Wow! Have I got a really disturbing 80's oddity today for you folks! Retromedia strikes gold in the bizarre dept. with their release of Blood Harvest AKA NIGHTMARE on DVD. Disguised as your typical 80's slasher flick, if you pick up Blood Harvest expecting just that, then you're in for the surprise of a lifetime. Let's just say that the film features a singing, ukulele playing Tiny Tim dressed in one of the most upsetting clown outfits you have ever seen...I want my mommy!

When Jill returns to her small mid western hometown from college she finds that things aren't exactly the way she left them. Turns out that the local farmers are in an uproar as the bank is auctioning off their farms, and Jill's father has something to do with it (I'm not sure what exactly, he works at the bank or owns it...who knows). Jill arrives home to discover that her parents are nowhere to be found and demeaning slurs have been scrawled on the outside of their home like "scum" "bastard" and "thief". Jill's also frightened by a hanging dummy she finds at the entrance of the house and a brick that come flying through the window. Most frightening of all is Mervo, the creepy clown make up wearing brother of Jill's preppie high school love, both of which are also skulking around the house.

Jill makes repeated attempts to get the sheriff involved (going so far as to interrupt his softball and poker games!) only to come across as the girl who cried wolf. Jill spends her time pacing in the living room (scantily clad mind you) as someone decides to kidnap those close to Jill, drag them into the barn, hang them upside down and slit their throats. Of course Jill has some time in between to take a shower and play the "catch me for sex" game with her visiting fiancé Scott. Out of the 3 possible suspects, who could be responsible for the murders? Will Jill be able to stop him/her in time? Will Jill get naked yet again for the 6th time in 85 minutes? All of these questions will be answered (and more!) before the final credits roll.

To call Blood Harvest creepy would be an understatement. This film just oozes with discomfort, thanks mostly to Tiny Tim's outrageous performance that's just disturbing enough in its youthful innocence. This flick is obviously Tiny Tim's show and there would be no Blood Harvest without him (or Jill's tits and ass for that matter). The story is extremely predictable, and if you don't guess who the killer is within the first 10-minutes, then shame on you! There are also quite a few uneventful scenes including one in particular in which some paintball players are chasing Jill in the woods. The scene is played for suspense, despite the fact that the viewer knows from the start that it's a false scare...just like the cat that jumps out of the dresser drawer (yaaawwwwnn!)

OK, now that we know that Blood Harvest probably won't be enjoyed for scares, originality or style, why would I enjoy Blood Harvest? First and foremost, Tiny Tim, 'nuff said. Also of note is the fact that for the most part, Blood Harvest delivers on its exploitation promises and just plain weirdness. Scenes like Scott being whacked with a baseball bat while Jill does some sort of interpretive dance(!) or the many people forced to experience some form of discomfort in "the barn". Yeah, Blood Harvest is not a great film by any stretch of the imagination, but it still warrants a fairly high recommendation from this reviewer based on it's many merits of absurdity.

Quality is pretty mediocre, but for such an oddity to hit DVD, I couldn't even think of expecting anymore. I guess Blood Harvest was shot on 16mm (your guess is as good as mine) and was transferred from a "video master" as stated on the back of the DVD box for this release. Colors are fairly strong with quality ranging from scene to scene. While print damage is surprisingly minimal, there are heavy doses of grain present especially in some of the darker scenes and a few video glitches as well. Audio fares quite well with clear dialogue and only a few pops or glitches to be found here and there. It may not be reference quality, but this still represents a fine transfer of a flick that we probably wouldn't have the opportunity of seeing otherwise (for better or for worse) so kudos to Retromedia for releasing this lost gem to begin with.

Extras include a brief still gallery (in slide show format) and a 15-minute featurette entitled The Incredible Tiny Tim Sideshow. This piece features interviews, behind the scenes footage and more stills of both Tiny Tim and behind the scenes of Blood Harvest. Definitely the icing on the cake, and truly the determining factor... a must purchase for those brave enough to embark on a most perverse journey, or for Tiny Tim fans alike.