1972 A Pete Walker Production
A group of actors go to the old abandoned Dome Theatre to practice for a touring theatrical show. A mysterious killer starts killing them off one by one and not everybody is who they seem to be.
First off I have never seen a horror film with so many boobies. I mean seriously there are a lot of them in this. Mind you, there is nothing wrong with that, but you should know that this film, made by Pete Walker, was one of the first to herald the horror exploitation genre in England. This is an example of why Hammer films started showing a lot of bobbies because they were trying to compete against films such as this. With all of that being said I actually think that this film isn’t too bad. I mean I have seen better, and I have seen worse.
The Flesh And Blood Show was written by Alfred Shaugnessy, and the screenplay itself actually really isn’t all that bad. The only major problems I have are with the ending and with some of the reasoning behind the behaviour of a certain character. I would think that the characters would have more of a reaction when it comes to finding out who the killer is rather than just standing there. I mean, if you found out such information would you be acting calm, or would you be getting the hell out of there as fast as
possible? The reaction Of Mike (Ray Brooks) to the first murder is pretty unbelievable. I mean the guy has never met the mysterious producers of the play and yet he is going to stick out his neck for them? Makes no sense to me. There are some rather predictable female characters in this such as the lesbain chicks and the wanton hussy, but this is after all an exploitation film., so I will let that go.
Pete Walker directed this and he does a decent enough job. I think his constant obvious boobie shots are pretty funny, because he doesn’t try to fit them into the rest of the scene at all. I mean they shout out at you like’ Here are the tits!’. I think just about ever actress in this flashes them at least one time so there are plenty to look at. The best scenes are when the theatre is darkened and something bad is about to happen. Also there is some tension 
because of the very setting itself: the theatre is very old looking and spooky with spider webs all over the place. The setting of the theatre on a peir during the winter season really adds to that feel of desolation. Walker also made other exploitation type horror films such as The Confessional and The House Of Whipcord.
None of the acting in The Flesh And Blood Show is spectacularly bad and you will recognise some of the people in this. Jenny Hanley, who plays Julia, is probably the best actress in this and is the only one who actually doesn’t show her boobs. I wonder if there is a connection there? She also starred in Hammer’s Scars Of Dracula so she took part in the British horror film wars directly. Tristan Rogers turn as Peter Weller isn’t spectacular but I instanlty
recognised him from General Hospital. Yes, Bloofer lady used to watch that. Patrick Bar is the best actor and plays Major Bell very sympathetically and it’s quite easy to feel sorry for the character.
All in all The Flesh And Blood Show is a decent example of the British horror exploitation genre of films and Bloofer Lady thinks it’s good enough to seek out and watch it, for no other reason than to see the progression that British horror films started to make in the early 1970’s.
Bloofer Lady
You must log in to post a comment.