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A Bucket of Blood

Play trailer Poster for A Bucket of Blood 1959 1h 6m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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69% Tomatometer 16 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Nerdy Walter Paisley (Dick Miller), a maladroit busboy at a beatnik café who doesn't fit in with the cool scene around him, attempts to woo his beautiful co-worker, Carla (Barboura Morris), by making a bust of her. When his klutziness results in the death of his landlady's cat, he panics and hides its body under a layer of plaster. But when Carla and her friends enthuse over the resulting artwork, Walter decides to create some bigger and more elaborate pieces using the same artistic process.
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A Bucket of Blood

Critics Reviews

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Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand [Director Roger] Corman’s madhouse of beatnik poseurs, drug dealing lowlifes, and poetry spewing beards has become a cult movie thanks to the gallows humor and crazy daddy-o dialogue ... Aug 9, 2024 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a workable premise that is, for the most part, employed to one-note and repetitive effect... Rated: 2/4 Aug 2, 2024 Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com The eventual sculptures are innovatively grotesque, though the cheapness of the production rather limits the possibilities of Griffith's scenario, because there's little to deduce once Walter's reluctant admirers discover his devious secret. Rated: 2.5/5 Oct 14, 2020 Full Review James Kendrick Q Network Film Desk What better way to undercut the worst of artistic pretensions than to do it with a slapdash movie produced in five days called A Bucket of Blood? Rated: 3/4 Nov 10, 2019 Full Review Sean Mulvihill FanboyNation.com It's a low budget masterwork that skewers the fad of its era while lambasting the ever-fickle art world. Rated: 4/5 Oct 29, 2018 Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid It was perhaps Corman's first film to establish a really rich atmosphere, filled with nighttime shadows and a general edginess, which only grew richer on the subsequent Poe films. Rated: 3.5/4 Jun 1, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Nick O I’ve seen it a million times. First, these kids start hanging around beatnik coffee houses. Then they start killin’ cats. Next thing ya know, they’re full blown homicidal maniacs! Mondo Corman Weirdness! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/23/25 Full Review Leaburn O The sound and picture quality on this B side classic horror were horrible. Shot in five days, it is short, punchy, full of dark humour and surprisingly good acting. Loved the plot and the send up of beatnik prevention. It’s a little genuine cult classic that lived up to its reputation. Really enjoyed this one. Watched on DVD. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/15/24 Full Review CodyZamboni Z Campy horror comedy. Works mostly as a satire of beatnik culture and phony art snobs, Dick Miller is a nerd trying to fit in, and win the heart of beatnik lady, He goes to homicidal extremes to gain fame and artistic stature, There's a nice jazzy score, and oddball supporting performances, But movie can't sustain the wry comedy as bodies pile up, And the ending feels rushed and abrupt. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/27/25 Full Review Ricky R Short, original, and well acted. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/12/24 Full Review Tim F An ironic work of genius. Walter is a clueless everyman that stumbles into success as those in his orbit belittle, worship, exploit and fear him in turn because of his "art" Corman's most underrated work. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/25/23 Full Review Computey D wheres the bucket???? Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews
A Bucket of Blood

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Cast & Crew

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Roger Corman

Director

Dick Miller

Walter Paisley

Barboura Morris

Carla

Antony Carbone

Leonard de Santis

Judy Bamber

Alice

John Brinkley

Will

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A Bucket of Blood

A Bucket of Blood (1959) A Bucket of Blood (1959) A Bucket of Blood (1959) A Bucket of Blood (1959) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Nerdy Walter Paisley (Dick Miller), a maladroit busboy at a beatnik café who doesn't fit in with the cool scene around him, attempts to woo his beautiful co-worker, Carla (Barboura Morris), by making a bust of her. When his klutziness results in the death of his landlady's cat, he panics and hides its body under a layer of plaster. But when Carla and her friends enthuse over the resulting artwork, Walter decides to create some bigger and more elaborate pieces using the same artistic process.
Director
Roger Corman
Producer
Roger Corman
Screenwriter
Charles B. Griffith
Distributor
Something Weird Video, Sinister Cinema, Reel Media International [us], Rhino Entertainment Company [us], American International Pictures
Production Co
Alta Vista Productions
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 21, 1959, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 7, 2015
Runtime
1h 6m
Sound Mix
Mono
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