A Bucket of Blood (1995)

Walter Paisley, a busboy at a cappuccino bar called the Jabberjaw, is praised as a genius after he kills his landlady's cat and covers it in plaster. Pressured to produce more work, he goes after bigger subjects.

Director:

Michael McDonald (as Michael James McDonald)

Writers:

Brendan Broderick, Charles B. Griffith

Stars:

Anthony Michael Hall, Justine Bateman, Shadoe Stevens

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Walter
Justine Bateman	...	Carla
Shadoe Stevens	...	Maxwell
Sam Lloyd	...	Leonard
Jesse D. Goins	...	Art
Kin Shriner	...	Lou
Sheila Travis	...	Mayolia
David Cross	...	Charlie
Victor Wilson	...	Cuff
Patrick Bristow	...	Link
Paul Bartel	...	Older Man
Mink Stole	...	Older Woman
Julianna McCarthy	...	Mrs. Swicker
Will Ferrell	...	Young Man
Alan Sues	...	Art Buyer

Storyline

A talentless artist accidently kills a cat and covers it up in plaster. He then sells it as a statue, and starts gaining the respect of the snobby group of artist that used to ridicule him. But now he has to come up with more and more statues, so he starts to kill humans and cover them up...

---

Plot Keywords:

psychotronic | cult film | remake | murder of a nude woman | female nudity | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and some nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 September 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Walter

Company Credits

Production Co:

Concorde-New Horizons,Showtime Networks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Will Ferrell's television film debut.

---

Quotes

Art: You don't even remember your own poems - that's so... Goethe

---

Connections

Remake of A Bucket of Blood (1959)

---

Soundtracks

Real Cool Rocket
Written & Performed by The Dave And Deke Combo
Published by Roger's Little Shop of Music (BMI)

User Reviews

surprise: a watchable remake

I subjected my grandson not only to a VHS of this movie, but the DVD of the original version I saw at the age of eleven. He liked both.

The send-up of performance art in the newer version tickled my funny bone, but the update of Maxwell's poem clunked on a few lines. But today's audience probably would not recognise an "omnibus" any more than they would a broken record a broken record a broken record.

Nitpicks: Miller's original Walter Paisley cannot be topped and I feel this Carla is over the top; I preferred the more subdued Carla of the original: there are so many off the chart performances, the movie needed an anchor.

Paul Bartel and Mink Stole had an expanded role as the older couple seeking Art amongst the bohemians. They had fun with their parts and it came through the screen.

Apparently Roger Corman was grooming new filmmakers by a series of remakes of old Corman movies. This series is much better than any of the six movies (The Eye Creatures, Zontar, etc) remade years ago to fill out a AIP syndication package.

I caught this Bucket of Blood on late night cable and consider it worth my time, but I probably would not pay a full theater ticket price for it.

I plan to re-watch it after listening to some NPR art interviews.