The Thirsty Dead (1974) User Reviews

Off the charts on the goofiness scale!

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 5 March 2010]

Wow...this is one seriously goofy film! You can't help but laugh at the histrionics and costumes used in the low-budget turkey! And you know that if they go all the way to the Philippines to save money in the production it will be a bad film. Fortunately, however, it's also so incredibly silly and stupid that it is worth watching for bad movie fans. You certainly won't be bored with this weird flick--at least not for the first 2/3. Later, it does drag quite a bit!

The film starts with four young ladies being kidnapped and taken into the middle of no where. Eventually they learn that they are being held by a weird cult that plans on sacrificing several of them on behalf of "the Chosen One"--one of the girls who is supposedly the reincarnation of their god...or whatever. The elixir they make from the victims' blood will supposedly let the Chosen One live forever...or at least a very, very long time. However, this Chosen One has no interest in killing others for her own immortality and refuses their "gift".

The film is so silly and overly serious that you can't help but laugh. But, if you look at the poster art currently on IMDb, you can also see that the costumes worn by the cult members is even funnier--like cast-off clothes from the original "Star Trek" series. Oh, and speaking of "Star Trek", you may recognize Judith McConnell in this movie as a lady who guest starred on a Trek episode, "A Wolf in the Fold".

Should be called the Sleeping Audience instead

[dbborroughs · 2/10 · 5 September 2009]

Philippines lensed story of four women kidnapped by a group of men in monk's robes and hauled off into the jungle. There they find themselves unwilling guests for a vampiric cult that follows Juan, a living head in a glass jar full of a red liquid. One of the women attracts the attention of one of then men who wants her to stay with him in their underground lair. Will the girls escape? The real question is will the audience remain awake? This is a snoozer of a film where everything is in a pastel color and it all looks like Hollywood sets. The film is okay to start (I like the sewer sets) but once we get into the jungle this film goes into the toilet. Its so dull and ponderous as everyone talks but no one really does anything. To be perfectly honest once you get to a certain point in the film you realize that there is no real danger any reason to watch kind ceases to exist.

For insomniacs only

Not a bad way to spend a boring night, not a good one either

[Wyrmis · 3/10 · 12 December 2005]

This movie's main flaw seems to be that it takes itself too seriously. Its skirting around camp, taken in consideration with some moments that seem quite earnestly acted and scripted (however poorly it worked out), becomes an unintentional side-effect. This negates 90% of the reason to watch this movie. It is cheaply made on top of this which detracts even further in that rather than go for a more natural look, they tried for some sort of sci-fi exotica kind of thing and ended up with a office dress party.

The plot works fair enough, though it probably would have worked more had they dropped the horror pretenses and moved straight into action/adventure style territory. There is no new ground here.

The acting is not always wooden, and has some okay moments, but is largely inconsistent. Signs of grief or panic are often achieved by a far off look or a hand biting scene.

All in all, the biggest flaw here (besides a low budget, which they could have worked around, I have seen too many good low budget movies) is that they are tapping into a 1950's era schlock flick flavor, and somehow trying to keep it fresh and end up with a poor mix altogether.

Not so great, not so bad...

[WritnGuy-2 · 30 August 1999]

I rented this under suspicion. First of all, it was PG. A PG horror movie doesn't promise much. But I gave it a chance.

It was...okay....

The movie is about four women--Laura, Claire, Ann, and Bonnie--who are captured and taken to a cave in the jungle. They see they that there is a large cult-like group there, but they don't know why they are there. Soon Laura realizes that they have been brought here for a terrible reason. She, inparticular, is portrayed as a great queen, and the other three, with many other captives, are kept there for their blood, which keeps the would-be dead cult alive and young. The four must escape.

It isn't a terrible movie, but it isn't really scary. It's somewhat interesting, and if you're looking for a very mild horror movie, then I suggest this. There is barely any blood, no profanity, and no nudity. The acting isn't terrible. (What a surprise! Most movies like this have the worst of actors.) And there is a lot of action towards the end. If you are into softcore horror movies, check this out. If you want something more, pass it.

Sitting on the fence with this one

[artpf · 5/10 · 9 October 2013]

Beautiful young girls are kidnapped off the streets of Manila by a death cult that needs their blood to remain immortal.

Apparently, back in the 70's the dark streets of Manilla were littered with hot blonde white chicks. They get captured by crimson hooded guys and offer no resistance whatsoever.

The movie is fairly typical of these Philippine 70's films. Dark, little real action and the same music over and over, all filmed on grainy high speed over saturated 35 mm.

There was a documentary made about these movies recently and apparently, there was little safety on the sets and sometimes stunt men died! I guess Marcos made it very advantageous to make movies here back then because so many cheapo horror/girls in prison films were made there.

This movie follows the same format and if you are a fan of the genre because the films are so bad, you'll probably like it. It's a fun midnight movie to laff at.

Somebody watched "She...who must be obeyed" one too many times.

[mark.waltz · 2/10 · 16 October 2016]

When exotic dancer Judith McConnell wants to sign up to be kidnapped for white slavery, she gets more than she bargained for. Along with innocent buy equally buxom Jennifer Billingsley, they end up somewhere seemingly in the amazon jungles where a cult of blood drinkers hope to stay young forever. Actually, this has the look of "Lost Horizon", too, and I had to keep myself from breaking into the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David from the musical version of that James Hilton fantasy novel which came out the same year.

Watchable but obviously hideous, this just continues to get sillier as it goes by. A group of unwashed jungle natives with hideously ugly long nails add even more weirdness to the film, and at times, I also expected Maria Montez to show up looking for the cobra jewel. The actors keep straight faces throughout, especially John Considine as the presumed cult leader. This is one of those bad movies that just has to be seen to be believed. I enjoyed it more for the fact that I was seeing a few veteran soap actors (McConnell and Considine) in major film roles long before I knew them from daytime.

Imaginative horror take on "Lost Horizon"

[ccmiller1492 · 5/10 · 2 October 2003]

This imaginative horror take on "Lost Horizon" fails to engage due to poor acting, low-budget and pacing which is too slow. The only memorable performance is that of John Considine in the role of Baru, the sensitive and loving male leader of the Blood drinkers who never age. When he makes the mistake of falling in love with one of the cult's unwilling donors he must pay the ultimate price for leaving his heritage. Considine acts this part well, and it's too bad there wasn't more development of his part and better pacing. His presence creates the only interest in the film.

Extremely unlikely to quench your thirst for horror.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 13 October 2014]

Shot in the Philippines, Z-grade horror The Thirsty Dead opens with voluptuous go-go dancer Claire (Judith McConnell) gyrating wildly in a cage as drunken sailors ogle admiringly. Shortly after her entertaining routine, the woman is abducted by hooded assailants, and the film goes rapidly downhill from thereon in.

Together with three other women—blonde beauty Ann (Fredricka Meyers), Filipino cutie Bonnie (Chiqui da Rosa), and Laura (Jennifer Billingsley), who ain't so attractive—Claire is transported to the remote jungle headquarters of a strange cult who drink a potion consisting of human blood and leaves that keeps them eternally young. Imprisoned in a papier-mâché cave, the girls are forced to wear sexy bikinis and are drugged for the bleeding ritual, all except for Laura, who is given the opportunity to enjoy immortality thanks to her resemblance to a painting by cult member Baru (John Considine). However, Laura isn't wild on the idea of eternity in a cave and refuses to drink the potion; together with the other three girls, she makes a bid for freedom.

As attractive as Claire, Ann and Bonnie are in their skimpy get-ups, The Thirsty Dead is still extremely hard going, a dreadfully sluggish pace, boring dialogue, a distinct lack of action, wooden performances, and lousy production values all taking their toll on the viewer. Not-so-special effects include the slicing of one of the girl's neck with a knife and the subsequent healing of the wound using a special leaf, a disembodied living head in a glass box (around which bucktoothed cult priestess Ranu, played by Tani Guthrie, does a tribal dance), and the rapid ageing of Baru as he goes beyond the cult's 'Ring of Age' in a bid to help the women escape (after a surprising change of heart).

THE THIRSTY DEAD (Terry Becker, 1974) *1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 2/10 · 14 April 2008]

This was included in the "Living Dead" 9-film collection I rented; however, there are no zombies here – and the title itself isn't a reference to anything in particular! The Widescreen print of this one was the best-looking from the four titles I watched – but the same can't be said of the film, which is perhaps the least of them (certainly the campiest, particularly where costumes are concerned)!

Starting off with a White Slavery-type plot, it soon falls into formulaic "She" territory – involving a lost civilization who has achieved immortality (presided over by a disembodied living head preserved in a block of ice!). This gives it an old-fashioned air (the film is remarkably chaste) and makes the whole incongruous alongside the permissiveness prevalent in exploitation/horror fare of the time (though, at least, three of its female protagonists look good in skimpy jungle attire).

One of the women happens to look just like the painting of a blonde who had appeared to these enlightened people in a vision – so, instead of draining her slowly of blood, they want her to join their fold and be initiated into their lifestyle (which doesn't sit well with one of the girl's companions, a go-go dancer, who would love to exchange places with her…especially since the heroine will have no part of this deal!). A high priest falls for her and, eventually, helps the survivors escape (and liberates the imprisoned old hags, remnants of their 'experiments' over the centuries) – except that, once he gets near to the modern world, starts reverting to his real decrepit age!

The film offers no surprises whatsoever but, what really gets it down, is a serious pacing problem – being not so much slow-moving as ineptly-handled, the direction showing a distinct lack of judgment with respect to cutting where it could benefit story and suspense the most! For the record, I followed this with a bunch of trailers included on another disc in the set: I was particularly enticed by the ones for THE ASTRO-ZOMBIES (1968) – for how bad it appears to be, not to mention the momentous pairing of John Carradine and Tura Satana! – and THE CHILD (1977) – yet another EXORCIST clone.

What An Odd Film - Original Star Trek-ish

[Rainey-Dawn · 4/10 · 12 January 2016]

I read reviews on this movie stating that it's reminiscent of the original Star Trek TV series - then I watched the film and they aren't kidding. The entire film feels like Kirk and Spock will show up at any given moment. That's not necessarily a bad thing but it doesn't give the film an original feel or overall look.

As far as the story goes - it's strange too. 4 women are kidnapped and taken to an island by a man named Baru and Ranu. The 4 women are relaxed generally speaking - minus one, Laura, and she just seems a little bit nervous but not in a panic over being kidnapped and held captive. Human sacrifices are necessary for the cult on the island to survive - to live forever on fresh human blood.

The movie is a mild horror film - it's not bloody, no language concerns and no nudity.

It's an OK film - it's not great but it's mildly entertaining in an odd sort of way.

4/10

The Thirsty Dead

[Scarecrow-88 · 2/10 · 22 April 2012]

Lovely white women are caught in the city of Manila by members of a blood eternal youth cult that worships a head in a red box and bleed these kidnapped victims for the properties that mix well with a potion. Jennifer Billingsley gets top billing as one of the kidnapped, Laura, her face found portraited by cult member, Baru (John Considine, who deserves better than this; I can't imagine how it must have felt chanting a religious song to a severed head in a box, and not question where your career went awry), taken as a sign from their worshipped god, Raum, that she is special. Tani Guthrie is Ranu, the wife of Raum who benefits from the blood of the captured girls whose throats her jungle minions cut with a knife during ceremonies. We witness the drinking of the blood after the collections (a leaf is applied to the wounds of the women, healing them for the time being), with Ranu relishing her eternal youth, completely unencumbered by any form of moral guilt in what her people are doing to the victims taken against their will and imprisoned on her jungle mountain fortress. Baru must confront all he has ever known and believed when he falls in love with Laura, her inability to drink the blood of other kidnapped girls she has befriended throwing everything he holds dear out of whack. Will Baru choose love for Laura or the cult he has been an active member of his whole life? Will you really care? I didn't and this movie really should be more exciting than it is. It is just plain safe and tame. I imagine a good cannibal movie, demented and warped, could've been derived from this, but the serious nature of the material (it is played so straight, that I just couldn't have fun with it) and lack of anything interesting considering the twisted idea presented before us (I mean, this is a cult that worships a head in a box and yet it never can capitalize on such a schlocky idea) just kind of dulled me into a boredom I never could recover from. I guess the actors hired and the uneventful direction (the cast cannot summon a lick of charisma and enthusiasm considering the bonkers plot, and the sluggish pace doesn't help matters) couldn't wring out any fun from the storyline. There is one great scene where Laura is punished, for not agreeing to drink, by being thrown in a prison with victims, whose beauty and youth had been drained, leaving them wrinkled and hideous, tearing away at her with their overgrown fingernails (the way the prison is dark and how they engulf her is pretty effective). Considine has a fascinating face and gives a rather decent performance, understated and soft, but Billingsley is really a boring heroine. Judith McConnell runs away with her scenes as club dancer, Claire, one of the whites kidnapped, who seems perfectly fine with her current predicament; she's really an uninhibited tramp, but because the film is so tame, her character never really can flower as a seductive trollop, which is too bad. The real star is the Philippines jungle, a setting which could have been far more sinister but at least has enough sweaty atmosphere to convey to us that civilized man/woman doesn't want to wind up here. The ending, after an escape, with Vic Diaz and the police getting involved in a hunt, winds up quite ludicrous.

Four women are kidnapped, one though to be priestess of blood cult.

[Gblakelii · 10/10 · 29 November 2005]

This film was one of the regulars on the NY area TV's "Fright Night" horror showcase. And anyone who has stayed up late, week after week to watch these movies, knows that most of the movies have to be watched multiple times. This particular movie does get better the more you view it! It has a special quality about it that one never gets tired of. Some people, myself included, thought the sets had a "Star Trek" look about them. For that reason alone, check it out. The "video" version was released under the title Blood Hunt, with inferior color quality. Even still the on location Philippine scenery adds so much. Now with it being available on DVD the improved color makes all the difference in the world. Hey, if you liked the other Philippine horror movies such as Mad Doctor of Blood Island, this is 10 times better! And yes, the Blood Island films are pretty good. Stick with the single edition DVD, though.

Cheesy, groovy, but kind of tame

[Bezenby · 6/10 · 15 April 2013]

Now this is a strange one! I'm not sure what thought process would lead to the making of such a film, and I'm pretty sure, despite the American leads, that this must be a Fillipino production. It's a strange mix of cult, vampire, jungle adventure with some hilarious fashions and grooviness chucked in for a laugh. Sure, it's all very tame and slow moving, but when the cheese in the mix is a strong Gorgonzola, you can forgive such shortcomings.

Chicks are being kidnapped from the streets of Manila, including Laura (who's just refused a marriage proposal from her boyfriend) and Claire, who dances in a cage and actually seems quite excited about being made a white slave, plus two others, and are transported through the jungle by some guys to an underground cave system, where everyone worships a disembodied head that lives in a red glass box (and talks!). Seems like Laura might be the chosen one, as the high priest drew a picture of her (check out this guy's high collared get-up!), and the others have been selected to be milked for blood for the cult to extend their lives indefinitely, as long as they don't leave the compound.

Somehow, Laura doesn't quite take to the idea of being kidnapped and then offered her friend's blood to drink, and with the help of a wizened old woman (which is the end result of being milked for blood), she tries to escape. Complication matters further is her blossoming love with the high priest (and vice versa) and the demented Claire's attempts to be the chosen one. The High Priestess isn't too happy with proceedings, and a chase through the jungle ensues.

It's all a bit tame, but then again I didn't fall asleep and kept in there until the seventies style ending. Recommended for those curious about obscure films, and those with low expectations.

The Thirsty dead. A unique film.

[greatpoop1 · 4/10 · 24 June 2012]

After watching The Thirsty Dead, I decided to give it a review. What can I say about this low budget B movie, that appeared on the movie pack Pure Terror. First the movie starts out with young women being kid-napped off the streets of Manila, by these druid like people. Then the women are lead through underground sewer tunnels, then they take a canoe ride along a river. And are finally lead through a dense jungle to a mountain. On the mountain a cult, use the women's blood for a youth ritual. When they choose one of the women to join them she refuses. She later convinces the male leader of the cult(with a ridiculously high collared cape) to help them escape. After much challenge and tribulations the three remaining girls escape. This is by no means a gory or gruesome film at all. There is maybe a small drop of blood or two, but nothing to feed the appetite of gore fans. The plot does not have much to it and seems kind of rushed. But the film is kind of colorful and sort of has a nice adventure element to it. Its not the most exciting film, but it is watchable and does capture your attention slightly. I wouldn't recommend buying it unless it appears on one of those 50 in one movies packs. I give this unique danger/adventure a 4 out of 10.

An Exploitation Movie Without the Trash

[Michael_Elliott · 10 October 2017]

The Thirsty Dead (1974)

* (out of 4)

Women are being abducted in the streets and forced to a strange cult that needs their blood in order to stay young. One of the kidnapped women, Laura (Jennifer Billingsley), is offered a chance to join the cult but she is horrified to think someone would kill another human for their own gain. Pretty soon she decides to fight back against this cult and their evil ways.

The Philippines made some really crazy movies back during the drive-in era and this here is without question one of the strangest. Those looking for some sort of zombie movie or a blood-soaked horror picture are going to be disappointed because there's really not too much bite to this picture no matter how much the advertising wants to make you believe. In fact, this here was really one of the tamest and lamest films I've seen from them, which is too bad because the story here isn't all that bad.

The idea of a cult kidnapping women for their blood could have been exploitation heaven but sadly very little is done with it. There's no major nudity. There's no major gore. There's really nothing here too exploitative except for the idea brought up in the story but like I said there's nothing graphic done with it. That would be okay if the drama of the story was compelling but it isn't. The story is bland the movie is told in such a slow and dry way that I'm sure most viewers will be turning it off well before the final credits.

The scenery was terrific and some of the actors were fun including Billingsley. Still, when you're dealing with a film like this you certainly expect much more and as it stands there's just nothing in THE THIRSTY DEAD that will hold your interest.

"Would you cut out that ridiculous mumbo-jumbo!"

[classicsoncall · 3/10 · 26 March 2020]

Your first hint that this might be an awful flick comes right at the opening, when it's revealed that "The Thirsty Dead" is being brought to you by the International Amusement Corporation. Can you say oxymoron?

As I was watching this, I had to wonder why the four kidnapped women brought to the tropical jungle outpost of Baru (John Considine) and Ranu (Tani Guthrie) never really got all that concerned about getting back to where they were abducted from. Perhaps they were mesmerized by Baru's eclectic looking outfit, reminiscent of what those classy aliens would wear on the original Star Trek TV series. The 'thirsty dead' concept might have held some resonance if this was even remotely scary, but even when the scantily clad abductees were forced to recline on those rock slabs for the ritual blood-letting ceremony, they didn't seem all that worked up about it. Those flashing upraised knives would have been all the hint I needed that this little adventure was going south.

With a seventy five percent survival rate (one of the four original abductees didn't make it), the glamour gals make their escape, but don't ask me why Baru decided to jump ship on the death cult. Without his daily dose of blood potion he withered up and met his end with a stabbing sensation to the chest. I tell you what though, the guy riding by in his jeep probably felt like the luckiest guy in the Philippines to pick up three babes in bikinis. Some guys have all the luck.

Pretty bad, but amusingly so.

[Hey_Sweden · 5/10 · 20 May 2012]

Four lovely young ladies are kidnapped off the streets of Manila, and are taken to a remote jungle location. Here they find out that they're supposed to supply a primitive tribe with the all-important blood that the tribe needs to maintain their youthful appearance. They fixate on one of the quartet, a stewardess named Laura (Jennifer Billingsley), who resembles a portrait in their possession, and intend to make her one of their own. Only, a tribe member named Baru (John Considine) falls in love with her and takes sympathy on her and her fellow abductees. While not altogether terrible, this is incredibly silly stuff, with dialogue spoken by Baru and tribe leader Ranu (Tani Guthrie) that may strike the viewer as being hilariously ridiculous. The principal problem with this thing is that it lacks humour, and is also a PG rated exploitation / schlock genre piece, meaning there is not going to be enough depravity, profanity, violence, and nudity to satisfy most trash lovers. Also, the direction by Terry Becker lacks any sense of style. The pacing is much too sluggish; it could have been sped up, to make the movie more fun, and there really should have been more action and not just talk. In any event, it's worth it to see the level of 1970s era cheese on display ("The Thirsty Dead" does have an adequate "late show" sort of appeal), right down to some absurd costumes. Get a load of those collars! A climactic ageing scene, using the old fashioned time lapse technique, is a mild highlight. Billingsley is much too stiff in the lead role, but she is a looker, as are her three co-stars - Judith McConnell as Claire, Fredricka Meyers as Ann, and Chiqui da Rosa as Bonnie. They make for fine scenery attractions in their skimpy outfits. McConnell delivers the standout performance in this thing as the go-go dancer who would be perfectly happy to change places with Laura, although Considine is remarkably sincere, giving his role lots of gravitas for such a silly movie. Frequent Filipino cinema performers Ken Metcalfe and Vic Diaz appear fleetingly, and the story really would have been better off had Diaz had more scenes. "The Thirsty Dead" is immediately forgettable in the end, but if one is a forgiving and easy enough to please fan of Filipino made schlock, they might find this modestly entertaining. Five out of 10.

A rare trash, however not too bad as exposed by the bitters!!

[elo-equipamentos · 5/10 · 21 December 2019]

It's really a trash picture indeed, but somehow I did realized that the mostly reviewers simply put the lower ratings without any real purposes, my copy was fully restored, the plot summary is about four kidnapped girls, by the way beauties ones at Manila Philipines, they were taken by sewage system, then by canoe through the river, which has a fabulous landscape, also through the rain forest until reach in a sort of Sanctuary at underground cave, there has a high priestess Ranu (Tani Guthrie) and the high priest Baru (John Considine) both command a sacred ritual which they drain blood from the young girls to drink to keep a eternal life, Baru helps the girls to runaway, however in the middle of the way he starting getting older fast, gorgeous girls, sexy dressing with strong sexy appeal without nudity scenes, the cave is made by cardboard, it's true, who cares, the picture itself two unexplained flaws, on the forest the girls are running and reach at little village, however they go back to the cave and finally when they takes a ride on the Police's Jeep two girls simply disappears, anyhow the picture is trash, but gave a lower rating like 1 out 10 is too much bitters reviewers!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD-R / Rating: 5

QUENCH IT

[mmthos · 3/10 · 1 November 2021]

Beautiful young women are captured by a cult of vampires for their youthful blood in a hellish version of Shangri La from "Lost Horizon.". This crew's hair, make-up and lingerie look straight out of "Valley of the Dolls" here in the Filipino jungle, and the production values look straight out of a cheap episode of "Star Trek".. It's rich to see a blown-out bleach blonde bubble head conduct a philosophical discussion of morality with a voodoo priest

Tacky.

Expect no greatness

[blumdeluxe · 5/10 · 12 June 2018]

"The Thirsty Dead" tells the story of several young women kidnapped in Manila and brought into the jungle to become victims of an immortality cult. When one of its leaders falls in love with his victim, he beguns to question his actions and regrets.

This is probably one of the movies that was designed to be scandalous by depicting semi-dressed girls. Nowadays, you can barely say that a lot of sexuality plays a role here, which offers the chance to focus more on the storyline. There are some logical errors and I wouldn't call the plot a whole lot creative but to be fair it delivers a stringent story that is not worse than many other low-budget action/adventure movies. I even liked some elements of the production and I think with a little more focus on those this could have been a decent film.

All in all you shouldn't expect too much from this piece, however if you are looking for distortion and are willing to accept a rather fantastic plot, you can still have some fun with this film.

A great laugh -- really!

[kgriffith11 · 1/10 · 20 March 2006]

If Plan 9 From Outer Space had not already captured the title of worst film ever made, this movie would have won hands down! I have to admit that I watched this move not once, but twice in the course of a few days. It is so bad, it's good! It has more cheese than Wisconsin. I wonder if Mystery Science Theatre 3000 has done this movie. If it hasn't now is the time! The acting reminds me of a sweaty sophomore on the opening night of a high school play -- only much much worse (and, once upon a time, I was that high school sophomore so I know what I'm talking about). And the musical score! HAHAHAHAHAH! This is a movie to rent and gather your friends around -- with some popcorn, plenty of booze, and some dynamite weed -- and watch the magic happen!

Lackluster Filipino horror opus

[Woodyanders · 4/10 · 12 April 2012]

Several young women are abducted by a mysterious cult located deep in the jungle. Said cult needs the blood of healthy young gals in order to sustain their immortality. While the offbeat premise has promise, alas Terry Becker's lifeless by-the-numbers direction fails to effectively realize the potential of said premise: The pace is sluggish, the tone too serious, there's precious little tension or spooky atmosphere, and the PG rating puts a damper on any tasty gratuitous female nudity and graphic gore. The competent cast do their best with the blah material: Jennifer Billingsley makes for an appealing heroine as the perky Laura, John Considine acquits himself well as charming cult member Baru, Judith McDonnell adds some much needed (and appreciated) humor and energy as brash and cynical go-go dancer Claire, and Tani Guthrie projects a perfectly ruthless quality as lovely, but evil high priestess Ranu. Moreover, the dungeon of withered old crones is reasonably creepy, Nonong Rasca's fairly polished cinematography provides plenty of pretty shots of the lush tropical scenery, and Richard LaSalle's shivery score hits the spirited shuddery spot. Unfortunately, the always welcome presence of the ubiquitous Vic Diaz is wasted in a regrettably minor part as a police lieutenant. In addition, this picture quite simply lacks the necessary spark to qualify as a fun Grade B fright flick. A merely passable time-waster.

Classic if dated

[Dirkmaster · 8/10 · 16 November 2023]

If you've read earlier reviews, there's many comments about how this is like an Original Star Trek episode. For those who wonder why that is, there are two big elements: The soundtrack, and the dialogue. Both are truly dated, in exactly the same way that STO episodes are. Its fun in exactly the same way too. You can't take it seriously, but it's entertaining, like watching an old TV series, like Star Trek, The Avengers, or the Man from UNCLE. Just don't expect special effects or realistic dialogue. That's not how it worked in the late 60s early 70s. But at least there's not a "small orgasm" (ie commercial break) every 15 minutes).

BORING!!!!!

[Movie Hound Video · 1/10 · 29 June 1999]

It really is not a bad movie, just boring. You would expect some gore or nudity, but it sure isn't here. Not even a scare. It plays as if it is a very cheap TV movie. Avoid at all costs.

BOOOOOOOOOOOORING!!!

[Gafke · 22 November 2003]

Some movies, back in the heyday of Ballyhoo, used to claim they were so terrifying that a single viewing would kill you. The Thirsty Dead could have made a similar claim, although threats of being Bored To Death don't draw nearly as big a crowd.

This movie reeks like overcooked cabbage. It actually starts out kind of promisingly. Attractive young women are being abducted off the streets of Manila. The rumor is White Slavery. The truth is even worse. Seems the captives are being taken prisoner to the Cardboard Cave Kingdom of the Xanadu Rejects! Our four pretty protagonists stumble through the film as though they have each drunk a gallon of Nyquil before the camera started rolling. The Heroine, played by Meredith Baxter Birney's ugly brother in drag, is about as stupid as a bag of hammers. For some dumb reason she falls in love with the King of the Aztec-y cult, a disco-suited Peter Lorre impersonator. This irritates the High Priestess, whose horse-teeth are the scariest effect in the whole film. Meanwhile, the other 3 captive girls - Jan Brady, the obligatory native Filipino girl and a redheaded Russ Meyer reject - sit around and do nothing. There's lots of buckskin bikinis and sexy sarongs and girls dancing around a severed head in a square lava lamp, but the plot apparently wandered off while the director wasn't looking. I stopped caring fifteen minutes into this mess. It's almost too bad to laugh at.