| Hunter's Blood | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Robert C. Hughes |
| Written by | Emmett Alston |
| Based on | Hunter's Blood byJere Cunningham |
| Produced by | Myrl A. Schreibman |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Thomas F. Denove |
| Edited by | Barry Zetlin |
| Music by | John D'Andrea |
Production company | Cineventure |
| Distributed by | Concorde Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Hunter's Blood is a 1986 Americanaction thriller film directed by Robert C. Hughes in his feature directorial debut. Written by Emmett Alston, it is based on the 1977 novel of the same name byJere Cunningham. It starsSam Bottoms,Clu Gulager, Mayf Nutter,Ken Swofford,Joey Travolta, andKim Delaney. It follows a group of city dwellers who godeer hunting inArkansas and meet crazedpoachers seeing them asprey.
The film was given alimited theatrical release in the United States on May 29, 1987, byConcorde Pictures. It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. For his performance, Gulager was nominated for theSaturn Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Five men from the city decide to take a little trip to the woods and have some fun and hunting. Things get complicated later on when they encounter a pack of maniacal deer hunters who turn them in to prey.
Hunter's Blood was produced by Cineventure Inc., a division of theFlorida-based Independent Entertainment Corp. (IEC).Principal photography began on March 7, 1986. The film was shot in the woods aroundNewhall, Santa Clarita, California.[1]
Hunter's Blood was released in the United Kingdom on September 26, 1986, by Palace Pictures.[2] The film had its American premiere at the 167th Street Theater inNorth Miami, Florida on January 23, 1987.[3] Shortly after,Concorde Pictures acquired distribution rights to the film. It was released inNew York City andLos Angeles on May 29, 1987.[1]
Michael Wilmington of theLos Angeles Times called the film "a low-budgetDeliverance-derived rural thriller, basted withSouthern Comfort." Wilmington stated, "The photography may be a bit muddy, but Robert C. Hughes' direction is coherent and well paced. The script is tight and the dialogue isn't idiotic — except where it's supposed to be. Some of the actors are fine. The movie holds your interest without rewarding it, though it's sometimes an interesting critique ofmachismo, laced with dark humor."[4]
Scott Drebit ofDaily Dead described the film as "a backwoods hicksploitation actioner that more than gets by with a cast handpicked by theB movie gods and a script wittier than it has to be." Drebit also wrote, "Hunter's Blood very much deserves to sit on a shelf next toRituals andJust Before Dawn as a stellar backwoods horror; the ending alone has a delicious punchline (pun intended) that every horror fan will love."[2]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 14th Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Clu Gulager | Nominated |