Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER, a 1962 swashbuckler from Hammer Studios, is one of their lesser outings. You can put this down to Jimmy Sangster's lacklustre story and the lack of a decent budget, which substitutes British locations for the tropics and doesn't even include a pirate ship (apart from in an opening stock shot).Of course, those of us who enjoy B-movie fare will no doubt enjoy the spectacle of some nondescript British woodland standing in for a more exotic locale - adding a single fern leaf into the shot and a couple of pot plants isn't doing much to fool the viewer! At least it helps take the viewer's mind off the plot, which after a decent first half hour soon descends into repetitive inanity.Kerwin Matthews (THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD) stars as the youthful, romantic hero figure who's sent to a penal colony after falling foul of his puritan elders. He escapes just in time to help his villagers defend themselves from the clutches of a group of dastardly pirates looking for treasure.One of the problems with the production is the lack of a sense of menace. The pirates just don't seem to be particularly villainous and the script resorts to them fighting between themselves to supply the action. It doesn't help any when all the best actors play the pirates either: Christopher Lee, Michael Ripper, Peter Arne and Oliver Reed are all having a ball, supplying endless energy, while the villagers (including Dennis Waterman as a kid and an extra-dour Andrew Keir) are a bore.Still, it's as colourful as ever for a Hammer romp, and I'm predisposed towards this genre so that it held my attention from beginning to end. But with a little more imagination, it could have been a whole lot better and more like the above-average DEVIL-SHIP PIRATES that Hammer made a couple of years later.

Pirates of Blood River is directed by John Gilling and written by Jimmy Sangster. It stars Christopher Lee, Kerwin Matthews, Glenn Corbett, Michael Ripper, Andrew Keir, Oliver Reed, Marla Landi and Peter Arne. Music is by Gary Hughes and cinematography by Arthur Grant.When Huguenot Jonathan Standish (Matthews) is found guilty of adultery, he is banished from the village and sent to serve hard labour at the penal colony. However, managing to escape, Jonathan is captured by pirates led by Captain LaRoche (Lee) and forced to lead the pirates back to his home village, where, LaRoche is convinced valuable treasure is hidden.One of Hammer Film Productions pirate ventures, Pirates of Blood River is landlocked but still a whole bunch of piratical fun. Sangster's screenplay dangles interesting carrots that aren't fully unearthed, such as the religious fervour holding the Huguenot village in its grip, and questions of main character's pasts are left unanswered, but cast are very spirited and Gilling, in spite of being brought in late and being a pain in the ass, crafts a fast paced picture of excitement and tension. The small budget and absence of a ship and seafaring malarkey is barely noticed, though this place of plunder doesn't look much like a tropical island. There's good action, especially for the "big" battle at the finale, while it's good to see low cost effects, such as a piranha attack simulated by ripples on the water, actually be very effective for dramatic purpose. Blindfold duelling, too, always a bonus.Plenty of beards, jolly roger speak, bodily abuse and guerrilla warfare, enough in fact to lift it above its obvious flaws. 7/10

Dashing young Jonathan Standing (a solid and likable performance by the handsome Kerwin Mathews) is exiled to a nearby penal colony for his relationship with a married woman. Jonathan manages to escape from said colony, but runs afoul of a gang of pirates led by the cunning, ruthless, and formidable Captain La Roche (the always excellent Christopher Lee). La Roche forces Jonathan to take him and his men back to his village in order to find a great treasure that's rumored to be hidden there. Ably directed by John Gilling, with a constant brisk pace, an absorbing script by John Hunter and Jimmy Sangster, a flavorsome evocation of the period, crisp widescreen cinematography by Arthur Grant (the occasional use of artful dissolves is especially striking and impressive), a serious tone, some rough'n'ready fisticuffs, a jaunty and stirring score by Gary Hughes, plenty of thrilling action (a fierce sword fight between two blindfolded men over a fair damsel rates as a definite tense and gripping highlight), beautifully verdant rural countryside scenery, and a colorful bunch of rowdy, scruffy, and deadly pirates, this movie makes the grade as one hugely entertaining and satisfying romp. Further kudos are also in order for the capable acting from the sound cast, with stand-out contributions by Andrew Kier as devout and resolute town elder Jason Standing, Michael Ripper as the hearty Mack, Marla Landi as Jonathan's loyal sister Bess, Oliver Reed as surly, ill-tempered brute Brocaire, and Peter Arne as hard-nosed first mate Hench. An immensely fun film.

one of the most pathetic movies i have ever seen.even christopher lee cannot bring any excitement to this pitiful drivel.how this turgid nonsense can be described as an action adventure defies belief.a total waste of time.