Directed by Bob Freville

Written by Bob Freville

Starring Pamela Prince, Kevin Petroff 

Duane Bazazian and Steve Dash

Running time 91 minutes

 

 

Hemo it turns out is a little harder than most to find background info on. Its a Troma Team release which probably tells most fans all they need to know! Please note  as I repeat myself, it is a Troma Team Release not a Troma made movie, just a Troma Distributed film so that is a bit of a distinction.

 

Hemo is the story of Felicia and Calvin, two addicts whose existence is about to take a severe change for the worse. 

 

Felicia and Calvin aren't normal addicts. Their drug of choice, blood, is actually needed for their existence. Thus far they have been able to satiate their blood lust at the local blood bank, but that is about to change with an increase in security. Our addicts are about to turn murders, and release the vampyric wrath from within.

 

Hemo on paper seems good right?? But being a Troma release we know chances are its going to be a c rate or if we are luck a nice b rate movie, but that's ok! As a troma fan we pretty much know what we are signing up for when we pick something up from them, and Hemo is no different.

 

In terms of production value, set, sound and acting its all pretty low end. There's little to no chemistry between Pamela Price and Kevin Petroff,the star crossed lovers entwined for the eons. Neither deliver super strong performances, although I will concede that they both have moments where they show great promise in terms of acting abilities. I'd even go so far as to say I will be checking on them to see what they have been up to since this one. 

 

The story  itself is an interesting take, and tries to be more reality based than almost all vampire films. In fact the vampirism is really just a side note, to the addiction itself, and the ups and downs created by the need for, the eventual fix and then the inevitable  crash... They get a bit carried away and try to hard at self introspection, which ending up coming across as ill fitting in the story line. It is a slow film that felt longer than it is, with many things that just didn't seem to work.

 

You would think that is where I would end this one right? But NOPE, because for all the things that were wrong I still couldn't quite look away and I cant exactly tell you why; but the film through, or past or maybe even because of, its flaws is undeniably compelling. Its not something I can explain and believe I have sat on this one for a few weeks, playing it over in my head and I still cant really say why but on some strange level this film is good even when it shouldn't be... So Thanks Team Troma for finding another one that shouldn't but does make me smile just a little when I think back on it! Its one I own and I will no doubt rewatch it again in the future to see if I can answer this cinematic riddle!

 

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