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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Bay of Blood (1971)

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Spawn Lake

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Bay of Blood on DVD

One of Mario Bava's best films is Bay of Blood, also released as Twitch of the Death Nerve (1971). A predecessor to the slasher subgenre, it's said to have heavily influenced the Friday the 13th films. It begins with a vicious murder, then resumes as a group of frolicking young people arrive for some summer vacation time beside the lake, only to find themselves in danger with a mysterious killer on the loose. The plot has something to do with ownership of the valuable lakeside land, and you'll never guess who the killer really is. The film contains some of Bava's finest, and most naturalistic work as well as some innovative gore effects and a memorable lakeside striptease from Brigitte Skay. Claudine Auger, Luigi Pistilli and Laura Betti star.

Starring: Claudine Auger, Luigi Pistilli, Claudio Camaso, Anna Maria Rosati, Chris Avram, Leopoldo Trieste, Laura Betti, Brigitte Skay, Isa Miranda, Paola Montenero, Guido Boccaccini, Roberto Bonanni, Giovanni Nuvoletti
Written by: Mario Bava, Filippo Ottoni, Giuseppe Zaccariello, based on a story by Franco Barberi, Dardano Sacchetti
Directed by: Mario Bava
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 84 minutes
Date: October 31, 2007