Bad Blood (1982)

Watching BAD BLOOD today, one is immediately struck by the similarities between the look, feel, and story of the movie and the contemporary FIRST BLOOD. Both films feature loner heroes who fall foul of polite society and then are forced into becoming fugitives. The difference between them is that FIRST BLOOD is a crowd-pleasing fantasy whereas BAD BLOOD is a brutal true story with all too depressing plot ingredients.The stunning New Zealand locations are some of the best things about this atmospheric and engaging story. It tells of a rural farmer who snaps when the local authorities show up to confiscate his rifles (they need them for the war effort, the film being set during WW2). Murder and a manhunt ensue, all of it directed well by British director Mike Newell (HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE).The emphasis of the film throughout is on realism and the naturalistic performances of the actors enhance the effect. There are some truly jaw-dropping moments to be found here and it's clear that Newell is doing everything in his power to avoid sentimentalising the story, instead sticking to the cold, hard facts. I found the downbeat nature of the production a little too strong for this to be a film you can really enjoy, but it's nonetheless a strong and vivid slice of film-making, and highly memorable with it.

I happened upon this film after watching a documentary with Mike Newell (Donnie Brasco, Four Wedfings and a Funeral) where he mentioned that this was one of his films that he was most proud of but that "practically no one had seen it". Judging by its relatively low score on IMDb I can see that this film was very underrated. This is a cross between Falling Down and Rambo. Set in New Zealand around the time of the Second World War with many of the therefore obligatory beautiful landscapes. Iloved this film. The acting was impeccable all round, the dialogue believable and at no point did it glorify or demonize the main protagonist. Definitely worth a watch and a true shame that this film is not more well known.

Admittedly the title sounds like it's stolen from a lousy and cheesy 80's B-slasher movie, but "Bad Blood" is one of the most hauntingly dramatic depictions of a real-life human tragedy ever made. Set in New Zealand in 1938 and revolving on painful facts as they occurred there, "Bad Blood" tells the story of Stanley Graham and his wife Dorothy. They're outcasts in the small village community because of their rude and asocial behavior and the accumulation of financial problems slowly drives them to insanity. Stanley nearly has to go to prison for refusing to turn in his riffles and the woeful regards of the townsfolk become more and more hostile when the Grahams accuse them of poisoning their cattle. The script slowly and atmospherically builds up towards the inevitable tragedy of Stanley going irreversibly berserk and butchering seven people during a nightmarish rampage. This beautiful period piece, with marvelous costumes and set pieces, draws a mesmerizing portrait of human paranoia and despair. It also frighteningly illustrates how quickly a chain of little and seemingly insignificant events can escalate into a bloodbath, and that's truly disturbing to say the least. The sober music and gloomy photography epitomize the depressing tone of the film and Jack Thompson gives away one of the most perplexing performances I've ever seen. He should have received awards for his role, and the film in general as well for that matter. Carol Burns is equally amazing as his Dot, who may not have killed anyone but who's at least as dangerous as her husband, if not more. The climax sequences, revolving on the extended manhunt for Stanley after he fled into the open country, are also very gripping and effectively revealing the monstrous nature of people. Suddenly, the little town is overrun with people carrying riffles, most of them even unaware of the details of what happened exactly, simply to join the vigilante hunt for Stanley. No less than Mike Newell directed this sadly obscure little gem back in 1981. Nowadays he's an acclaimed director of slightly more light-headed films, like "Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Love in the Times of Cholera" and "Mona Lisa Smile". The fact that Newell was born and raised in England makes it even more admirable how he's capable of reflecting the typical New Zealand characters, culture and WWII background. I'm not aware of "Bad Blood" being available on DVD now, but the day it comes out make sure you grab a copy of this tense masterpiece. I certainly will.

Bad Blood is the true story of West Coast (New Zealand) Eric Stanley Graham who, during the 1940's shot dead several people in the small village of Kowhitirangi, and sparked NZ's biggest manhunt in history. The film is both atmospheric and disturbing, and is well focussed on Graham and his family, and their gradual alienation from the small community. The bush setting only amplifies this claustrophobia. Both well acted and scripted, Bad Blood is worth more than a look.