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A Bucket of Blood (1995 film)
Encyclopedia
A Bucket of Blood is a 1995 American
black comedy
film. It was directed by Michael James McDonald
, and starred Anthony Michael Hall
. It is a remake of A Bucket of Blood
, the 1959 cult film
directed by Roger Corman
, who produced the remake. Both films tell the story of a nerdy busboy who turns to murder in order to create his unique sculptures. The remake, made for Showtime, was later released on home video under the title The Death Artist. It has never been made available on DVD
.
, who got his start in the film industry through Corman, and Mink Stole
, a regular of John Waters
films) looking for art by new talent.
The screenplay by Brendan Broderick
portrays the characters in a considerably different way from Charles B. Griffith
's original version. Walter is played more darkly, with a bitterness and rage that becomes apparent from the first moments on screen. Carla is played as a thick-accented Eurotrash type with too much makeup. Maxwell Brock is more insufferable and pretentious. Leonard the owner is more cautious and craven. The stoner types are played by then-unknown Will Ferrell
and David Cross
.
In the scene where the fateful death of the landlady's cat occurs, Walter sees a leftover supply of plaster and a mortar kit within the partition where the cat was trapped prior to his accidentally skewering the animal. He uses that to encase the cat and his later victims.
The impetuous undercover cop who follows Walter and tries to bully him into a confession of being a drug mule is played to be even more obnoxious than the same character played in the original by Burt Convy. So, too, is the character of Alice made to be so nasty that she practically begs Walter's wrath. When he convinces her to model for him, there is both full rear and frontal nudity. Also, the implied sexual tension is made more candid as Alice taunts Walter about his virginity. This enrages Walter so much that when he finally springs his trap on her, he doesn't merely strangle her so much as breaks her neck.
The sculptures he creates are more graphic and less abstract than in the original film. Also absent is the element of magical realism where, once the jig is up, the "ghostly" voices of Walter's victims sting his conscience and drive him to render justice unto himself by hanging.
The remake ends with a "where are they now?" photo sequence that explains that Carla was so traumatized by Walter's death that she became a mute, Maxwell attempted to imitate Walter's "final work of genius" by committing suicide—and failed, Leonard burned down his business and collected on the insurance money, and Cuff and Link eventually found success with their work and now live together as roommates.
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
film. It was directed by Michael James McDonald
Michael McDonald (actor)
Michael James McDonald is an American actor, writer, comedian, and director, best known for starring in the sketch comedy show MADtv. McDonald joined the show during the fourth season and remained in the cast until the end of the thirteenth and penultimate season, having become the...
, and starred Anthony Michael Hall
Anthony Michael Hall
Michael Anthony Hall , known professionally as Anthony Michael Hall, is an American actor, film producer and director who starred in several teen-oriented films of the 1980s. Hall began his career in commercials and on stage as a child, and made his screen debut in 1980...
. It is a remake of A Bucket of Blood
A Bucket of Blood
A Bucket of Blood is a 1959 American comedy horror film directed by Roger Corman. It starred Dick Miller and was set in beatnik culture. The film, produced on a $50,000 budget, was shot in five days, and shares many of the low-budget filmmaking aesthetics commonly associated with Corman's work....
, the 1959 cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
directed by Roger Corman
Roger Corman
Roger William Corman is an American film producer, director and actor. He has mostly worked on low-budget B movies. Some of Corman's work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, and in 2009 he won an Honorary Academy Award for...
, who produced the remake. Both films tell the story of a nerdy busboy who turns to murder in order to create his unique sculptures. The remake, made for Showtime, was later released on home video under the title The Death Artist. It has never been made available on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.
Plot
The 1995 remake follows the original closely, with some changes. The story takes place in a more modern setting. Walter Paisley works at a cappuccino bar called the Jabberjaw. Several characters are added to the story, including an older rich couple (played by Paul BartelPaul Bartel
Paul Bartel was an American actor, writer and director. Bartel was perhaps most known for his 1982 hit black comedy Eating Raoul, which he wrote, starred in and directed.-Life and career:...
, who got his start in the film industry through Corman, and Mink Stole
Mink Stole
Nancy Paine Stoll better known by the stage name Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, having appeared in all of his feature films to date...
, a regular of John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
films) looking for art by new talent.
The screenplay by Brendan Broderick
Brendan Broderick
Brendan Broderick is a writer. His screenwriting credits include numerous B-movies and action films, many made with producer Roger Corman. Titles include with Kyle MacLachlan and Peter Coyote; ; ; Bloodfist VII: Manhunt , and Bloodfist VI: Ground Zero , both starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson; A...
portrays the characters in a considerably different way from Charles B. Griffith
Charles B. Griffith
Charles B. Griffith was a Chicago-born screenwriter, son of Donna Dameral, radio star of Myrt and Marge...
's original version. Walter is played more darkly, with a bitterness and rage that becomes apparent from the first moments on screen. Carla is played as a thick-accented Eurotrash type with too much makeup. Maxwell Brock is more insufferable and pretentious. Leonard the owner is more cautious and craven. The stoner types are played by then-unknown Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
and David Cross
David Cross
David Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
.
In the scene where the fateful death of the landlady's cat occurs, Walter sees a leftover supply of plaster and a mortar kit within the partition where the cat was trapped prior to his accidentally skewering the animal. He uses that to encase the cat and his later victims.
The impetuous undercover cop who follows Walter and tries to bully him into a confession of being a drug mule is played to be even more obnoxious than the same character played in the original by Burt Convy. So, too, is the character of Alice made to be so nasty that she practically begs Walter's wrath. When he convinces her to model for him, there is both full rear and frontal nudity. Also, the implied sexual tension is made more candid as Alice taunts Walter about his virginity. This enrages Walter so much that when he finally springs his trap on her, he doesn't merely strangle her so much as breaks her neck.
The sculptures he creates are more graphic and less abstract than in the original film. Also absent is the element of magical realism where, once the jig is up, the "ghostly" voices of Walter's victims sting his conscience and drive him to render justice unto himself by hanging.
The remake ends with a "where are they now?" photo sequence that explains that Carla was so traumatized by Walter's death that she became a mute, Maxwell attempted to imitate Walter's "final work of genius" by committing suicide—and failed, Leonard burned down his business and collected on the insurance money, and Cuff and Link eventually found success with their work and now live together as roommates.
Cast
- Anthony Michael HallAnthony Michael HallMichael Anthony Hall , known professionally as Anthony Michael Hall, is an American actor, film producer and director who starred in several teen-oriented films of the 1980s. Hall began his career in commercials and on stage as a child, and made his screen debut in 1980...
as Walter - Will FerrellWill FerrellJohn William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
as Young Man - Justine BatemanJustine BatemanJustine Tanya Bateman is an American actress, writer, and producer. She is best known for her regular role as Mallory Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties...
as Carla - Shadoe StevensShadoe StevensShadoe Stevens is an American radio host, voiceover actor, and television personality. He was the host of American Top 40 from 1988 to 1995...
as Maxwell - Sam LloydSam LloydSam Lloyd may refer to:*Samuel T. Lloyd III, dean of Washington National Cathedral*Sam Lloyd, recurring guest character on several television shows including Scrubs and Desperate Housewives-See also:...
as Leonard - Jesse D. GoinsJesse D. GoinsJesse D. Goins is an American film and television character actor. He is best known for his role in the 1980s television series The Greatest American Hero as Cyler Johnson....
as Art - Kin ShrinerKin ShrinerKin Shriner is an American actor, best known for playing Scott Baldwin on both daytime serials General Hospital and Port Charles .-Personal life:...
as Lou - Sheila Travis as Mayolia
- David CrossDavid CrossDavid Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
as Charlie - Victor Wilson as Cuff
- Patrick BristowPatrick BristowPatrick Bristow is an American actor and comedian.-Biography:Perhaps best known for his television role as Peter, the gay best friend of Ellen Morgan on the series Ellen, Patrick Bristow is currently a cast member of the Independent Film Channel's critically acclaimed series The Minor...
as Link - Paul BartelPaul BartelPaul Bartel was an American actor, writer and director. Bartel was perhaps most known for his 1982 hit black comedy Eating Raoul, which he wrote, starred in and directed.-Life and career:...
as Older Man - Mink StoleMink StoleNancy Paine Stoll better known by the stage name Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, having appeared in all of his feature films to date...
as Older Woman - Julianna McCarthyJulianna McCarthyJulianna McCarthy is an American actress. McCarthy was an original cast member of the soap opera The Young and the Restless, starring as matriarch Liz Foster from 1973 to 1982. She reprised the role in 1984, 1985–86, 1993, 2003–2004, and 2008...
as Mrs. Swicker - Alan SuesAlan SuesAlan Sues is a U.S. comic actor best known for his performances as part of the ensemble on the 1968–1973 television program Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In...
as Art Buyer - Darcy DeMossDarcy DeMossDarcy DeMoss is an American film and television actress whose credits include Eden, Erotic Confessions, Can't Buy Me Love and Vice Academy 3.-External links:...
as Alice - Jennifer CoolidgeJennifer CoolidgeJennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the older woman in the film American Pie ; Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story ; Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots ; for her...
as Stupid Girl - Stephen BurrowsStephen BurrowsStephen Burrows, aka Stephen Dale Burrows, Steve Burrows, etc., is a writer/director/actor in many movies, including Chump Change and Spy Hard.-Actor:* The Soldier of Fortune as Steve* My Father the Hero as Hakim...
as Carpenter - Jim Jackson as Art Critic
- Jennifer JoyceJennifer JoyceJennifer Joyce is a Canadian hammer thrower.While growing up outside of Vancouver, Joyce excelled in multiple sports as a child. In addition to athletics, she participated in soccer and volleyball, earning a spot on the British Columbia soccer provincial team in 1994...
as Woman at Show (as Jennifer Judith Joyce) - Michael James McDonald as Dancer
- Jim WiseJim WiseJim Wise is an American actor, voice actor, writer and composer. He is perhaps best known for his recurring role as Coach Tugnut in the Disney Channel Original Series Even Stevens....
as Guitar Player/Singer - Tracy Grundland as Art Dealer
- Scott P. Levy as Slezy Agent #1
- Brendan BroderickBrendan BroderickBrendan Broderick is a writer. His screenwriting credits include numerous B-movies and action films, many made with producer Roger Corman. Titles include with Kyle MacLachlan and Peter Coyote; ; ; Bloodfist VII: Manhunt , and Bloodfist VI: Ground Zero , both starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson; A...
as Slezy Agent #2 - Matthew Rever as Slezy Agent #3
- Deena Casiano as Violinist
- Markus Reinhardt as Cellist