Kerwin Mathews

Christopher Lee

Andrew Keir

Glenn Corbett

Michael Ripper

Peter Arne

Marla Landi

Oliver Reed

Jerold Wells

Dennis Waterman

David Lodge

Jack Stewart

Marie Devereux

Emile Stemmler

Bert Simms

Denis Shaw

John Roden

Ernie Rice

Keith Pyott

Dido Plumb

Michael Peake

Michael Mulcaster

Desmond Llewelyn

Don Levy

George Hilsdon

John Collin

Bill Brandon

Jim Brady

Ronald Blackman

Richard Bennett

John Bennett

Diane Aubrey

John Gilling

John Hunter

Jimmy Sangster

Anthony Nelson Keys

Michael Carreras

Gary Hughes

Arthur Grant

Eric Boyd-Perkins

Stuart Lyons

Bernard Robinson

Don Mingaye

Roy Ashton

Frieda Steiger

Adventure

Action

Drama

The Pirates of Blood River

Hammer Film Productions

United Kingdom

I do not count my chickens before I see them, and then I wait until the eggs are hatched out. 

Pirates of Blood River is directed by John Gilling and written by Jimmy Sangster. It stars Christopher Lee, Kerwin Matthews, Glenn Corbett, Michael Ripper, Andrew Keir, Oliver Reed, Marla Landi and Peter Arne. Music is by Gary Hughes and cinematography by Arthur Grant.

When Huguenot Jonathan Standish (Matthews) is found guilty of adultery, he is banished from the village and sent to serve hard labour at the penal colony. However, managing to escape, Jonathan is captured by pirates led by Captain LaRoche (Lee) and forced to lead the pirates back to his home village, where, LaRoche is convinced valuable treasure is hidden.

One of Hammer Film Productions pirate ventures, Pirates of Blood River is landlocked but still a whole bunch of piratical fun. Sangster's screenplay dangles interesting carrots that aren't fully unearthed, such as the religious fervour holding the Huguenot village in its grip, and questions of main character's pasts are left unanswered, but cast are very spirited and Gilling, in spite of being brought in late and being a pain in the ass, crafts a fast paced picture of excitement and tension. The small budget and absence of a ship and seafaring malarkey is barely noticed, though this place of plunder doesn't look much like a tropical island. There's good action, especially for the "big" battle at the finale, while it's good to see low cost effects, such as a piranha attack simulated by ripples on the water, actually be very effective for dramatic purpose. Blindfold duelling, too, always a bonus.

Plenty of beards, jolly roger speak, bodily abuse and guerrilla warfare, enough in fact to lift it above its obvious flaws. 7/10