More than fifty years ago, exploitation filmmaker Herschell Gordon Lewis became a pioneer in the horror genre by making several splatter movies that covered drive-in screens with vibrant gore, something viewers weren't really seeing anywhere else in the early 1960s. Those early gore movies, which include titles like BLOOD FEAST, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS!, COLOR ME BLOOD RED, A TASTE OF BLOOD, and THE GRUESOME TWOSOME, are very cheap and quite silly, but a delight to watch.
Lewis retired from filmmaking in 1972, but in the last fifteen years has returned to the genre with BLOOD FEAST 2: ALL U CAN EAT and THE UH! OH! SHOW. Now the eighty-six year old has a new movie called BLOODMANIA ready for release later this year, and Diabolique Films and HGB Entertainment Ltd. have revealed the official theatrical poster, which can be viewed below along with the film's trailer.
BLOODMANIA is described as
a horror anthology comprised of four distinct segments that feature a raucous combination of satirical humor, horror, and enough surprises to satiate the appetites of a broad range of film enthusiasts and horror fans alike.
Each segment has its own unique style and feel, but all contain the signature gore that has come to be associated with Mr. Lewis' work.
Lewis co-wrote one of the anthology's segments and directed two of them, with Melanie Reinboldt and Kevin Littlelight taking the helm for the other two.
H.G. Lewis is really one of my favorite people to watch in interviews or listen to on commentaries. I have a deep respect for him as a filmmaker and a businessman, and I think it's awesome that he's working in the genre again after so many years, and at his age. As soon as I have the opportunity to check out BLOODMANIA, I will definitely be doing so.
