‘They need a special liquid to stay young. It is red, thick and warm!’
The Thirsty Dead is a 1974 American/Filipino horror film co-produced [uncredited] and directed by TV actor Terry Becker from a story he wrote with Lou Whitehill (Wonder Women). It was also released on VHS as Blood Hunt. The movie stars Jennifer Billingsley, John Considine and Judith McConnell.
In the US, the film was PG-rated and often double-billed with The House of Seven Corpses. It is available as part of many public domain DVD packages but the best quality release is a Vinegar Syndrome double-bill with another Filipino horror, Blood Thirst (1965).
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In the space of a month, seven young women are kidnapped in Manila by members of a death cult that needs their blood to remain immortal.
It transpires that the women are being transported to a remote idyll, in order to be sacrificed for their blood so that the cult members can maintain their eternal youth. Once there, they bicker amongst themselves, debate their fate and try to escape…
Reviews:
“In the right hands — or even Santiago’s — that could, I suppose, be interesting, but Becker isn’t willing or able to do much with it, unfortunately, and what we end up with is a plodding affair that has no more idea of what it’s doing than, say, a caveman or medieval peasant spirited through time and landing smack-dab in the middle the Las Vegas strip would.” Ryan Carey, Trash Film Guru
“The lack of gore and nudity doesn’t really matter, as all the women are likeable and interesting and the film, even when nothing is happening, is quite fun and enjoyable to watch, reminiscent of a kitschy color version of an old Republic serial. The makeup job on the aging Baru is very good, I loved the insane old women running amuck….” Casey Scott, DVD Drive-In
“And that’s the whole problem with the movie: there’s no tension or danger. Our four kidnapped heroines never really seem upset with their predicament (one almost seems to welcome it), and the cult doesn’t “make an example” and kill one of them early on in order to raise the stakes.” Horror Movie a Day
“The people are all garbed in simple, pastel-coloured dresses and smocks - though Baru also has a pale blue cloak with a huge stand-up collar - and with the extensive use of hopelessly unrealistic cave sets, the whole film consequently looks alarmingly like a 1960s Star Trek episode.” M. J. Simpson
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“Native extras, high in camp, a nice level of absurdity (I mean really, what was up with the head, was it fermenting in jelly?)” Cannibal Reviews
Main cast:
- Jennifer Billingsley … Laura
- John Considine … Baru - Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls
- Judith McConnell … Claire - The Brotherhood of Satan
- Tani Guthrie … Ranu - Daughters of Satan
- Fredricka Myers … Ann - Pretty Maids All in a Row
- Chiqui da Rosa … Bonnie
- Elena Sampson … Hala
- Mary Walters … Eva
- Rod Navarro … Francisco
- Vic Diaz … Police Lieutenant - Raw Force; Vampire Hookers; The Deathhead Virgin; Beyond Atlantis; Daughters of Satan; Superbeast; Beast of the Yellow Night; Blood Thirst
- Rick Rhorke … Sailor
- Ken Metcalfe … Helicopter Pilot [uncredited]
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Always had a soft spot for this weird one.