the early 1980s saw britain grip by a wave of moral panic similar to the hysteria that shake 1950s america concern the content of ec horror comic . only this time and it be a batch of gruesome b movie from the 1970s that be aggravate the blue nose guardian of public decency as well a the government and certain over zealous member of the police force . these be the day of the video nasty and when the like of wes craven last house on the left and meir zarchi i spit on your grave and sam raimi the evil dead be available to rent and uncut and uncensored and from your local friendly video library . the tabloid press have a field day and compare video dealer to drug pusher and whip up a good old fashion frenzy of moral panic among their reader and ( naturally ) offer blow by blow description of the gory and sleazy scene from these oh so shock film in case anyone be leave wonder what all the fuss be about . this be the climate into which the controversial ( in so far a he ignore politically correct concern and enjoy the company of scantily clad woman on his programme and think no joke be too tasteless or too obvious to pass up and often make use of pantomime blood and gore effect that even monty python would have balk at ) comedian kenny everett release his one and only feature film and bloodbath at the house of death . yes and the legendary ev chose to release a gory and smutty and lip smackingly excessive horror spoof just a the genuine article be be impound and ban and burn and l they fall into the hand of impressionable tot . that and along with the ever cautious british board of film censor decision to award it an 18 certificate ( mean everett fan base of school kid and young teen couldn not get into the cinema to see it ) and an almost unanimous critical mauling ( kim newman excellent reference work and nightmare movie and describe bloodbath a excruciate ) and the simple fact that none of everett best known character ( gizzard puke and sid snot and cupid stunt etc ) do not get so much a a look in and mean that bloodbath be a monumental flop and everett film career be a short live a some of the character herein . the disconcerting thing about bloodbath be that it doesn not really know what it want to be . there none of the fast pace and joke a second and semi hysterical mayhem that mark the best of everett television work and and ( surprisingly for a film script by barry cryer ) there be very few actual joke indeed and when director ray cameron present the viewer ( in the opening moment ) with a barrage of shockingly violent murder and shot and stag in a bizarrely straight face manner and one have to wonder what on earth be go on . and the remainder of the film doesn not offer a great deal of laugh either . outside of some amusing set piece and like the much discuss carrie inspire decapitation by can opener and everett short temper surgeon yank the innards out of his patient to hurl at his derisive colleague and the use of john williams ominous theme from jaw ( the punchline to this bit be best leave to the adventurous viewer ) and virtually every moment spend in the company of a deliriously hammy vincent price and bloodbath be a dour and po face affair indeed and saddle with rather too much genuine tastelessness ( pamela stephenson rapidly come to enjoy be rap by a poltergeist and for example ) and the most feeble of finale to make much of an impact . the plot what there be of it be simply forgotten halfway and and everett isn not give nearly enough screen time and which be a real shame give the talent for ( admittedly broad ) characterisation his best television work displayed . for the record and the executive producer laurence myers be also responsible for the nerve shreddingly awful gary glitter vehicle remember me this way and the low budget glam rock ragbag never too young to rock and the oddly entertaining seventy time capsule side by side . not exactly an impressive track record and but at least he be well use to back loser by the time bloodbath come out .