filming.


Release

''I Drink Your Blood'' was
marketed Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to empha ...
and released as a
double feature The double feature is a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown. Opera use Opera ho ...
with
Del Tenney Delbert "Del" Tenney (July 27, 1930 – February 21, 2013) was an American actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer. Starting out as an actor he appeared in some Off-Broadway plays and also performed in the Broadway premiere of Teren ...
's 1964 film ''Zombies'', which had been retitled '' I Eat Your Skin'' by Gross after he had acquired it. The double feature was marketed a year after the trial and conviction of Charles Manson and his accomplices, Manson having been an inspiration for the character of Horace Bones, with producer Gross wanting to cash in on the public's recent fascination with the case. As a part of his deal with Gross, Durston did not receive a percentage of the film's profits, but was paid double his established directing salary. Although the film was marketed under the now-infamous title ''I Drink Your Blood'', Durston had originally intended to release the film under the title ''Phobia'' or ''Hydro-Phobia''. However, during the film's marketing, Gross changed the film's name to its current title; Gross had not consulted or informed Durston of the change before releasing the film under the title, which bears no real connection to the actual film. It premiered in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
on May 7, 1971. Durston had originally intended for the film to play only in drive-ins. Gross, however, without informing Durston, had the film screened at the first class Warner Brothers Theatre in Broadway.


Censorship

''I Drink Your Blood'' was one of the first films to receive an
X-rating An X rating is a rating used in various countries to classify films that have content deemed suitable only for adults. It is used when the violent or sexual content of a film is considered to be potentially disturbing to general audiences. Aust ...
from the
Motion Picture Association of America The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is an American trade association representing the five major film studios of the United States, as well as the video streaming service Netflix. Founded in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distribu ...
based on violence rather than nudity. Several scenes needed to be altered to qualify the film for an "R", so the producer distributed the original film, asking that each projectionist censor the film as they saw fit for their market. However, ''
BoxOffice ''Boxoffice Pro'' is a film industry magazine dedicated to the movie theatre business published by BoxOffice Media LP. History It started in 1920 as ''The Reel Journal'', taking the name ''Boxoffice'' in 1931 and still publishes today, with ...
'' magazine reported in January 1971 that the Code and Ratings Appeals Board re-rated the film R "after hearing an appeal at which time the film's distributor...agreed to make certain cuts and insert additional footage at the request of the
MPAA The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is an American trade association representing the five major film studios of the United States, as well as the video streaming service Netflix. Founded in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distribu ...
".


Home video

''I Drink Your Blood'' was released on VHS by
Cinemation Industries Cinemation Industries was a New York City-based film studio and distributor owned and run by exploitation film producer Jerry Gross. History Gross released ''Girl on a Chain Gang'' (1966) and achieved success with Cinemation's release of sexplo ...
on July 20, 2004.
Bob Murawski Bob Murawski (born June 14, 1964) is an American film editor. He was awarded the 2010 Academy Award for Best Film Editing for his work on ''The Hurt Locker'', which he shared with his wife, fellow editor Chris Innis. He often works with film dir ...
of Grindhouse Releasing sought out Durston, and the two collaborated on the official release of ''I Drink Your Blood'' on
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
in North America through Murawski's Box Office Spectaculars distribution company, which continues to hold the worldwide rights to the film. In an interview with
U.K. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
website ''SexGoreMutants'', Murawski announced that the company's release of the film would feature several never-before-seen sequences that producer Gross had cut from the film before its completion, as well as the film's original ending which was deemed "too violent and downbeat". A
director's cut A director's cut is an edited version of a film (or video game, television episode, music video, or commercial) that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit in contrast to the theatrical release. "Cut" explicitly refers to the ...
of the film was released on DVD on November 9, 2004, and again on October 31, 2006, by MTI Home Video and Grindhouse Releasing, respectively. These cuts included scenes and material that was cut from the film during its theatrical release. The film's original cut was released on DVD by Cheezy Flicks on October 25, 2005. On September 23, 2016, Grindhouse announced that they would be releasing the film for the first time on HD Blu-ray on November 22, later that year. The release added new audio commentary and interviews with the film's cast and crew, the original theatrical trailer and radio spots. The release also included the fully restored feature films ''I Eat Your Skin'' and ''Blue Sextet''.


Reception

''I Drink Your Blood'' has received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with some critics praising its ability to shock as well as Bhaskar's performance as Horace Bones, while other critics have critiqued the film's explicit violence.
Bill Landis William Henry Landis (born October 8, 1942) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. A left-hander, he appeared in 102 games pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1963 and from – 1969 for the Kansas City Athletics and Boston Red ...
and Michelle Clifford in their book '' Sleazoid Express: A Mind-twisting Tour Through the Grindhouse Cinema of Times Square'' called it "the pinnacle of the blood horror movie", praising Bhaskar's performances as well as the film's direction, violence, and soundtrack. Authors Tom Milne and Paul Willemen in their book ''Encyclopedia of Horror Movies'' wrote that "as the film now stands what looks like it might have been a raw, ferocious thriller has become a frustrating exercise in splicing, incessantly building up to scenes of bone-crushing horror and violence which never actually happen". Kevin Thomas of ''
The Los Angeles Times ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' praised the film, calling it "a tour de force of a caliber not equaled since the similar '' The Night of the Living Dead''". Cavett Binion from ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' gave the film a positive review, calling the film "an intense and well-made Exploitation item". Scott Weinberg from DVD Talk wrote that the film is "Energetic, sloppy and entirely watchable... t istrue-blue camp all the way. Plus it's vicious, violent, and frequently fall-down funny". Author and film critic Leonard Maltin gave the film a mixed review, awarding it 2/4 stars. Donald Guarisco from
AllMovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
gave the film a mixed review, criticizing the film's thin characterizations, inconsistent acting, and dialogue. However, Guarisco also stated that the film manages to overcome its flaws through the delivery of its premise, summarizing, "In the end, ''I Drink Your Blood'' is too demented and rough-edged for the casual viewer, but it will delight horror fans with a sweet tooth for schlock". ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' awarded the film 1/5 stars, with the reviewer stating that although the film was "surprisingly well made", it was also bizarre and gross. ''The Blockbuster Entertainment Guide'' gave the film 2/4 stars, calling it "demented".


Legacy

''I Drink Your Blood'' has gained a cult following over the years and is now considered a classic exploitation film. It bears some resemblance to several later films, including
David Cronenberg David Paul Cronenberg (born March 15, 1943) is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror genre, with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation ...
's ''
Rabid Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, vio ...
'' (1976) and George Romero's '' The Crazies'' (1973), which starred ''I Drink Your Blood'' actress Lynn Lowry and was remade in 2010. Both films share a similar premise to Durston's film, which has been noted by authors
Jonathan Rigby Jonathan Rigby is an English actor and film historian who has written several books. ''Video Watchdog'' magazine described him as occupying "a proud place in the advance guard of film researchers, writers and critics," and in 2020 he was inducted ...
and Stephen Thrower. ''I Drink Your Blood'' has been screened in multiple film festivals over the years in celebration of the film. It was screened at the Northwest Horror Show in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
on April 23, 2019. The screening of the film was then followed by a Q&A with actress Lynn Lowry. On May 25, later that year, it was screened at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, which was then followed by a Q&A with Lowry. On October 26, 2008, the film was screened at the Night Visions Film Festival as a part of its "Maximum Halloween" program. It was later screened at the Moolah Theatre & Lounge as a part of the "Late Nite Grindhouse" on September 16 and 17 in 2016. In 2016, as a part of the company's promotion of their upcoming
Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
release of the film, Grindhouse Releasing screened the film at multiple film festivals from September 23 to December 3.


Cancelled remake

On September 17, 2009, it was announced that Durston planned to remake the film, which would be produced by, and star, Sybil Danning. In an interview with ''
Fangoria ''Fangoria'' is an internationally distributed American horror film fan magazine, in publication since 1979. It is published four times a year by Fangoria Publishing, LLC and is edited by Phil Nobile Jr. The magazine was originally released i ...
'', Durston stated that he had not originally thought about remaking the film: "I wasn't thinking about a remake until these offers started coming through. I turned all of them down, because their budgets were too small. I decided that if ''I Drink Your Blood'' would be remade, it should be better than the original, so that people really had something to see if they went to see it again." Durston further explained that the remake would retain most of the elements from the original film, though its violence would be "updated". While admitting that he would not be directing the film, Durston stated that he had already begun the process of writing the film's script. However, the project was cancelled before production could begin following Durston's death in 2010 at the age of 88.


Notes


References


Bibliography

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Further reading

* *


External links

* * * * * {{Manson Family 1971 films 1970s exploitation films 1971 horror films 1971 independent films American exploitation films American independent films American splatter films Cultural depictions of Charles Manson Films about cults Films about hallucinogens Films about viral outbreaks Films directed by David E. Durston Films shot in New York (state) Hippie films Films about Satanism Rabies in popular culture 1970s English-language films 1970s American films