The Daily Dig: Thirst (1979)

A “vampire” flick unlike any I’ve ever seen, the fact that “Thirst” is not talked about as one of the greats in the sub-genre is baffling.

A young woman is kidnapped by a “brotherhood” who claims she is a descendant of Elizabeth Bathory and tries to convince her to change her diet to blood. Let’s dig into 1979’s THIRST, directed by Rod Hardy!

As I See It

The consumerism of blood!

Chantel Contouri gives a truly inspired performance. Her desperation feels real. When she’s off in a trance of despair, you can’t help but feel for her. She’s lost in a world that feels foreign to her, no matter how familiar it looks. Every semblance of home is pulled from under her like a rug that never existed.

They put Kate (Contouri) through a disruptive ceremony meant to obfuscate her senses. That type of film, especially from the seventies, is usually like a bad acid trip. Everything in this film feels intentional, like a ritual. It’s beautifully shot. The sets are a work of art. The story is intriguing, and you’re given exactly as much information as you need to play with.

It’s not a traditional blood-sucking tale, but I’ll count it, and it immediately skyrockets up the charts in my book as one of my favorites.

Famous Faces

Henry Silva (Dr. Gauss) was in Alligator and has had roles in tons of action films, including Above the Law, Dick Tracy, and Trained to Kill. He passed away in 2022 at the age of 95.

Composer Brian May (no, not that Brian May of Queen fame) scored this film the same year he scored George Miller’s Mad Max. He would also compose for a couple of Richard Franklin films, Patrick and Road Games, and the Mad Max sequel – The Road Warrior.

Max Phipps (Mr. Hodge) played the Toadie in George Miller’s Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior.

Robert Thompson (Sean) played the titular role in Richard Franklin’s Patrick and has a small part in Franklin’s Road Games.

Of Gratuitous Nature

There is a shower scene, but it hardly serves as a cheap reason to get her naked. It’s THE scene. The blood bath. This is what we’ve all come for.

Heartthrob

It’s not 4k, that format became popular and more widely available later in 2014, but man does the transfer look great. It’s variably crisp and gritty exactly when it needs to be and the depth and richness of color when in enclosed spaces is nearly unmatched.

Ripe for a Remake

The Blood Countess has inspired plenty of films and horror characters. This is one of my favorite uses of the lore and ironically has a resemblance in conspiracies (the elite feeding on the peasants) that persist through our subculture.

Spawns

No progeny to report.

Where to Watch

In 2014, Severin Films released a 2 Disc Blu-Ray, but it’s now out of print. There is also a DVD roaming around from Synapse Films.