Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23477 in DVD
• Released on: 1999-10-19
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Dubbed in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 80 minutes

Amazon.com
This late entry in Italian horror auteur Mario Bava's catalog is in keeping with much of his other work: a rather murky plot, inventive camera work and editing, gauzy lighting using red and blue gels, and an atmospheric, dreamlike feel throughout. Where it parts ways with many of his films is in the high body count--so high that many feel Bay of Blood was a likely influence on American slasher films such as Friday the l3th. The killing centers on a list of potential heirs to a piece of lakefront property ripe for development (a subplot involves camping teenagers who are also being slaughtered--sound familiar?). The slayings come fast and furious, with gunshots, chokings, stabbings, decapitations, and a two-for-the-price-of-one impalement, to name a few. Bava creates an off-kilter mood of melancholia for the film that makes it somewhat less fun than the mindless slasher flicks of the 1980s, but also renders it a more thought-provoking, cynical sort of movie. --Jerry Renshaw

Customer Reviews

Friday By The Bay??
Bay of Blood (AKA Twitch of the Death Nerve), a 1971 film by Italian horror director Mario Bava, is often called the "Grandaddy of all slasher movies". Many reviews have made the reference to Friday the 13th and very similar killing styles. After watching "Bay of Blood" you can definitely see where "Friday the 13th" (made in 1980) got a lot of it's ideas. One scene, where two teens are getting 'hot and heavy' the killer comes in and, with a spear, stabs both of them with the camera showing the spear going through the bottom of the bed. "Friday the 13th part 2" uses the EXACT killing scene in a similar situation.

With that being said "Bay of Blood" does not possess the single element that defined the slasher film, the indestructable, omnipresent killer. Ignore the synopsis, it has next to nothing to do with the college kids. This film is about greedy family members trying to aquire a wealthy piece of property [The Bay] and doing whatever it takes to get it.

The movie succeeds almost entirely thanks to Mario Bavo, who serves as both director and cinematographer, with his typical stylish flare which heavily influenced the great Dario Argento, his eye appealing use of color and interesting editing techniques, which include a lot of blurry dissolves give "Bay of Blood" an almost dream-like, surreallistic feel.

"Bay of Blood" could certainly be credited with starting the slasher film craze. However, I wouldn't go as far as to call it "The grandaddy of them all". All and all worth an evening for the avid Italian horror fan.

Could hardly hear a full sentence
I usually interpret criticisms of sound quality as coming from people who are hard-core audiophiles with unreasonably high expectations. In this case, the criticisms are absolutely valid. I can't even really tell you the plot of this movie (at least based on the dialogue), because I could hardly hear a complete sentence. It was an abyssmal experience to say the least, by the end I had a headache from turning the volume up and down so many times.

I agree with the reviewer who felt betrayed by Image for releasing this DVD. They indeed should have eaten the loss and tried again. This is a full-on defective product and I don't think Amazon should even offer it for sale.

Bay of Blood (classic film, atrocious print)
Simitar video's transfer to DVD of this classic slasher film is nothing short of an abomination. The picture quality is inferior to my VHS print. Amazon have the aspect ratio as 2.35:1.It is 1.77:1 at best!