Blood Red

Many libraries are liable to pass on this film because of its misleading title. Which is unfortunate, because Blood Red is not about a killer who decides to redecorate the living room with someone's blood. It is a very nicely filmed and acted period piece about a war between a group of immigrant vintners and the railroad company which is trying to push them off their land. Set in 1895, in Northern California, the film stars Eric Roberts as Marco Collogero. When his father (Italian legend Giancarlo Giannini) is murdered, after refusing to give in to the demands of railroad baron W. B. Berrigan (Dennis Hopper), Marco sends for a few of his cousins (we're talking Italian boys; boys who love their mamas, but also take their vendettas quite seriously). Marco and his relatives launch an all-out war against Berrigan's thugs, and the latter half of the film is given over to various raids by one side or another. Although in the final analysis, Blood Red is really more of a western than a drama, it succeeds on the strength of Roberts' charisma, as well as the beautiful look of the picture. Add to these the controlled direction of Peter Masterson (The Trip to Bountiful), and you have an entertaining, good old-fashioned dramatic western. Recommended. (R. Pitman) [DVD/Blu-ray Review—Mar. 10, 2015—Olive, 91 min., R, DVD: $24.95, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1989's Blood Red features a solid transfer but no extras. Bottom line: an underappreciated Western drama makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]