Thankfully, we have boutique labels like Severin Films to bring us films we might never have the opportunity to see. At the very least, not in the premium quality they’re known for delivering. Sometimes, they bring out unexpected things, like their reissue of Fear in the Philippines: The Complete Blood Island Films. Eddie Romero, Gerry De Leon, and Samuel M. Sherman delivered four films, presented here on two discs, that were goofy, schlocky, gory, and a bit titillating. They grow increasingly graphic, but these are the things grindhouse audiences live for, and they deliver the goods, for better or worse.
Terror is a Man (1959) follows a mad scientist who turns a panther into a hideous, human-like being that escapes and begins to kill anyone who gets in its way. It’s a cool little creature feature where the scares still kind of work, and the creature design was rather impressive for the time period. It’s black and white, fueling nostalgia and accenting its charm.
Brides of Blood (1968) is about a small group of people who get caught up with the natives looking for a virgin sacrifice. This was my favorite of the four movies. This time, it’s in color and filled with wild, campy moments, more blood, and plenty of topless nudity. Yet again, the monster design is really impressive, and it’s more fun than scary.
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Mad Doctor of Blood Island (1969) has a familiar plot. It’s about a group of tourists that travel to an island where mad scientists are creating zombies. It’s almost the same as Brides, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this time out, things just don’t work the same. The scares don’t land, and the creature design isn’t anything special. If sex and nudity are your thing, then you might be down with Blood Island. It’s much more explicit than the previous films, so it isn’t all bad.
Finally, we come to Beast of Blood (1970). Not very too far from the previous stories, a mad scientist creates a monster only to behead it and keep the head alive with a serum. The filmmakers aren’t afraid to deliver the skin more than ever before, but they don’t deliever the scares. It’s more of a war movie and forgets to be fun. Getting through this one was a bit tough. The story isn’t much different than the others so I was ready to be done with them.
Even though the movies are a mixed bag, the Fear in the Philippines set is loaded with features. Terror is a Man has interviews with Hemisphere marketing consultant Samuel M. Sherman, co-director Eddie Romero, Pete Tombs (co-author of Immoral Tales), and critic Mark Holcomb. It also has a trailer, poster, and still gallery.
Brides of Blood has a commentary by Samuel M. Sherman and interviews with co-director Eddie Romero, Samuel M. Sherman, and actress Beverly Powers. It also has an alternate title card, teaser, trailer, poster, and still gallery.
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Mad Doctor of Blood Island has an audio commentary by horror film historians Nathaniel Thompson and Howard S. Berger, a commentary by Samuel M. Sherman, and interviews with Pete Tombs, critic Mark Holcomb, and Eddie Romero. It also has a trailer, poster, and still gallery.
Beast of Blood has commentary by Sherman and interviews with actors Celeste Yarnall and Eddie Garcia. It also has the Super 8 Digest version, a trailer, radio spot, poster, and still gallery.
The films are a mixed bag, but B-movie fans will appreciate Fear in the Philippines and enjoy it for what it is: Drive-in madness that scratches that grindhouse itch.
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