Britt Robertson

Freda Foh Shen

Nicholas Campbell

Anna Friel

Rafi Gavron

Yul Vazquez

Andy McQueen

Kenji Fitzgerald

Paige Turco

Saad Siddiqui

Glen Lefchak

Brett Rickaby

Matt Bois

Etienne Kellici

Cory Lee

Greg Fong

Sean Skerry

Andrew Moodie

Catherine Burdon

Marietta Laan

Seamus Patterson

Rachel Daigh

Bailey Maughan

Kristin Langille

Nita-Josee Hanna

Joel J. Richard

Ben Shepherd

Valerie Halman

Brannon Braga

Brian Witten

Adam Simon

Michael Dallatorre

John Duffy

Alana Kleiman

Michael Mahoney

Clive Barker

Joseph J. Micucci

Charlotte Walls

Jason Clark

Matt Likely

Sheila Jaffe

Jeff Kwatinetz

Erica Huggins

Megan Oppenheimer

Seth MacFarlane

Josh Barry

Bryan Riley

Gerry Jackman

Zach Tovey

Jim Rillie

Horror

Science Fiction

Books of Blood

Fuzzy Door Productions

Touchstone Television

United States of America

Books of Blood is a horror anthology ostensibly based on an eponymous series of short story collections by Clive Barker. The movie is divided into several segments, but there are only two distinguishable stories, and only one of them has its origin in a Barker text.

There’s about 30 minutes worth of a good movie here; visually evoking the best of Hellraiser and narratively full of rich irony and poetic justice.

Even if Barker was not involved (and I assume he wasn’t), and even if the filmmakers take creative liberties, the strength of the source material shines through; it’s recognizably Clive Barker and it’s given a first rate treatment.

The problem is that the rest of movie has nothing to do with the original Books of Blood, and doesn’t come close to the Barker’s level of sophistication and intellect; it doesn’t even qualify as a pastiche.

This is not to say its ideas aren’t sound, and in fact it has a couple of neat tricks up its sleeve (in particular the composition of certain shots).

This is the director’s is first feature film and it shows potential, but next time he might want to work without the comfort, or the constraints, of a figurative safety net.

Why not make your own movie, tell your own story, make a name for yourself, instead of sheltering under an iconic name that ultimately won’t attract praise any more than it will repel criticism? Even if he failed, at least it would be on his own terms.

English

Books of Blood - Trailer (Official) • A Hulu Original Film