Bloodtype Online

    If you're anything like me you've heard the name of this movie before and that alone has you interested.  Even if you haven't heard of this film and you are reading this I'm assuming that you are probably a fan of sleazy movies right?  Well, I hope so.  I've heard the title of this movie for years and I even remember a rapper named Mr. Hyde had an entire concept album devoted to this one as well.  So therefore I always thought that there at least had to be something of merit to this one, so when I heard that Legend House was releasing it to DVD I was thrilled.  I also knew prior to seeing it that it stars actor Andrew Prine (who I'd recognized from things like the TV series "V" and from films like Amityville II and The Town that Dreaded Sundown) who is a pretty good actor, even in something like this.

    "Barn of the Naked Dead" is the story about Andre (Prine), a disturbed young man who kidnaps helpless young women to star in his "circus".  See Andre lives way out in the desert and manages to trick these women into trusting him.  After that takes place he brings them back and chains them up in the barn that he has and treats them like the circus animals that need putting out to pasture if you know what I mean.  Also Andre has quite the mommy complex that's comparable to films like Psycho and Maniac that adds to the creepiness on display in the film.

    First and foremost this is easily one of the strangest examples of a movie I've ever seen.  The main theme of the movie alone is strange enough but when you mix in Andre's obsession with the circus as well as his post nuclear mongloid father into the mix you're getting a great mixture of sleazy and cheese in my opinion that makes this a can't miss film in my opinion. 

    Now keep in mind that this movie won't be for everyone.  There are a few scenes that are pretty intense and some people won't be able to sit through the scenes in which Andre is really putting a hurting on the ladies.  Also if you aren't a fan of oddball grindhouse or drive in movies then this won't be your cup of tea either.  But if that's what you like when it comes to your movie choices then this one might just be a diamond in the rough for you.  Personally I found it to be one of the most interesting films I've ever seen because of the fact that there is so much cheese and sleaze mixed together.  I don't know if I've ever seen a movie like that before and if so, it certainly didn't have the mixture that this one did. 

    Andrew Prine does a golden job as the disturbed mama's boy Andre and is downright creepy at times in the film.  Now sure, he's bat shit crazy in this one but that's the joy in watching him on screen.  In a 27 minute interview with Prine on the disc he explains how he knew that he could handle material like this and would do these types of movies because he felt that he could make them better because of his acting skills.  Personally I couldn't agree with him more because if there were another actor in the shoes of Andre, I don't think this movie would have been worth much at all.  Prine is actually quite the screen presence here and I would be hard pressed to find someone that would disagree after seeing this one.

    Ok, so lets see what we've covered here so far.  Crazy Andre, chained up women, and what else could I be forgetting?  Hmmm….oh, did I mention that his mongloid dad lives in a locked shed out further on the property?  Did I also mention that he's part of Andre's plans to punish the women?  No?  Well there you have it, because if Andrew Prine's performance isn't enough to get you interested then the goofy dad should be.  I have to tell you this character is one of the reasons why the movie works so well.  By the time you actually see the dad in this one, he comes across like a goofy monster straight out of your average B-movie.  Actually the character of the dad is what takes this one straight into cheeseland right after a few long stops in sleaze country and I'll be damned if those two aren't quite the entertaining combo.

    But one complaint that many people would have (even though it didn't really bother me at all) is that the title is misleading.  There is very little naked and even less of the dead as far as this one goes.  But then again, we are talking pure, exploitation cinema here aren't we?  Titles were misleading and were simply there to sell people on the movie and it worked on me.  I mean honestly, what kind of a genre fan would hear the name "Barn of the Naked Dead" and NOT want to see the movie?  Get it?  I thought you would. 

    Overall I really enjoyed "Barn of the Naked Dead" in all it's whacked out glory.  It's sleazy, it's cheesy, and it's one hell of a good time.  After seeing it I was amazed at how little talk there is of this movie especially since all of the grindhouse/drive in stuff seems to be in a resurgence these days.  But thanks to the good people over at Legend House we are getting these great DVD for people to rediscover over and over again.  Also they did a great job with the DVD too as it includes a 27 minute interview of star Andrew Prine as well as a 55 minute episode of "Gore Beat".  "Gore Beat" was a video zine that Johnny Legend did and this one includes John Landis, Fred Olen Ray (who presents his 20th Anniversary trailer for "Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers"), Brian Yuzna, and Ray Dennis Steckler!  Trust me grindhouse aficionado's out there, this one is totally up your alley.

Rating - ***

-Ed Demko