Blood Feast

Blood Feast
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHerschell Gordon Lewis
Screenplay byAllison Louise Downe
Story byDavid F. Friedman
Herschell Gordon Lewis
Produced byDavid F. Friedman
Starring
CinematographyHerschell Gordon Lewis
Edited byRobert Sinise
Frank Romolo
Music byHerschell Gordon Lewis
Distributed byBox Office Spectaculars[citation needed]
Release date
  • July 6, 1963 (1963-07-06)
Running time
67 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$24,500
Box office$4 million

Blood Feast is a 1963 American splatter film. It was composed, shot, and directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis, written by Allison Louise Downe from an idea by Lewis and David F. Freidman, and stars Mal Arnold, William Kerwin, Connie Mason, and Lyn Bolton. The plot focuses on a psychopathic food caterer named Fuad Ramses (Arnold) who kills women so that he can include their body parts in his meals and perform sacrifices to his "Egyptian goddess" Ishtar.

Blood Feast is considered the first splatter film, a sub-genre of horror noted for its graphic depictions of on-screen gore. It was highly successful, grossing $4 million against its minuscule $24,500 budget, while receiving poor reviews from critics, who criticized it as amateurish and vulgar. The film was followed by a belated sequel, Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat, in 2002.