Blood Link (1982)

This film doesn't come off entirely what it sets off to do. Moriarty in two brother roles, shows us what a fine actor he is. It's good Moriarty versus Moriarty, where good Moriarty's life, is becoming a living hell, thanks to his Siamese twin brother, who's fortunately a psychotic, who's committed a sting of brutal murders, one not so brutal, involving punching an ex boxing star (lovable veteran actor Cameron Mitchell). Bad Moriarty is parading as good Moriarty doctor, which he isn't as it isn't helping his good brother's chances, when the cops get hold of him. When growing up, our psychotic one wasn't given the same love and attention, as the good one, hence, part of his reasons for becoming a knife thrashing lunatic. His good brother has it all, successful, likable, and a really nice piece of female a..e The ain't half bad film offers some nice servings of nudity and some nice slappings of venesection (gore) and Moriarty, who's acting presence is always something viewable, especially after seeing in Q. The problems with the film, overall, I felt, were there were a few stops, a little dullness, and not enough story poured into what is otherwise, an interesting film, that really doesn't really fall above the ranks of average.

Doctor Craig Mannings is having visions where he sees himself killing women, but he slowly realises he's actually seeing through the eyes of a killer. What happens to be link? Low-budget psychotic thriller (with a touch of Giallo) that's bizarre and seedy, but not in an exploitative sense… favouring European atmospherics and erotica than all-out crass and graphic exploitation. That's not say there aren't any sleazy and trash elements, but there's a certain style and chic to the production that lifts it up a notch. One thing that sticks with you is Ennio Morricone's layered music score. Emotional, simmering and truly unsettling. This complements Michael Moriarty's dual performance of two extremes. This two-sided turn is a magnificent blend of confidently underplayed and insanely creepy. Moriarty is a joy to watch, especially when he comes face to face with himself. This is where the tension arises, as a viewer we know what might happen while the characters are playing the chase up game. Moriarty playing the evil twin role simply got under my skin and the acts of violence handed out by this character are merciless. The twist when it comes is nightmarish, but the ending paints a very haunting suggestion that gives the film an effective sting because of its convincing performances. Nice touches by director Albert De Martino. Writing-wise there can be some inconsistent patterns (mainly past developments and character motivations), but it feels more like a mood piece with our two central characters (Moriarty superbly at work) interacting. One wanting to help, while the other wants no such thing. There's real solid support by Penelope Milford (who's fantastic in the very final scene), Geraldine Fitzgerald and quick cameo part for Cameron Mitchell.

A man shares a psychic link with his siamese twin brother who he thought perished in a fire but has actually become a serial killer in Berlin, Germany (don't ya hate it when that happens?). This is kind of an interesting movie, not good necessarily but interesting. Basically its a latter-day Italian giallo except that it is a German co-production with American actors, it has a slightly bigger budget than usual, and it was apparently not post-synced. It was also made at a time when big-budget Hollywood films were actually beginning to imitate Italian gialli instead of just the reverse. In fact, the two films it borrows most liberally from--Brian DePalma's "Sisters" and the John Carpenter-scripted "Eyes of Laura Mars"--were themselves very heavily influenced by gialli making this film a kind of trans-Atlantic cinematic feedback.The acting is very good. Michael Moriarity plays dual roles as the protagonist and his psychopathic brother. Cameron Mitchell has a pretty decent cameo as an aging prize fighter. Penelope Milford is also pretty good. The script has Milford and all the other women in this movie generously shedding their clothes, even though doing so often requires their characters to be unbelievably stupid. One woman goes to bed with the identical twin of a man who she has just watched beat her elderly father to death, even though she really only has his own word that he is in fact the twin. Milford herself basically lets the homicidal brother rape her in an ill-conceived effort to save her unfaithful boyfriend from a murder charge. The ending might be an interesting attempt to explore the same psychological and metaphysical ground touched on in "Sisters" or the later David Cronenberg movie "Dead Ringers", or it could be just another sorry excuse to show Milford naked--hard to tell with these kind of movies. An interesting film though, especially for Michael Moriarty and/or giallo fans.

Alberto De Martino's "Blood Link" is a pretty good thriller.Michael Moriaty plays a doctor,who has frightening visions of murder and discovers that this may be because of a psychic link to his siamese twin brother,who is murdering women in Germany.He tries to find him and stop the madness.The cast is pretty good with excellent performance by Michael Moriaty and the score by Ennio Morricone is brilliant.There is some violence and plenty of nudity.The film reminds me a little bit Brian De Palma's masterful "Sisters"(1973),but it has enough suspense and surprises to satisfy horror fans.Check it out.