Blood Hook (1985)

Fishing with grandpa was never as wild and as out there as in this slasher satire!  That’s right, Gorehounds and Guppy Heads, Blood Hook is back to get you in the mood for some more summertime hijinks . . . and this time all the muskie madness and mutilations are completely uncensored!  Whoop whoop!

"You’ll laugh!  You’ll cry!  You’ll toss a treble hook at someone’s eye! But the insanity on display works as a once peaceful and innocent fisherman becomes a psychotic cannibal killer!"


Cranking the tongue firmly in cheek humor to 11, Blood Hook makes a giant splash once again with its cult-like charm and its low-brow humor.  Poor Peter (Mark Jacobs).  First he loses his grandfather in a very bizarre fishing accident and now he’s losing his friends!  I guess you really shouldn’t go home again as one small town finds itself afloat in a lake of madness thanks to the lunatic running around offing people with hook, line, and . . . paddle.

Forget about Peter’s inheritance!  There’s something amiss here in the lake waters of Wisconsin once again.

The Muskie Madness Fishing Contest is about to get its contestants' hands really, really dirty as it appears that a psychotic serial killer has joined the sun and fun-filled event with his deadly tri-hooked lure.  Directed by Jim Mallon (Executive Producer of Mystery Science Theater 3000) and distributed by Troma Entertainment, Blood Hook is certainly strange in its ridiculousness as the killer seems to get bored of what he’s doing and tries to top his own kills with sheer outrageousness.Blood Hook (1985)

You’ll laugh!  You’ll cry!  You’ll toss a treble hook at someone’s eye! But the insanity on display works as a once peaceful and innocent fisherman becomes a psychotic cannibal killer!  

Shot straight and not for laughs, the humor - as bizarro characters are introduced into the madness and disposed of thanks to the killer with the really large hook - gives this flick an edge that most low-grade copycat slashers don’t get.  The tone is set in stone by Mallon, but the double-edged SCREAM play from Larry Edgerton and John Galligan is pure madness as this muskie fishing contest becomes one killer’s stomping grounds as he takes out contestants and the local crazies as if he’s doing God’s work.

The giant fiberglass Muskie sculpture is back!  

Never released domestically in its original version, Vinegar Syndrome presents this under-seen regional horror oddity fully uncut - complete with fish and human guts and everything in between - on Blu-ray, in a fresh cinematographer-approved restoration from its original camera negative!

Blood Hook is now available on blu-ray thanks to Vinegar Syndrome’s newly restored 2K transfer.

Death by fishing lure hook?  Sure!

4/5 beers

Blood Hook (1985)

Blu-ray Details

Home Video Distributor: Vinegar Syndrome
Available on Blu-ray
- January 18, 2022
Screen Formats: 1.66:1 OAR
Subtitles
:
Audio:
DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set; DVD copy
Region Encoding: Region-free playback

17 years ago, Peter's grandfather went missing under mysterious circumstances. Now, Peter and his friends have returned to the placid Wisconsin town to check out his inherited lake house and to partake in the annual 'Muskie Madness' fishing competition. Soon after his arrival, Peter begins to sense that something isn't quite right, but none of his friends, nor the local sheriff, will believe him. But as townsfolk and tourists begin to disappear, Peter becomes determined to solve the mystery, as well as that of his grandfather's disappearance, and soon finds himself facing off against a fish hook wielding madman!

The feature film debut from director Jim Mallon (Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie), BLOOD HOOK is a distinctly comedic slasher that mixes copious bloodshed with wry satire. Never released domestically in its original version, Vinegar Syndrome presents this under-seen regional horror oddity fully uncut, and featuring previously censored gore and mayhem, on Blu-ray, in a fresh cinematographer-approved restoration from its original camera negative!

Video:

Newly scanned & restored in 2k from its 16mm original camera negative and framed in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, this release from Vinegar Syndrome is literally as good as it gets for this bloody hook.  The film is dominated with reds and greens that sparks with strong colors.  It’s a cheap film, for sure, but the simple backgrounds burst with new details and a nice level of clarity.  Black levels are solid and skin tones are natural.  Thankfully, the lines hold their edges. Shadows are defined and the film has a new depth previously unseen.

Audio:

Audio-wise, the DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo soundtrack is included.  The dialogue is clear and the score/effects are never lost or hard to hear.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

The region free Blu-ray/DVD combo, which has been newly scanned and restored in 2k from 16mm original camera negative, also sports some new interviews with the cast and crew.  There is a still gallery and the original theatrical trailer, too.

  • "Hook, Line and Sinker" - an interview with director Jim Mallon
  • "First Blood Hook" - an interview with actress Lisa Todd
  • "What's in the Tacklebox?" - an interview with fx artist Jim Suthers
  • Audio interview with cinematographer / editor Marsha Kahm
  • Still gallery
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Reversible cover

Blu-ray Rating

  Movie 4/5 stars
  Video  3/5 stars
  Audio 3/5 stars
  Extras 4/5 stars

Composite Blu-ray Grade

3.5/5 stars


Film Details

Blood Hook (1985)

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime:
111 mins
Director
: Jim Mallon
Writer:
Larry Edgerton; John Galligan
Cast:
Mark Jacobs; Lisa Jane Todd; Patrick Danz
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
Blood Sports of the Human Kind.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Sorry Finner, not to be negative or anything, but I really can't deal with sexist music. Who is this anyway, Red Elbows?"
Theatrical Distributor:
Troma Entertainment
Official Site: https://vinegarsyndrome.com/search?q=blood+hook&type=product
Release Date:
1986.
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
January 2022
Synopsis:

17 years ago, Peter's grandfather went missing under mysterious circumstances. Now, Peter and his friends have returned to the placid Wisconsin town to check out his inherited lake house and to partake in the annual 'Muskie Madness' fishing competition. Soon after his arrival, Peter begins to sense that something isn't quite right, but none of his friends, nor the local sheriff, will believe him. But as townsfolk and tourists begin to disappear, Peter becomes determined to solve the mystery, as well as that of his grandfather's disappearance, and soon finds himself facing off against a fish hook wielding madman!

Art

Blood Hook (1985)