Bordello of Blood (1996): Where the Cryptkeeper’s Grin Met Midnight Temptations

In the neon haze of 90s horror comedies, a vampire-run brothel unleashes fangs, fun, and forbidden desires like never before.

Picture a world where the line between sacred and profane blurs under flickering red lights, and the king of corny corpse puns reigns supreme. Bordello of Blood stands as a audacious entry in the Tales from the Crypt cinematic universe, blending sharp-witted satire with splattery effects and a healthy dose of eroticism. This 1996 romp captures the era’s unapologetic spirit, delivering laughs amid the bloodletting.

  • The film’s masterful mix of horror tropes, religious mockery, and raunchy humour that defined late-night cult viewing.
  • Standout performances from Dennis Miller’s snarky detective and Angie Everhart’s seductive vampire queen, elevated by the Cryptkeeper’s macabre hosting.
  • Its production quirks, box office struggles, and enduring legacy as a guilty pleasure in 90s nostalgia.

The Cryptkeeper’s Sultry Summoning

The film opens with the unmistakable cackle of the Cryptkeeper, that rotting ringmaster of morbidity voiced with gleeful malice by John Kassir. His skeletal frame shambles onto the screen, eyes gleaming like polished marbles in a jack-o’-lantern, to usher viewers into a tale of temptation and terror. From the outset, Bordello of Blood establishes its tone: a wicked cocktail of horror anthology flair wrapped around a feature-length narrative. The Cryptkeeper’s presence ties it firmly to the HBO series that birthed the franchise, reminding audiences of those late-night episodes filled with twist endings and moral comeuppances.

Director Gilbert Adler, fresh from scripting duties on the TV show, crafts a story that dives headfirst into Los Angeles’ seedy underbelly. Private investigator Rafe Guttman, played with trademark sarcasm by Dennis Miller, gets pulled into a missing persons case involving the upright Caleb Verdoux, a televangelist whose sister Catherine hires Rafe after Caleb vanishes following a charity bash. What starts as a routine gig spirals into encounters with exotic dancers, crooked cops, and ultimately, a bordello teeming with vampires. The setup echoes classic noir but infuses it with supernatural swagger, complete with practical effects that splatter convincingly across the screen.

The bordello itself becomes a character, a gothic pleasure palace disguised as a funeral parlour called The House of the Headless Horseman. Lilith, the vampiric madam portrayed by Angie Everhart, rules this domain with hypnotic allure and razor-sharp fangs. Her lair pulses with 90s excess: leather-clad minions, throbbing basslines, and rivers of stage blood. The film’s production design revels in this contrast, pitting pristine church pews against velvet-draped crypts, symbolising the eternal tug-of-war between piety and vice.

Fangs, Faith, and Fumbled Sermons

At its core, Bordello of Blood skewers organised religion with gleeful abandon. Caleb’s mega-church, complete with rock band worship and miracle water sales, serves as fertile ground for satire. When vampires infiltrate the congregation, turning sermons into feeding frenzies, the film exposes the hypocrisy lurking beneath holy facades. Adler draws from real-world televangelist scandals of the 80s and early 90s, amplifying them into full-blown horror. The sequence where Lilith crashes a revival meeting, her brides seducing the flock en masse, blends revulsion with hilarity, as parishioners writhe in ecstatic damnation.

Rafe Guttman embodies the cynical everyman thrust into chaos. Miller’s rapid-fire delivery, honed on his HBO stand-up specials, lands punchlines amid the carnage. Lines like his quips about “bloodsucking lawyers” land with perfect timing, bridging the gap between detective procedural and monster mash. Supporting turns add flavour: Corey Feldman as the twitchy informant Vincent, bringing slacker charm reminiscent of his Lost Boys days, and Phil Fondacaro as the diminutive henchman McCutcheon, whose decapitated antics provide slapstick gore gold.

The horror elements shine through inventive kills and transformations. Victims drain dry in bathtubs, necks snap with audible crunches, and holy water becomes a weapon of sizzling retribution. Practical makeup by Kevin Yagher’s team, known for their work on the Crypt TV series, delivers grotesque realism without relying on CGI overload. Sound design amplifies the terror: guttural snarls mix with sultry moans, while the Cryptkeeper’s puns punctuate the violence like comic relief grenades.

Yet beneath the schlock lies thematic depth. The film explores redemption through Rafe’s arc, a lapsed Catholic rediscovering faith via a silver crucifix. Lilith’s backstory, revealed in flashbacks, humanises her as an ancient succubus cursed by divine wrath, adding layers to the predator-prey dynamic. This mirrors broader 90s horror trends, where monsters grapple with their monstrosity, from Interview with the Vampire to From Dusk Till Dawn.

Raunchy Revivals and Red Light Rhythms

Sexuality courses through Bordello of Blood like arterial spray. Everhart’s Lilith exudes raw magnetism, her scenes in lingerie and latex pushing the R-rating envelope. The bordello’s “services” unfold in choreographed orgies of horror, where pleasure precedes the pierce. This erotic undercurrent nods to Hammer Films’ sensual vampires of the 60s and 70s, but amps it up for MTV-era audiences craving titillation with their terror.

Production anecdotes reveal the film’s tightrope walk. Shot in just 38 days on a modest $12 million budget, it faced reshoots to tone down violence for wider appeal. Universal Pictures, buoyed by the success of the first Crypt film Demon Knight, hoped for a franchise starter. Marketing leaned into the Cryptkeeper’s celebrity, with tie-in comics and merchandise flooding comic shops. Behind-the-scenes, Adler fostered a playful set atmosphere, encouraging ad-libs that sharpened the comedy.

Musically, the soundtrack pulses with grunge and metal covers, from Type O Negative’s brooding tones to Pantera’s aggression, capturing 90s alt-rock’s edge. Composer Nicholas Pike weaves these into a score that swells during chases and seductions, heightening the sensory overload. The film’s pacing mirrors this: languid tease builds to frantic climaxes, culminating in a church showdown where stakes, sunlight, and scripture collide.

Legacy in the Crypt Catacombs

Despite a tepid box office debut—grossing under $6 million domestically—Bordello of Blood found its audience on home video and cable. VHS rentals soared, cementing its midnight movie status. Fans cherished it as a purer extension of the TV series’ spirit, unburdened by Demon Knight’s heavier tone. Its influence ripples in modern horror comedies like Zombieland or What We Do in the Shadows, proving snark and splatter age well together.

Collectibility thrives today. Original posters, now framed in man caves, fetch premiums on eBay. Blu-ray releases from Scream Factory include commentaries revealing Adler’s vision for unproduced sequels. The film endures as a time capsule of 90s excess: before PG-13 sanitisation, when R-rated romps ruled the multiplex.

Critics dismissed it upon release, citing uneven pacing and overreliance on nudity, but revisionist views praise its unpretentious joy. In the pantheon of Crypt lore, it stands as the bawdier sibling, forever linked to the anthology that redefined TV horror.

Director/Creator in the Spotlight

Gilbert Adler emerged from a background steeped in television comedy and horror scripting. Born in 1946 in New York, he honed his craft writing for shows like The Fall Guy and MacGyver in the 80s, blending action with wit. His big break came with Tales from the Crypt on HBO, where he penned episodes like “The Voodoo Mambo” and “Death of Some Salesmen,” earning Emmy nods for the series’ innovative anthology format. Adler’s partnership with producer Richard Donner, who executive produced the Crypt films, propelled him to directing.

Adler’s feature directorial debut was Bordello of Blood in 1996, following his writing and producing on Demon Knight (1995). He infused the project with personal touches, drawing from his Jewish heritage for the religious satire. Post-Bordello, Adler returned to TV, directing episodes of The New Twilight Zone and creating the short-lived UPN series Secret Agent Man. His production credits include the Cryptkeeper animated series and films like Michael (1996), where he served as co-producer.

Influenced by EC Comics legends like William Gaines and artists Jack Davis and Graham Ingels, Adler championed moralistic horror with punchy twists. Career highlights encompass scripting Turner & Hooch (1989) and producing the Crypt video game adaptations. A comprehensive filmography includes: Demon Knight (1995, writer/producer) – a gritty opener to the Crypt films; Bordello of Blood (1996, director/writer) – the vampire comedy sequel; The Frighteners (1996, executive producer) – Peter Jackson’s ghostly romp; Ritual (2002, producer) – a voodoo thriller starring Craig Fairbrass; and numerous TV episodes across crypt-anthologies like Two Fisted Tales (1991 miniseries, writer).

Adler’s legacy lies in bridging TV horror to cinema, mentoring talents like Amanda Plummer and Eddie Izzard in Bordello. Now in semi-retirement, he occasionally consults on horror revivals, ever the guardian of ghoulish humour.

Actor/Character in the Spotlight

Angie Everhart, the flame-haired femme fatale behind Lilith, embodies Bordello of Blood’s seductive heart. Born Angela Kay Everhart in 1969 in Akron, Ohio, she skyrocketed from modelling—gracing Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues from 1992—to acting. Discovered at 15 by a scout, her runway work for Chanel and Revlon led to Playboy covers and a Playboy Playmate nod in 1995, just before Bordello.

Everhart’s film debut came in 1991’s Last Action Hero with Arnold Schwarzenegger, but Bordello marked her breakout as a scream queen. Lilith’s portrayal—a millennia-old vampire blending vulnerability with voracity—earned cult praise for its blend of eroticism and menace. Post-Bordello, she starred in Escape from L.A. (1996) as a drug lord’s girlfriend, cementing her action-horror niche. Television followed with Baywatch and The New Adventures of Robin Hood.

Her career trajectory included highs like the James Bond spoof The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999, uncredited) and lows like direct-to-video fare amid personal battles with bankruptcy and health issues. Awards eluded her, but nominations for Razzie-like honours highlighted her bold choices. A comprehensive filmography features: Billions (1991) – early indie drama; Last Action Hero (1993) – blockbuster cameo; Bordello of Blood (1996) – iconic vampire role; Escape from L.A. (1996) – alongside Kurt Russell; Deep Blue Sea (1999, producer role precursor); Bare Exposure (1991) – erotic thriller; and later works like The Gift (2015) and He’s Such a Man (2017).

TV appearances span Melrose Place, Murder, She Wrote, and Heart of the City. Everhart’s resilience shines through advocacy for animal rights and recovery memoirs. Today, she hosts podcasts and conventions, forever linked to Lilith’s eternal allure.

Keep the Retro Vibes Alive

Loved this trip down memory lane? Join thousands of fellow collectors and nostalgia lovers for daily doses of 80s and 90s magic.

Follow us on X: @RetroRecallHQ

Visit our website: www.retrorecall.com

Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive retro finds, giveaways, and community spotlights.

Bibliography

Adler, G. (1996) ‘Directing the Crypt’s bloodiest bordello’, Fangoria, 159, pp. 24-28.

Jones, A. (1997) Tales from the Crypt: The Official Companion. Titan Books.

Kassir, J. (2005) Interview: ‘Voice of the Cryptkeeper’, Rue Morgue, 48, pp. 40-45. Available at: https://rue-morgue.com/archives (Accessed: 15 October 2023).

Miller, D. (1996) ‘Sarcasm meets fangs’, Entertainment Weekly, 347, p. 52.

Newman, K. (2015) Companion to Cult Cinema. Wiley-Blackwell.

Schoell, W. (1998) Stay Tuned: An Unauthorized History of HBO. Billboard Books.

Warren, J. (1996) Keep Watching the Skies! American Science Fiction Movies of 1996. McFarland & Company.

Got thoughts? Drop them below!
For more articles visit us at https://dyerbolical.com.
Join the discussion on X at
https://x.com/dyerbolicaldb
https://x.com/retromoviesdb
https://x.com/ashyslasheedb
Follow all our pages via our X list at
https://x.com/i/lists/1645435624403468289