A Bucket of Blood (1995 film)
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''A Bucket of Blood'', also known as ''The Death Artist'', is a 1995 American
comedy horror Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary genre, literary, television genre, television, and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as able to be categorized under three ty ...
television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
remake of the 1959 film of the same name. The 1995 remake follows the original closely, adapting it to a contemporary setting. The film was directed by comedian Michael McDonald, produced by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
, who produced and directed the original film, and cowritten by McDonald and
Brendan Broderick Brendan Broderick is an American author and screenwriter. A graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, his screenwriting credits include numerous B-movies and action films, many made with producer Roger Corman. Titles include ...
, based on the 1959 screenplay by
Charles B. Griffith Charles Byron Griffith (September 23, 1930 – September 28, 2007) was an American screenwriter, actor and film director, son of Donna Dameral, radio star of ''Myrt and Marge'', along with Charles' grandmother, Myrtle Vail, and was best known ...
. The plot revolves around Walter Paisley (
Anthony Michael Hall Michael Anthony Hall (born April 14, 1968), known professionally as Anthony Michael Hall, is an American actor best known for his leading role as Johnny Smith in '' The Dead Zone'' from 2002 to 2007. He also rose to fame starring in films with ...
), a socially awkward busboy working at the Jabberjaw, an
alternative Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...
coffee house A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non- ...
which hosts
performance art Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...
, poetry readings and live music. Walter wants to be an artist to impress his co-worker Carla (
Justine Bateman Justine Tanya Bateman (born February 19, 1966) is an American writer, director and producer. Her former acting work includes ''Family Ties'', '' Satisfaction'', ''Men Behaving Badly'', ''The TV Set'', ''Desperate Housewives'', and ''Californic ...
), but lacks talent. While attempting to create an original sculpture, he accidentally kills his landlady's cat, and hides the dead animal by covering it in plaster and passing it off as a statue. After being acclaimed as a great artist, Walter begins to commit murder to produce new art. The cast also includes cameos by
David Cross David Cross (born April 4, 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, director, and writer known for his stand-up performances, the HBO sketch comedy series ''Mr. Show'' (1995–1998), and his role as Tobias Fünke in the Fox/Netflix sitcom ...
,
Paul Bartel Paul Bartel (August 6, 1938 – May 13, 2000) was an American actor, writer and director. He was perhaps most known for his 1982 hit black comedy ''Eating Raoul'', which he wrote, starred in and directed. Bartel appeared in over 90 movies and ...
,
Mink Stole Nancy Paine Stoll (born August 25, 1947), known professionally as Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, and has appeared in all of his feature films to date (a distinc ...
,
Jennifer Coolidge Jennifer Audrey Coolidge (born August 28, 1961) is an American actress known for her roles in comedic film and television particularly in American Pie (series), ''American Pie'' film series (1999–2012), Legally Blonde (franchise), ''Legally Bl ...
and
Will Ferrell John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', where he performed from 1995 to 200 ...
, in his film debut. The film premiered on
Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
as the tenth episode of ''
Roger Corman Presents ''Roger Corman Presents'' was a series of films made for Showtime by movie producer Roger Corman. Production Showtime approached Corman with the idea of doing a series of science fiction and horror feature films. They started filming in January 19 ...
'', a series of made-for-cable films produced by Corman.


Plot

At a Los Angeles
coffee house A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non- ...
called the Jabberjaw, several
performance artist Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...
s vie for the attention of
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western world, Western demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years a ...
hipsters, including Maxwell (
Shadoe Stevens Shadoe Stevens (; ) is an American radio host, voiceover actor, and television personality. He was the host of ''American Top 40'' from 1988 to 1995. He currently hosts the internationally syndicated radio show ''Top of the World,'' and co-hosts ...
), a poet who declares that "life is nothing but a homeless traveler on the RTD of art", Mayolia (Sheila Travis), who performs monologues holding a toy monkey, Cuff and Link (Victor Wilson and Patrick Bristow), a pair of sarcastic photographers who intentionally run over animals and photograph the
road kill Roadkill is an animal or animals that have been struck and killed by drivers of motor vehicles on highways. Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increasingly been the topic of academic research to understand the causes, and how it can be mi ...
, and "Stupid Girl" (
Jennifer Coolidge Jennifer Audrey Coolidge (born August 28, 1961) is an American actress known for her roles in comedic film and television particularly in American Pie (series), ''American Pie'' film series (1999–2012), Legally Blonde (franchise), ''Legally Bl ...
), who strips nude on stage while playing cello. Other regular attendants at the cafe include an older rich couple (
Paul Bartel Paul Bartel (August 6, 1938 – May 13, 2000) was an American actor, writer and director. He was perhaps most known for his 1982 hit black comedy ''Eating Raoul'', which he wrote, starred in and directed. Bartel appeared in over 90 movies and ...
and
Mink Stole Nancy Paine Stoll (born August 25, 1947), known professionally as Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, and has appeared in all of his feature films to date (a distinc ...
) looking for art by new talent, and Lou (
Kin Shriner Kin Shriner (born December 6, 1953) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Scott Baldwin on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' and its spin-off, ''Port Charles''. Early life Shriner and his twin brother, actor Wil Shriner, w ...
), an undercover cop trying to bust
heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...
dealers operating in the cafe. Working for Leonard (
Sam Lloyd Sam Lloyd (November 12, 1963 – April 30, 2020) was an American actor and singer, best known for his portrayal of lawyer Ted Buckland on the comedy-drama series ''Scrubs'' and the sitcom ''Cougar Town''. Early life Lloyd was born in Spri ...
) are busboy Walter (
Anthony Michael Hall Michael Anthony Hall (born April 14, 1968), known professionally as Anthony Michael Hall, is an American actor best known for his leading role as Johnny Smith in '' The Dead Zone'' from 2002 to 2007. He also rose to fame starring in films with ...
) and Italian hostess Carla (
Justine Bateman Justine Tanya Bateman (born February 19, 1966) is an American writer, director and producer. Her former acting work includes ''Family Ties'', '' Satisfaction'', ''Men Behaving Badly'', ''The TV Set'', ''Desperate Housewives'', and ''Californic ...
). To impress Carla, who he has a crush on, Walter tries to produce a clay sculpture of her face, but is unsuccessful due to his lack of talent. He hears his landlady's cat Frankie in the wall, discovering that the animal had been mistakenly plastered into the wall, and attempts to cut it out with a knife, but accidentally kills it. The next morning, Walter decides to cover up the dead animal with plaster and presents it as a "thing I made" called Dead Cat. The regulars and other artists love the "sculpture", and Mayolia gives Walter a necklace containing a nickel bag of heroin, leading Lou to follow Walter back to his apartment and confront him about it, which ends with Walter killing Lou with his frying pan, later deciding to hide the body in plaster and call it "Murdered Man". Leonard, having discovered the dead animal in Walter's first "statue", initially tries to call the police upon hearing about "Murdered Man", but covers up the murder when a customer offers Leonard a large amount of money for "Dead Cat". At a party for Walter, Alice (
Darcy DeMoss Darcy L. DeMoss (born August 19, 1963) is an American film and television actress whose credits include '' Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives'', ''Eden'', ''Erotic Confessions'', ''Pale Blood'', ''Stickfighter'' and ''Vice Academy 3''. She play ...
), who had not been aware of Walter's popularity, insults him, but agrees to pose for his nude statue. At his apartment, Alice taunts Walter, suggesting he is a virgin, and he strangles her to death. Walter reveals his true feelings for Carla at an art show, only for her to tell him that she doesn't love him, and he immediately asks her to model for him. However, she discovers Walter's dark nature when she finds Alice's body in the nude "sculpture", and runs away from Walter upon learning that he plans to murder her next. Once art critics begin commenting on the "brilliance" of a "creation within a creation", Lou's police partner breaks apart the "statues", revealing the corpses. The officer, along with Walter's friends, run after Walter and Carla, realizing that the artist is a murderer, and, realizing that he is about to be caught, Walter mixes a new batch of plaster, and the cop breaks down the door, revealing to the group that Walter has spattered his body with plaster and hanged himself. The experience leaves Carla mute, Leonard to burn down the Jabberjaw for insurance money and Maxwell to unsuccessfully imitate Walter's "suicide art", dying in the process. Cuff and Link, who always criticized Walter's art and accused him of fraud, finally become successful artists themselves, and live together as roommates, while Mayolia becomes the host of a successful children's television show.


Cast


Production

Anthony Michael Hall was cast because of his roles in the Brat Pack movies of the 1980s. ”That's what people identify him with, for better or worse,” said associate producer Darin Spillman. ”We were remaking a 1950s film and wanted someone identified with a new generation.”


Reception

Joe Bob Briggs John Irving Bloom (born January 27, 1953), known by the stage name Joe Bob Briggs, is an American syndicated film critic, writer, actor, and comic performer. He is known for having hosted ''Joe Bob's Drive-in Theater'' on The Movie Channel fro ...
gave the film four stars, saying "They hardly changed the flick at all. It's the same goldurn movie."
Allmovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
's Fred Beldin wrote, "Although executive producer Corman was probably pleased to see his work refashioned with the gratuitous gore and nudity he couldn't use the first time around, ''Death Artist'' is fairly pointless."


References


External links

*
''A Bucket of Blood''
on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
* *
''A Bucket of Blood''
at Letterbox DVD {{DEFAULTSORT:Bucket of Blood (1995 film), A 1995 television films 1995 films American black comedy films American comedy horror films Remakes of American films Horror film remakes American horror television films Films produced by Roger Corman Films about sculptors Films set in apartment buildings American drama television films 1990s American films