Blood Feast 2 All You Can Eat   Starring: John McConnell, Mark McLachlan and J.P. Delahoussaye Arrow Video RRP: £15.99 FCD410 Certificate: 18 Available 11 January 2010

An incompetent young police detective confronts a man in a disused building. The stranger introduces himself as Fuad Ramses III, a caterer who has inherited the place from his grandfather. The detective is immediately on guard, explaining that Fuad Ramses was a cannibalistic caterer who butchered several young women. Unaware of this, the newcomer is horrified and insists he is quite innocent. However, when he enters a back room for the first time he discovers a statue with glowing red eyes. Hypnotised to do the bidding of Ishtar, an ancient bloodthirsty goddess, Ramses begins to gruesomely dispatch lovely young women in his preparation of a forthcoming wedding feast. Although he has no real proof, the detective is obsessed with laying the blame at the feet of the caterer - until he himself becomes possessed and suddenly changes his tune...

If this isn't the longest period of time between an original film and its sequel I'll eat my hat. Herschell Gordon Lewis (also responsible for Two Thousand Maniacs, and She Devils on Wheels, among others) virtually invented the gore or splatter movie with the release of the original Blood Feast during an age of innocence in 1963. It caused a huge backlash of protest (including being banned outright in the UK), but the cat was out of the bag. Thirty-nine years later, in 2002, came the sequel now released on DVD.

I dislike gore for gore's sake, as it simply bores me. This film revolves around the blood and extracted organs, but what saves it from outright derision is the humour. Yes, there are some corny lines, but generally the themed tongue-in-cheek comedy works. It's not in your face, nor is it subtle like that of An American Werewolf in London; instead it lies somewhere in-between. Near the mark crossword clues which turn out to be more benign are well thought-out; the detective throwing-up every time he enters a murder scene, while his companion stuffs his face with food is quirky; and you can't help but smile at the character names of the young lady victims: Bambi Deere, Misti Morning, Trixi Treater and Laci Hundies. The music by psychobilly band Southern Culture on the Skids was the only thing which kept me from walking off sighing with tedium during the disembowelings.

Anyone who likes this type of movie will be impressed by the packaging. As well as the five featurettes included as extras, there's a reversible DVD cover, a poster and a booklet containing interviews with Herschell Gordon lewis and producer David Friedman. For this attention to detail the release gains an extra point.

5

Ty Power