Bloody New Fear!

I honestly was going to call this entry “Bloody New Year,” but I didn’t want people to think that I was going to review British schlockmeister Norman J. Warren’s Bloody New Year (also known as Time Warp Terror in the UK). Instead, all I’m offering is a trailer (thanks to Unhinged1980s’ channel), some memories and a wish that you all have a Happy New Year.

Although I’ve never seen Bloody New Year, it holds a special place in my heart. I first saw the VHS release as a little kid in Connecticut during one of the family trips to a little “mom and pop” store called “Absolute Video.” It was my first “real” video store I had ever been to, as all prior rentals had been done at the public library. Even then, I was a horror fan and would sneak off from the kiddie section as soon as I got a chance. In addition to the standard classic horror films and 80’s slasher series, Absolute Video had several tapes whose covers always fascinated me and etched themselves into my brain: Mako: The Jaws of Death. Link. April Fool’s Day. Prince of Darkness. The Wizard of Gore. The Being. The Kindred. And of course, Bloody New Year. Although my parents did let me watch certain horror movies, they drew the line at those movies. And yet they let my younger brother and I watch Prophecy. Go figure.

There was something about its cover, an odd mix of cheesy and cool that always drew my eyes toward it whenever I visited. It’s easy to imagine some employee at Academy Home Entertainment desperately gussying up a skeleton borrowed from a high school science class with various goods from the local party supply store, just so they can collect a bonus promised by the boss. But I kid because I love. In the age of DVD and Blu-Ray, covers like this are a rarity.

It’s been ages since my last visit to Absolute Video. Sadly, there will never be another visit, as they closed up during the mid-to-late 90’s. I’ve long since forgotten what business eventually moved in the vacated space. The same went for another video store from my childhood, Stop and Shop Video. That part of the grocery chain shut down, apparently due to increased competition from Blockbuster Video. Although I do not know the exact fate of the “Video Galaxy 2” (yet another rental store from my youth), I fear it has also gone the way of Absolute Video and Stop and Shop Video.

As for those movies whose covers fascinated me, I’ve actually managed to track down and watch April Fool’s Day and The Being. They haven’t disappointed. Maybe I’ll write about them someday; It’s a whole new year full of untold promises. Hell, maybe I’ll even get to see Bloody New Year one of these days!

Happy New Year!