Blood Song
Blood Song is a 1982 American independent slasher horror film directed by Alan J. Levi, produced by Frank Avianca and Lenny Montana, and starring Frankie Avalon as the antagonist Paulie alongside Donna Wilkes as protagonist Cathy.[1][2] The plot centers on Paulie, a deranged escaped mental patient obsessed with a carved wooden flute, who embarks on a murder spree and psychically targets Cathy, a handicapped high school student in coastal Oregon whose life was saved by a blood transfusion from him years earlier.[1][2] Also released under the alternate title Dream Slayer, the low-budget production blends slasher conventions with supernatural elements, including a psychic connection between killer and victim, and was filmed on location in Coos Bay, Oregon.[1][3] Notable for casting 1950s teen idol Frankie Avalon—known primarily for lighthearted beach party films—as a chilling hatchet-wielding psychopath, the film received mixed to negative reception, earning a 4.8/10 rating on IMDb from user reviews and 25% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, often critiqued for pacing issues and underdeveloped characters despite its intriguing premise.[1][2][4] Despite its obscurity, Blood Song has garnered cult interest among horror enthusiasts for its unique fusion of genres and Avalon's against-type performance.[5][6]Synopsis and characters
Plot summary
The film opens with a flashback to 1955 in Portland, Oregon, where a young boy witnesses his father return home from a business trip, discover his wife's infidelity, and subsequently shoot her, her lover, and himself in a murder-suicide.[7][1] Traumatized, the boy is committed to a mental institution, where he crafts a wooden flute from materials provided by his late father and fixates on playing Brahms's Lullaby.[6] The narrative shifts to 1982 in the coastal Oregon town of Stanford Bay. Paulie, the now-adult institutionalized psychopath, murders an orderly and escapes, initiating a killing spree marked by playing the haunting flute tune before each attack.[1][6] Concurrently, Marion, a high school girl hobbled by a leg brace from an earlier accident caused by her father's impaired driving, begins suffering vivid visions of Paulie's crimes. These premonitions stem from a blood transfusion she received from Paulie years prior, forging an involuntary psychic link that allows her to sense his movements and intentions.[1][6][3] Drawn inexorably to Marion through their shared blood, Paulie hitches rides northward, murdering a van driver with a hatchet after luring him with the flute melody and later strangling a hitchhiker at a campsite.[6] Upon reaching Stanford Bay, he infiltrates Marion's home, slaying her father in a brutal hatchet attack witnessed partially through her visions.[6] Marion, piecing together the threat via her supernatural glimpses, arms herself and flees to a nearby timber mill, where Paulie pursues her relentlessly.[6] In the climax at the mill, Marion stabs Paulie during a confrontation, triggering chaos as he commandeers a forklift, crashes it into the ocean amid sparking electrical wires, and appears to perish in the flames and waters.[6] Rescued and hospitalized, Marion believes she has severed the bond by killing her tormentor. However, Paulie survives undetected, later entering her room disguised as a physician and greeting her with a knowing smile, underscoring the enduring psychic tie forged by the transfusion.[6]Cast and roles
Frankie Avalon portrays Paul Foley, the central antagonist depicted as a deranged escaped psychopath with a penchant for playing the flute, marking a stark departure from Avalon's earlier career as a teen idol in beach party films during the late 1950s and 1960s.[2][6][5] Donna Wilkes plays Marion, the teenage protagonist confined to a wheelchair due to a prior injury, who becomes the primary target amid supernatural visions linked to a blood transfusion.[1][3] Richard Jaeckel appears as Frank Hauser, Marion's father and a determined figure seeking to protect his family from the unfolding threat.[1][8] Dane Clark embodies Sheriff Gibbons, the local law enforcement official coordinating efforts to apprehend the killer.[1][2] Antoinette Bower is cast as Bea, Marion's mother providing familial support within the story's domestic sphere.[1] Lenny Montana, known for his role as Luca Brasi in The Godfather (1972), takes on the supporting part of Skipper while also contributing as a producer, potentially shaping selections for rugged character roles.[1]| Actor | Character | Role Function |
|---|---|---|
| Frankie Avalon | Paul Foley | Primary antagonist, escaped killer |
| Donna Wilkes | Marion | Handicapped protagonist and target |
| Richard Jaeckel | Frank Hauser | Protective father figure |
| Dane Clark | Sheriff Gibbons | Pursuing law enforcement authority |
| Antoinette Bower | Bea | Maternal family supporter |
| Lenny Montana | Skipper | Minor ally or associate in pursuit |