Blood Hook (1987)

Overrated and overhyped

Dreadfully Boring

Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

A bunch of obnoxious out-of-towners at a Wisconsin fishing competition become catch of the day when a local war-veteran with a metal plate in his cranium is sent kill crazy by the combined frequencies of bad rock music and cicadas (!?!!?!). By casting a triple-hooked doohickey (I think that's the correct fishing term) with superhuman accuracy, the maniac skilfully 'lands' each victim before stringing their corpses together, ready for grinding up to feed to his minnows.With such a nasty method of dispatching victims, Blood Hook should be a wonderfully gory film, featuring plenty of gruesome make-up effects as the hooks tear at the victims' skin; however, the death scenes actually prove frustratingly tame, the hooks never shown puncturing the flesh, the actors simply smearing blood on their skin as they pretend (unconvincingly) to be pulled to their death. The only time we witness anything slightly graphic—the addition of a fresh corpse to the catch line—the effects are woefully unconvincing.With such pathetic gore, plus horrible characters, terrible dialogue, only the briefest smattering of nudity, a terribly uneven tone that makes one wonder whether this is supposed to be a comedy or a horror, and an inconclusive ending in which the killer appears to escape (unless I have matters confused, which is quite possible since I was really struggling to stay awake by the end), Blood Hook is a total waste of time—much like the inexplicably popular pastime of fishing!

Even after so many times, it always remains somewhat worrying to witness a movie opening with the logo of Troma Studios, you know the orange-type of city background with the announcement in yellow letters "Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz Present…" Even if they were only responsible for the distribution of this film, the two aforementioned gentlemen and their company are not exactly known for their fine and sophisticated contributions to the world of horror cinema; what with outrageous and ineptly made low-budget trash landmarks such as "The Toxic Avenger" and "Mother's Day". But maybe it's just because of the fact they weren't involved in the actual production that you don't really have to worry too much. "Blood Hook" actually is a light-headed, easily digestible but overall pretty dumb late 80's slasher effort from the same director that would, ironically enough, later gain fame as the creative genius behind "Mystery Science Theater 3000"; a TV-phenomenon mocking the allegedly worst films ever made. The story of "Blood Hook" revolves on a twenty- something dork and four of his even less interesting friends spending a little holiday in the fisherman's town where he witnessed his grandfather suffering from a severe heart attack and drowning in the lake all these years ago. Synchronously with their arrival in town, there's the bizarre occurrence of a series of blood fish-hook inflicted murders. "Blood Hook" is one of those movies that desperately attempt to make one or even multiple characters look exaggeratedly suspicious, although – if you've seen a lot of slasher movies already – you just know it's a weak and ineffective red herring. I mean, they can't seriously expect us to believe that the stereotypical crazed Vietnam veteran is the culprit. Actually, "Blood Hook" is a film that takes itself surprisingly serious in spite just being an 80's slasher in which people are getting impaled by an over-sized and ludicrous looking fishing hook! You don't really expect to find ambitious character trauma analysis or slowly developing love stories in a flick like this, right? At least I don't. There are a handful of delightful gory highlights, like when the maniac literally fillets one of his victims after already having shoved a pole through his throat and chin! There's also ear-amputation, grueling disembowelment and strangulation for us, sick puppies, to enjoy. The identity of the killer, as well as his main motivation, is of minor importance, but I'm already happy to announce that we're dealing with a totally demented lunatic who goes around using inventive methods and stores the bodies underneath a pier. The acting performances are decent enough (far better than you would expect at least), the make-up art is okay as well and there even are a few attempts to build up suspense. It's really too bad about some boring overlong sequences and the inexplicable lack of nudity, otherwise this would even be one of the better late 80's slasher efforts. There's space left widely open for a sequel that never came. With all the other and far more inferior trash that I've watched already, I wouldn't have minded a sequel actually.

Cheap no-budget slasher with a rather absurd premise..the ever increasing sound of cicadas who react strongly to rock music(!)cause a local fisherman(..whose metal plate in his skull, a surgical procedure made after getting shot in the head during the Korean war, causes such harsh vibrations that he responds violently)to go berserk casting his line towards unfortunate victims in his general area, the massive float and numerous hooks embedded in the flesh jerking them towards him. He chops the victims up and uses their meat for feeding his minnows! It seems that this grisly process helps him lure in more quality fish! A small group of teenager friends enter this fishing village as a tournament is about to begin. As we witness in the opening, Peter van Cleese(Mark Jacobs)returns to the place where he watched his father fall into the river never to be found, the loud cicadas skrieking due to the music playing on a tape player. Peter has remained troubled due to this incident and is unwelcome by his father's grounds-keeper, Wayne Duerst(Paul Drake), a very bitter and rude old man who holds a hostility for how his lost friend mysteriously vanished. Wayne's rather unbalanced son, Evelyn(..the blubbery Bill Lowrie, with some truly awful dialogue he must endure, trying to express a very disturbed, volatile, and ugly creation of the Vietnam war in an over-the-top and outrageous manner)hangs around the place, causing the city kids some unneeded aggravation. We also follow a family of four, who enter the fishing community on vacation with father and mother Roger & Shiela Swain(Don Cosgrove & Bonnie Lee)falling prey to the homicidal fisherman, Leroy Leudke(Don Winters)..Irving and Ruth-Ann(Greg Nienas and Julie Vortanz)are left worried about their parents whereabouts as the local sheriff(Paul Heckman), burdened with little manpower, must begin an investigation in such a prosperous time for his community. Of importance to the advancing plot, Irving uses a metal detector given to him by a more mentally balanced Leudke, to discover certain truths which will indicate the fisherman of his sinister deeds. In a minor sub-plot, Peter's pal, Finner(Christopher Whiting)and a local gal, Bev D(Sandy Meuwissen)have a blossoming romance that is disrupted rather quickly when it's discovered that her husband is Evelyn! As Peter pursues the one responsible for attacks on his friends, he'll need some help from Wayne in order to do so.The gore is at a minimum, with most victims, from a large distance, getting hooked by Leudke(..always out of frame)either swimming, on a boat or float, even on ground. It's hard to take these attacks seriously as the victims are strong enough to outlast Leudke who must reel them in like a fish..it's just too ridiculous(..particularly Peter's girlfriend, Ann(Lisa Todd)who is a good distance away when the master fisherman snags her), and illogical to expect any one with such capacity to pull a victim into the water, reel them in despite resistance, bound them, carry them all the way back to his dock, and subdue them. We often see victims struggling with the hooks, attempting to free themselves as Leudke yanks and jerks. Peter's friends are extremely obnoxious, very vulgar and rude, acknowledging that visitors from the city deserve to die and horribly as they enter the uncharted territory of a rural fishing village. This is even painted with the suburban family whose patriarch is a big city hot shot, deeming himself the expert fisherman because he could afford the very best materials needed for the sport, with the perfectly annoying, nagging wife. The locals are a collection of colorful oddballs, as expected when depicted in the backwoods regions of rural America. One effects sequence is terribly executed and laughable, when Leudke nabs a victim, he jabs a rod into his neck, through his lower jaw so that he can pull a hook out his mouth..the cast of the actor's complete face looks exactly that with little authenticity. The cheap budget shows all the way through. The premise is original, but too nonsensical for it's own good..how could even an expert fisherman as Leudke be able to accurately hook victims from such a distance away? Still, it's rare to see a slasher film set in a fishing community using the tools of the trade so at least it has that going for it. Director Jim Mallon is best known for his duties as executive producer for Mystery Science Theater 3000. This film was released by Team Troma, but doesn't carry it's usual trademarks, except for the low budget, weirdo characters, bad acting, and strange plot.

Classic. Seriously. This movie is going to be remembered by anyone who sees it.I'm not saying it's GOOD, because it isn't. The first time I saw this movie, it was at a party where people would show up to make fun of bad movies--almost like MST3K without the segues. That was twelve years ago.If it isn't a classic, why do I remember most of the lines? Why do I know the tune the Red Echoes sing? Why do I know the significance of turning down your radio (referred to as "the G**D*** headache machine")? Why do I know how deadly a treble hook can be? And why would I go looking at Bass Pro Shop for a treble hook? Go rent this movie if you can find it. Hell, BUY it. Just try and see it without forgetting what you just watched.