Thursday, July 18, 2013

Photo of the Day

Christopher Lee and Kerwin Mathews in PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER

This is one of those pirate films in which the story takes place entirely on dry land. They should have called it RAIDERS OF BLOOD RIVER. The story is almost inconsequential; pirates looking for some booty on a Caribbean island. To say that this Hammer film is mediocre would be an understatement. It's a watchable time-waster with stunning cinematography but the grounded story is tedious and filled with unintentionally hilarious bits. Things aren't helped much when the story seems to take place in and around just a few locations and sets, which is typical for a Hammer production. Also the locations don't look very Caribbean as the film was shot in England. 

The cast is great, including a young Oliver Reed, Lee, Mathews and Glenn Corbett (!) but the film lacks any interesting female characters. That's not a problem if the story demands it but it's one of the few instance when a Chelo Alonso type of babe would have automatically made the film more entertaining. Christopher Lee is an imposing presence even if he plays a Frenchman with a thick and serviceable but not very convincing French accent. When I played this film on PEPLUM TV some viewers laughed at the effeminate sounding pirate, saying he didn't sound too menacing. When I told them that the 'effeminate' pirate was played by Christopher Lee they were shocked and sorta changed their minds afterwards which I thought was funny. Don't ever shade Christopher Lee!

1 comment:

orsh549 said...

It's an entertaining movie in many ways, but I always thought that the movie's story took place in some South American or Central American Colony. Don't forget that there are pirahna in the river. The cast has many veteran Hammer Actors along with a young Corbett. Did you watch or show DEVIL SHIP PIRATES? This movie takes place in England.