Anyone who remembers the good old days of video rental stores will recall the awesome artwork that was always on display in the horror section. More often than not, if you weren’t sure of a film, all you had to judge was that beautifully horrifying cover art. For many physical media collectors today, that same allure still exists. There are tons of films being released by countless boutique labels on a daily basis. Quite often, newly commissioned or even just touched up original poster designs are what personally get me hook, line, and sinker. This particular fishing reference is ironically fitting this time around because that is exactly what drew me to Tim Boggs’ Blood Lake.
The Plot
A group of friends head out to a lake house for a fun weekend getaway. It doesn’t take long for the fun to turn frightening, as the teens soon learn that there is a killer on the loose.
My Thoughts
I have to admit; I don’t generally rush to purchase lots of shot-on-video films like some avid horror fans. While I respect the format, I am quite jaded these days and much prefer the crisp clean look of most other films. That’s not to say that I don’t give a select few the fair chance they deserve.
Blood Lake contains all of the bare necessities needed for a good slasher flick; It is fully equipped with a group of youngsters looking for a good time, an eerily effective score, and a maniacal killer on the loose. Add in an original 80’s hard rock soundtrack courtesy of Steven Lee Robertson and the band Voyager and you have the makings of a fun time.
Shot during a real-life weekend vacation, filmmaker Tim Boggs and a small group of his friends managed to create an effective slasher on a shoestring budget. Because of the monetary constraints, it was only natural that things like special effects and kill scenes would be effected. Even still, Boggs and his team were able to string together a decent body count and impressive enough splatter effects.
I didn’t expect much in terms of acting when I pressed play on my newly acquired DVD of Blood Lake. In spite of this, I was pleasantly surprised by all of the performances on display throughout this indie flick’s 81 minute runtime.
Aside from only a couple of weaker performances, all parties involved did one Hell of a job playing their respective roles… my favorite being Travis Krasser’s portrayal of horndog Lil’ Tony.
Normally, the idea of watching the longest game of quarters ever put on film would annoy me to no end. Instead, watching the gang in in 1987 low-budget horror play was like watching a group of my own friends just hanging out and having a good time. I quite enjoyed it!
The Verdict
The 80s will forever be known as the golden age of horror by me and many others. While Blood Lake is certainly not the greatest film to hit the slasher sub-genre, it is still quite effective and certainly a fun watch.
It features a hilariously entertaining script and an impressive command of overall filmmaking by director Tim Boggs. The antagonist may not be as iconic as the likes of Jason or Michael, but his purple shirt and cowboy boots is most definitely one of the more memorable killer attires.
If you are a fan of do-it-yourself horror from the 80s, do yourself a favor and check out Blood Lake. You will have a fun time with this shot-on-video gem. I guarantee it!
Blood Lake is available now on DVD from AGFA and Bleeding Skull.
I give this one a final rating of 3.5 spitting old lady kitchen decorations out of 5.
