Blood Rage (1987)

I knew absolutely nothing about Blood Rage when I popped the Blu-ray into my player. And, to be honest, that’s the best way to go into it. That can be said about every movie, but Blood Rage is a special kind of film. Reading past this point will spoil some of the fun so, if you want to experience this film as I did, stop reading. Track down a copy, watch it, and then come back to read the rest of this review.

The film opens at a drive-in in 1974. Two twin boys — Terry and Todd — are sleeping in the back of a station wagon as their mom, Maddy (Louise Lasser,) makes out with a man in the front seat. The boys wake up and, apparently, the sight of their mother swapping spit with a strange man irks them enough to jump out of the car. As they creep around the parked cars, peering in on teenagers necking, Terry finds an axe in the back of a pickup truck. He brutally murders a teenage boy, wipes blood on Todd’s face, and frames him for the deed.

Ten years later, Todd (Mark Soper) remains in a mental institution for the crime he didn’t commit. Terry (Soper in a dual role) parties it up with his friends and lives with Maddy. On Thanksgiving night, Todd escapes from the institution. His friends and family still believe Todd is dangerous. But it is Terry who is the one to fear. Triggered by the news of his mom’s recent engagement, he begins a killing spree that he once again plans to blame on Todd.

Blood Rage sports an intriguing premise and, in better hands, it might have been a truly innovative horror movie. What we get from director John Grissmer and Zapped! writer Bruce Rubin (under the alias Richard Lamden) definitely stands apart from other horror films. But, I’d venture to say, for reasons that weren’t intended. (Or were they?)

First, there’s the unhinged performance by Louise Lasser. Best known for her role in the 70s soap opera TV satire, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Lasser was well-known for playing an eccentric character. Here, though, it appears she was given direction to act like she was losing her mind for 70 minutes. Every scene in which she appears is characterized by what looks like shell-shock in her eyes. One particular sequence where she argues with a telephone operator is simultaneously unsettling and hilarious.

Mark Soper plays up the differences between Terry and Todd to the extreme. As Todd, he projects insecurity and an innocent timidity. As Terry, however, he’s a wisecracking braggadocio with a Jerry Seinfeld-ish vocal delivery. (His repeated declarative statement regarding the blood of his victims — “It’s not cranberry sauce” — is indicative of the overall mood of the entire movie.) Considering the production value of the film, Soper’s performances aren’t subtle but they are rather impressive.

Virtually everyone else in the movie, though, acts as if they are machete-fodder. And, frankly, they are. The dialogue they’ve all been given is both insipid and hilarious. Blood Rage is either the most self-aware 80s slasher parody I’ve ever seen or one of the worst ever attempts at cashing in on the genre. And, frankly, I’m not sure I’ll ever make up my mind as to which of those honors it deserves more.

Depending on your frame of mind, you’ll either love this film for its outlandishness or you’ll find yourself struggling to get through it. Either way, it’s unforgettable.