The fourth film in the Blood Island series, Beast of Blood came out in the year 1970. In the series, the first film is Terror Is a Man. This is followed by Brides of Blood and the third film is The Mad Doctor of Blood Island. For the UK release, Beast of Blood had the title ‘Blood Devils’.
This Filipino horror film was directed by Eddie Romero. It was also his last film for Hemisphere Pictures. He and his co-producer for the film parted ways after the completion of this film.
Celeste Yarnall’s role in the film
In Beast of Blood, Celeste plays the character of Myra Russell. She is a reporter and Dr. Bill Foster’s romantic interest in the film. An interview had her talking about the film’s popularity with pride and how she got along with the Filipinos.
The plot
This movie is the continuation of The Mad Doctor of Blood Island. Upon leaving Blood Island, the ship with Dr. Bill Foster, Carlos Lopez, Sheila Willard, and her father on board explodes. Following the explosion, it sinks after the mutated chlorophyll creature is secreted on board. It has a name, Don Ramon Lopez. The creature goes on a rampage. After destroying the ship, it gets back on Blood Island and enters the jungle.
The only survivor from the ship is Dr. Foster. After spending a few months recovering in a hospital, he boards another ship and goes back to Blood Island. Also on board is Myra Russell, a reporter investigating the ship’s explosion. When Russell and Foster arrive on Blood Island, they find its natives in a state of fear. They are of the belief that the old Lopez mansion carries a curse.
Russell and Foster search the house with the ship’s captain and Ramu, who is the village headman. They find Razak alive. After a fight, the ‘green men’ are back. Myra is captured and taken to Dr. Lorca, who is alive and horribly scarred. Dr. Foster and Laida find the hidden lab of Dr. Lorca while searching the mountains. While Laida goes back to the village seeking help, Lorca shows his recent experiments to Foster.
After removing Don Ramon’s head, he has attached it to machines. Don Ramon’s decapitated body is still strapped to a table. Dr. Lorca knows that the head is able to speak, but it doesn’t say a thing. The captain, Ramu, and Laida attack Lorca’s headquarters and fight with his men. Laida succeeds in finding her father and rescues him from chlorophyll poisoning. Foster shoots Razak.
Don Ramon’s head can control his body from a distance. It wants to attack and kill Dr. Lorca, crushing his head with the machinery. An explosion in Lorca’s lab kill everyone inside. Foster and the group leave with a box containing Lorca’s notes and papers.
Release and criticism
The movie had a release with the Filipino horror film Curse of the Vampires on a double feature. Beast of Blood performed well in the theaters of New York. Considering its substantial business, producer Kane W. Lynn wanted to acquire the distribution rights of Ashley’s next film.
Later, Ashley decided to produce the film with his own production company. The film received one out of four stars from TV Guide. This magazine criticized the film for its poor production values and make-up effects.