The Pirates of Blood River (1962) User Reviews

An oddity -- a pirate movie set on land!

[dinky-4 · 6/10 · 14 November 2002]

You won't find here any 18th-century ships in full sail photographed against a Caribbean seascape of azure blue skies. Instead, all of the action takes place on a mundane-looking island which offers little in the way of beaches or coves. (The geography of this made-in-England movie is disturbingly vague.) The result is somewhat drab and claustrophobic and makes one wish for the colorful sweep of "Anne of the Indies" or "The Crimson Pirate."

Partially making up for this weakness is an interesting cast which includes not only bound-for-better-things Christopher Lee and Oliver Reed but also a curiously-cast Glenn Corbett. Dennis Waterman pops up as a boy who's sent on horseback to warn of the pirates' attack.

Kerwin Matthews qualifies as an adequate hero. However, while the movie's poster shows him bound bare-chested to a ship's wheel, such a scene never appears in the print under discussion.

A Ship! My kingdom for a ship!

[Coventry · 6/10 · 14 January 2016]

"Pirates of Blood River" starts out quite promising and exhilarating, to say the least… On a strictly Protestant island community, a young man and an adulterous woman are caught in the act by the woman's husband and the isle's ruler (who's also the young man's father). The petrified girl flees and jumps into a river where she instantly gets devoured by thousands of piranhas, while the man – Jonathan Standing – is exiled to a neighboring prison island for hard labor. He quickly escapes from there but then literally bumps into the eye-patched captain La Roche (Hammer deity Christopher Lee) and his motley pirate crew. They force Standing to lead them to his native island, as La Roche is obsessed with stealing the huge golden treasure that is allegedly hidden somewhere there. As many of my fellow reviewers already righteously pointed out, the most remarkable thing about these "pirates" of Blood River is that they don't have a ship! Sure there are some vague stock footage images of random ships in the distance and a couple of scenes with constructed cabin sets near the beginning of the film, but apart from that everything takes place on land! I can't really fathom why, as the film got produced in the early sixties and thus after a period when Hammer Studios booked some tremendous successes already with grisly horror movies like "Curse of Frankenstein", "Horrors of Dracula" and "The Mummy". In other words, I reckon that Hammer should have had some budget to spend on building a ship, but clearly they didn't think it was absolutely necessary. Don't allow for this to spoil the fun, though, as there are definitely several memorable sequences to enjoy. Any film that features bloodthirsty piranhas receives an additional point in my personal book, and there are more cool scenes, for example the sword duel between two blindfolded pirates (one of them being the almighty Oliver Reed in one of his early Hammer roles) and nasty traps hidden all over the island. There's also a fun scene in which the pirates march through soiled water. Fun to watch, at least, because reportedly many of the actors – including Reed and Lee – suffered from unpleasant little injuries after filming this. "Pirates of Blood River" is by no means a mandatory Hammer must-see, but I warmly recommend it to fans of entertaining low-budget action flicks, pirate lovers and admirers of Christopher Lee.

THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER (John Gilling, 1962) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 5 August 2008]

I'd been wanting to check this one out ever since coming across a poster of it, as a double-bill with MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1961), amongst a whole bunch of old newspaper cuttings of local releases from the 1950s and 1960s which my father used to collect and glue in scrapbook form in his teenage years!

It's never been shown on TV in my neck of the woods, so I had to wait until now to watch the film – and it didn't disappoint: a familiar but undeniably vivid, indeed vigorous, action-packed adventure with no ounce of fat during its 87-minute length…yet containing the expected Hammer touches of nastiness, particularly with its notorious piranha sequences (which is the reason why the river of the title is so named!). Casting is terrific all round: Kerwin Mathews (at his best in such surroundings) is a believable hero; Christopher Lee looks great with an eye-patch and even affects a more-or-less authentic French accent; his pirate entourage, then, includes the likes of Peter Arne, Oliver Reed and Michael Ripper (though his quaint pirate lingo begins to grate after a while); among the locals are Glenn Corbett, FIRST MAN INTO SPACE (1959)'s Marla Landi (as Mathews' sister and over whom Arne and Reed engage in a duel blindfolded!), and Andrew Keir (as the hero's stern father but who ultimately sacrifices himself for the good of the community). Incidentally, considering the piracy theme, one of the oddest aspects about this particular film is that the action takes place entirely on land!

When we first see Lee and company, they 'save' the life of Mathews – who's just escaped from a penal colony (to which his own father had sentenced him after being caught red-handed in an adulterous liaison and whose partner ended up food for the killerfish!). They decide to accompany him to his people's settlement – fugitive Huguenots who have established themselves in England – because Lee believes them to be in possession of a fortune (even if Mathews himself tells the pirates there's no such thing). Soon, the buccaneers take over the village and start to exterminate the citizens (in twos) for the length of time that the location of the treasure isn't divulged!; eventually, Mathews is told it does exist and that, as community leader, his father is the only one who might be aware of the actual 'site' – so he pleads with him to give up the gold for the sake of the people…but the old man is still cross with his son and refuses! The sly Lee, observing the scene from afar, concludes that the plunder may be hidden behind the statue of the community's founder – which he orders his men to pull down, only to reveal nothing; however, Mathews insists and decides to scrape off the paint on the statue, which turns out to be made of solid gold!

After this, the pirates are ready to leave but they take both Mathews and Keir for insurance – especially since a small group of townsfolk, led by Corbett, have fled their control and are organizing raids against them and laying booby-traps in their path! Finally, the two bands meet head-on by the river (where the pirates have built a raft to transport both the loot and their own ever diminishing number); incidentally, the buccaneers themselves rise against their leader – an opposition led by former lackey Ripper, whom Lee had earlier slighted. In any case, as is typical of such films, the prime members of each group are made to face off – so that we get Arne fighting Corbett and Lee dueling with Mathews…and, as always, however inexperienced, good triumphs over evil (though, in the meantime, as I said earlier, the burly Keir throws himself into the river to demolish the raft – before both he and the pirates on board once more attract the attention of the piranhas).

From what I've read since this film's DVD release as part of Columbia/Hammer's "Icons Of Adventure" set, it seems to be the one getting the least consideration; I beg to differ and find it perhaps the most purely enjoyable of the lot – if, for nothing else, due to the stalwart cast but also the sure-fire elements of hidden loot and underwater menace. Finally, it's worth noting that co-writer/director Gilling (here working from a Jimmy Sangster story which he would himself rehash into another Hammer/Lee/Ripper adventure outing, THE DEVIL-SHIP PIRATES [1964], conveniently also included on the Columbia set and which I actually watched soon after!) made quite a few films in similar vein: THE BANDIT OF ZHOBE (1959) with Victor Mature; FURY AT SMUGGLERS' BAY (1961), a non-Hammer effort with Peter Cushing; and, for the famed horror company, THE SCARLET BLADE (1963) and THE BRIGAND OF KANDAHAR (1965) – both with Oliver Reed. For the record, out of all of these, only the Cushing title is available on DVD and a Region 2 exclusive at that!

Colorful, eventful adventure with an interesting cast.

[Poseidon-3 · 30 September 2008]

Part of Hammer Films' expansion into genres other than horror, this swashbuckler is unique and offbeat, yet entertaining and adventuresome. Matthews plays the son of a town elder on a remote island, populated by Huguenots, whose involvement with a married woman results in his being sent to a harsh penal colony. Following a narrow escape, he is rescued by a band of pirates led by black-clad, eye patch-wearing Lee, who want him to lead them to his settlement, ostensibly to use as a home base, but in reality to pillage for alleged treasure. When the pirates have barely made it to the outskirts of town before killing one person and trying to rape two others, Matthews determines how evil they are (what? Pirates evil??) and rejoins his townspeople in an effort to ward them off. The resultant skirmish and the relentless quest for the treasure, which the townspeople deny even exists, lead to bloodshed and destruction. Matthews, one of the cinema's unsung lookers and an underrated actor, gives a very earnest and skillful performance. He's put through his paces with regards to both grime and action sequences. Lee is suave and dangerous, providing just the type of villain a piece like this needs. Corbett, an appealing but generally inexpressive actor with a limited voice, is quite out of place here with his neatly parted, contemporary hair and anachronistic persona. Likewise, Landi, as Matthews' sister and Corbett's love interest, adds precious little to the film. Other cast members include Keir, as Matthews' stern, unyielding father (the actors were the same age, though it doesn't show!), Ripper, as Lee's shiftless, right hand man and Arne and Reed as dueling pirates. Fans of classic 007 films will briefly spot Llewelyn as a farmer. Waterman, who plays a young boy in a tree, grew up to become a noted actor and singer in the U.K. Hampered by budgetary restrictions that forbade the use of a ship or of filming at sea, the screenwriter more than made up for this by including many action scenes. The film clips along at a brisk pace, even with the "Ben-Hur"-esque imprisonment scenes, and features some truly lush foliage with more shades of green than could be counted. Cited by many as playing much like a western, the film does indeed come off that way, which ought to make it pretty accessible to fans of that genre. The title does fit the film, as is revealed at least twice. Matthews, for some reason, keeps his shirt on throughout the movie, though Arne barely has his on at all, adding some welcome beefcake to the proceedings. Lee and Reed would square off a little over a decade later in "The Three Musketeers" with Lee, once again, sporting an eye patch.

I do not count my chickens before I see them, and then I wait until the eggs are hatched out.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 17 June 2012]

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

Dude, where's our ship?

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 13 August 2017]

Good, colorful period adventure from Hammer Studios is also a curiosity - a landlocked pirate movie! The high seas are nowhere in sight in a tale set on the Isle of Devon in the late 17th century. People known as "Huguenots" have fled persecution, and set up a peaceable community. Young Jonathon Standing (Kerwin Mathews), found guilty of adultery and sentenced to 15 years in a nearby penal colony, ultimately falls into the clutches of a pirate gang who are determined - nay, hellbent - on discovering whatever treasures this island may hold.

"The Pirates of Blood River" is nothing great, but it thoroughly entertains the viewer for a well paced 87 minutes. It's got plenty of effective ingredients: action set pieces, rousing orchestral music (by Gary Hughes), wonderful widescreen photography, and a reasonably simple plot (screenplay by John Hunter and director John Gilling, based on a story by Jimmy Sangster). Said plot includes a theme of religious fervor, and how some people, like Jonathons' father Jason (Andrew Keir), allow this to completely dictate how they live their lives.

Jonathon is no innocent - he WAS guilty, after all - but he's still quite a likable chap, and one may admire him for attempting to take a stand. The villains are appropriately despicable, with the great Sir Christopher Lee taking center stage as a French accented pirate leader named LaRoche. Among his crew are Mr. Hench (Peter Arne), Brocaire (Oliver Reed), and Mack (Michael Ripper). This excellent cast helps to add life to the familiar but agreeable proceedings. (That's Desmond "Q" Llewelyn in the small role of Tom Blackthorne.)

The action is well executed, although the final battle is a little anticlimactic because there was a sequence earlier in the picture that was more intense. There's one show stopping sword fight where Arne and Reed duel (while blindfolded) over a woman. And there's a mild bit of gore, although scenes involving piranha attacks involve little more than splashing water and a bit of blood.

Fun stuff, for Hammer fans and lovers of pirate cinema.

Seven out of 10.

"A Hammerscope Production"

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 26 October 2019]

Having already made two Robin Hood movies, Hammer then tried their hand at a couple of pirate movies shot in the woodland surrounding Bray Studios in Buckinghamshire (co.scripted by John Hunter, son of T. Hayes Hunter, director of the pre-Hammer horror 'The Ghoul' in 1933). Their provenance as Hammer productions was underscored by suitably bloodthirsty titles ('The Pirates of Blood River', 'The Devil-Ship Pirates') and by their usual plush production values achieved within their modest means (the budget didn't actually run to a ship, for example). This, the first, certainly lives up to its title since several people get devoured by piranhas trying to cross the title river, while a couple of others get impaled on spikes by a booby trap.

My favourite scene in a Hammer film is Rupert Davies in 'Dracula Has Risen from the Grave' expressing relief that his prospective son-in-law isn't a Methodist; and then going ballistic when he instead reveals that he's an atheist. Religious zealots also receive short shrift in this movie in the form of Andrew Keir, who shows 'mercy' to his own son by sentencing him for adultery to transportation rather than death, declares "God has answered our prayers" when he (wrongly) thinks he's fought the pirates off, and would then sooner sacrifice the entire village than reveal the location of his hidden stash of treasure (which I figured out before anyone else in the film did).

Pirate captain Christopher Lee - "As strong as a lion, as cunning as a mongoose, and as vicious as a snake" - sporting a stylish eye-patch, presides over a mean-looking bunch of cutthroats (one of whom - wearing one enormous earring - is black). But Marla Landi as the female lead is absent for most of the first half, and although two of the pirates fight a duel over her only really comes into her own when she changes into leather britches and a blouse for the film's final quarter. Even then, alas, she's present largely as a spectator during the finale.

Carribbean action-adventure -Hammer-style

[melvelvit-1 · 6/10 · 5 April 2010]

In the seventeenth-century, a young Huegonot (Kerwin Mathews) escapes from a West Indies penal colony and joins forces with a treasure-obsessed pirate (Christopher Lee)...

Action-adventure in the Carribbean, Hammer-style, with not one but two Hollywood flavor-of-the-month hunks -Kerwin Mathews & Glenn Corbett (whatever happened to him?). Plenty of cutlass clashing (including a climactic one between Mathews and Lee), derring-do, and faux French accents but with all the swamp chases, you'd think at least one character would get gobbled up by quicksand. Unfortunately, none did. There were, however, enough saber-stabbings, booby-traps (including a spiked pit), musket skirmishes, and death by piranha (hence the title, "Blood River") to satisfy the easily amused. It was filmed on the back lots of Hammer's Bray Studios and stereotypes abounded from the sexy, nearly iconic Christopher Lee as the black-clad, one-eyed pirate king to a barrel-chested Oliver Reed as one of his lusty mates. The killed-off-all-too-soon Ollie cut a handsome, husky figure as did an earnest Glenn Corbett who's constipated acting made the rather lethargic Kerwin Mathews look like Sarah Bernhardt. Oddly enough (or not), Kerwin didn't have a femme love interest but Glenn did -the lackluster Marla Landi who looked a lot like Madeline Rhue. All in all, an agreeable time-waster, of interest mainly for it's idiosyncratic international beefcake.

Routine Hammer swashbuckler suffering from budget limitations

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 21 July 2013]

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 without a ship?

[bensonmum2 · 7/10 · 13 September 2009]

Pirates of Blood River has to be the only pirate movie I can remember watching that takes place entirely on land. Okay, there is a shot of a random ship at sea, but that's it – no raising the sails, no skull and cross bones atop a mast, no walking the plank, no cannons firing at the King's galley, no shark infested waters, etc. I suppose you could argue that some of the action does take place in a river, but to my way of thinking, a four foot deep spit of water that the cast spends less than five minutes in hardly qualifies. This being Hammer, it's a pretty safe bet that a full-fledged pirate ship would have cost more coin than the studio was willing to put up. However, even if these aren't your traditional pirates, that doesn't mean the movie isn't enjoyable, because I had quite a good time with it. Screenwriters John Hunter and John Gilling have thrown just about everything you can think of into the movie. The plot is all over the place and never gets old or tiring. The story involves a band of pirates that attack a Puritan-like village in search of gold. In addition to this rather simple outline, the movie includes a hard labor penal colony complete with emaciated old guys with sledge hammers and wagon loads of rock, a river full of piranha, a father who finds his son guilty of adultery and all but condemns him to death, two pirates fighting with swords while blindfolded, and a series of booby traps the villagers spring on the pirates. Gilling, who is also the director, keeps things moving at a nice pace. It's a lot of fun from start to finish. The cast is first rate – in fact, it's one of the best casts Hammer ever assembled, especially given the film's modest budget. Christopher Lee is as menacing as ever in the role of pirate chief LaRoche. I really got a kick out of his French accent. Kerwin Matthews is the male lead on the good guys side. He's more than capable in the role. Badass Oliver Reed is also on hand, though his role is limited. Also in the cast are Hammer regulars Andrew Keir and Michael Ripper, James Bond regular Desmond Llewelyn, Glen Corbett (easily the weakest link in the cast), Peter Arne, Marla Landi and other recognizable faces. Overall, Pirates of Blood River is miles from Hammer's normal output, but in this case, that's not such a bad thing. I'll give it a 7/10.

Hammer the pirates

[whitec-3 · 4/10 · 1 October 2008]

I taped Pirates of Blood River off TCM only because it showed just before Morgan the Pirate w/ Steve Reeves, which I'd seen as a boy, but my appetite was whetted when the first credit indicated it was a Hammer Film. For post-boomers' information, Hammer was a unique studio from the late 50s through the 60s. The studio's most characteristic films were in the horror genre. The plots of these films featured stereotypical characters, dubious motivations, and exploitative outcomes. But the studio had a distinctive "house style" that featured lush colors, accomplished acting, and, for those Anglophilic times (Beatles, Stones, 007), nubile Brit babes displaying rosy cleavage. Sometimes the parts all clicked. A deep memory is of being home from college in NC around 1970 and walking with friends through the cold to a surviving downtown theater to see "Dracula Has Risen From the Grave." We expected a campy hoot-film but ended up marveling at its quality--haven't seen it since.

Point: given the convenience of a fast-forward button, I'll take a chance on any Hammer Film. Pirates of Blood River is outside Hammer's standard horror genre, but the very opening has the studio's look even if it's set on a lush island rather than in a Gothic castle. The color is rich, and the Maggie character with whom Kerwin Matthews dallies displays the overripe buxomness that was among the studio's signatures. Her escape from her angry husband and other Huguenot elders into a body of water where she is eaten by piranhas earns the film's "Blood River" title.

After that opening, it's not much of a pirate film or a Hammer film, and the Huguenot historical framework remains undeveloped. A painted-in pirate ship appears in one gorgeous landscape shot, but otherwise the pirates grow peckish as they attack a village on foot and carry a golden statue of a Huguenot leader back to the river. Christopher Lee and Oliver Reed, who would later play Dracula, Mummy, and Werewolf in other Hammer Films, embellish their characters with stylish physicality, but most of the other pirates are only irritating or bland beyond their standard costumes. The islanders stage an impressive ambush or two, but overall it's a low-budget, underwritten adventure that feels longer than its 87 minutes. What seems most impressive or charming--and maybe a minor testament to the 50s-60s in economic history--is that such a film could ever be made at all; unimaginable today.

Enjoyable period adventure yarn

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 25 May 2010]

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.

A Decent Pirate Movie

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 19 October 2014]

Fleeing religious persecution, a group of Huguenots settle on the Isle of Devon and establish a village where they can live and worship in peace. Unfortunately, many years later the leadership of the village is taken over by greedy and self-serving men who begin to enforce a type of religious tyranny on the residents. In one particular case a man by the name of "Jonathon Standing" (Kewin Matthews) has fallen in love with a woman named "Maggie Mason" (Marie Devereux) who is the wife of one of the leaders. Although neither have actually committed adultery when they are found in each other's embrace the decision is made to punish both all the same. In fear Maggie tries to escape by swimming to the other side of a river but is attacked and killed by piranhas. Meanwhile Jonathon is caught and then tried for adultery with Maggie's husband as one of the jurors. Although he protests his innocence, he is sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in a penal colony. A couple of months later, he attempts to escape but is captured by a band of pirates and taken to their leader, "Captain LaRoche" (Christopher Lee) who decides to march to the village and loot it. Now, rather than detail any more of the film and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it, I will just say that this turned out to be a decent pirate movie despite the fact that almost all of the scenes happened on dry land. I especially liked the performance of Christopher Lee who I thought played the part quite superbly. In any case, I recommend this movie to all of those who think they might enjoy a film of this type and rate it as slightly above average.

Great Title.

[AaronCapenBanner · 5/10 · 21 November 2013]

John Gilling directed this pirate adventure that stars Kerwin Mathews as Jonathan Standing, an inhabitant of a 17th century Huegenot village where he was exiled by his father for adultery to a penal colony. While there, pirates led by Captain LaRoche(played by Christopher Lee) kidnap him and force him to lead them back to the village, because the pirates want a rumored buried treasure that their founding fathers left behind, and LaRoche will stop at nothing to find it, not even murder. Marginal Hammer studios film certainly has a colorful title that sums up the plot, and good production values and acting, but story is strangely unappealing and unmemorable, despite an interesting "landlocked pirates" premise.

Swashbuckling Hammer

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 7/10 · 9 November 2017]

Hammer Studios was well known for the Gothic styled horror films. But they made forays into other genres as well including film noir, comedy and this gem, an actual pirate film. While the time period might be the same as those Gothic films this movie is far from those with the exception of a few actors who seemed to be in all their movies. What matters is the fact that it ends up being an enjoyable one to watch.

On a small island in the Caribbean called Devon a group of Huguenots has made a home for themselves. While the group sought religious freedom here things have changed with men in power abusing their positions. The man in charge is Jason Standing (Andrew Keir), a religious zealot who finds himself forced to condemn his son Jonathan (Kerwin Matthews) to 15 years in a labor camp. Jonathan was having an affair with the wife of one of the town leaders, a woman who we watch eaten by piranhas as she fleas capture from Jason and his men.

Jonathan is taken away to the work camp but eventually escapes months later only to fall into the hands of a band of cutthroat pirates led by Capt. LaRoche (Christopher Lee). Decked out in all black with a lame arm and the perfect pirate eyepatch, LaRoche decides to put Jonathan to good use. He wants him to escort him back to the settlement with two goals in mind. One is to use the settlement as a safe haven to rest in and the other is that he believes there is a treasure hidden there.

The settlers and the pirates come into conflict with one another, a battle follows and eventually the pirates take over the town. Demanding to know where the treasure is Jason tells them there is none. Unwilling to accept that LaRoche tells him he will hang two people per day until he reveals where it is.

An escaped Jonathan frees several of the men in town and gets help from his sister's boyfriend Henry (Glenn Corbett). Is there a secret treasure on the island? Does Jason know where it is? And will the pirates kill everyone on the island to find a treasure no one is certain exist? The movie offers plenty of action, plenty of swordplay and enough pirate clichés to fill several movies. What is most amazing is the fact that this pirate movie never goes to sea or involves their ship! One scene shows the ship in the harbor and one segment takes place in the Capt. LaRoche's quarters. Other than that it's all on land! Made in 1962 these movies were still a staple at the time, a genre which demanded little reality and plenty of action. This film did the genre well. The pirates are indeed scurvy dogs dress in tattered clothing, drinking to excess and on the prowl for any women they can find. The crew turns out to be a potentially mutinous group and LaRoche has his hands full with them as well as the settlers.

All involved do a great job in the acting department. It was nice to see Lee play something other than Dracula and his LaRoche comes with the aforementioned accoutrements of a pirate along with a decent French accent. Matthews was still making sword play films at the time and this is just another in the notch on his belt. Corbett is wasted here but makes the most of his time on screen. In a small role and just 6 years before his breakout performance in OLIVER as Bill Sykes is Oliver Reed playing woman hungry Brocaire. My favorite though is Michael Ripper as one of the most vocal of the pirates. Ripper was a regular in nearly all Hammer movies that I can recall growing up.

Having never seen the film or even heard of it I found it to be a treat. Twilight Time is presenting it in a beautiful presentation with the cleanest possible widescreen offering found for the film. Extras include an isolated music and effects track, an audio commentary track with writer Jimmy Sangster, art director Don Mingaye and film historian Marcus Hearn and the original theatrical trailer. As with all Twilight Time releases this one is limited to just 3,000 copies so if interested order yours today.

pitiful

[fuzzybutt59 · 10 November 2003]

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.

Fun B-movie fare wrapped up in a handsome period adventure yarn

[Colbridge · 6/10 · 26 July 2021]

This is an enjoyable Hammer adventure film with the charismatic Christopher Lee playing Captain LaRoche, a ruthless eye-patched pirate who, with the help of his motley crew, attack an unruly Huguenot settlement on a Caribbean island convinced there is hidden treasure to be had.

The usual budget constraints are there but it doesn't hinder the film as much as some of their other adventure films despite the fact the pirates are only seen on land and not at sea. Director John Gilling has a firm hand on proceedings with a script by Jimmy Sangster and a solid support cast of Oliver Reed, Michael Ripper, Andrew Keir, Desmond Llewelyn and an early acting role for future TV star Dennis Waterman.

It's fun B-movie fare wrapped up in a handsome period adventure yarn that is entertaining with simple storytelling and perfect for a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Full-blooded pirate yarn

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 13 May 2021]

Kerwin Mathews, the star of 7th Voyage of Sinbad, plays a Huguenot who falls into the clutches of pirate king Christopher Lee, who attempts to use Mathews in a dastardly plan to steal Huguenot riches, and ends up holding the people of a quiet French religious settlement hostage.

A full blooded pirate adventure full of action and some good swordplay, especially between Kerwin Matthews and Christopher Lee at the end. Though some bits were censored so it could be suitable for younger kids, there's still a trace of grimness and grit. It can be overly serious, but it's a colourful swashbuckler. Christopher Lee is at his villainous best, dressed in black and wearing eyepatch, and Kerwin Matthews acts really well as the hero.

Murderous pirates or religious prigs? Take your pick.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 19 November 2020]

Settlers in a new land sent if they have it made until they realize that their leaders have every intention of doing what the leaders of their old country had done. This becomes very apparent when a young man (Kerwin Mathews) is discover having an affair with a married woman. As the son of the leader, he is send to hard labor call she fines and accidental fate that they deem as God's punishment. When he ends up in another affair, he is sent to the local prison but manages to escape thanks to a boating accident and ends up in the hands of the pirates led by Christopher Lee.

The pirates are looking for hidden treasure which they have heard is on the island, and this results in them using the townsfolk and their leaders to find it, threatening them all with instantaneous death if they refuse. But Mathews and some other men are in hiding, and this leads to plenty of action and a return to the scene where the original young lady met her fate.

Colorful and action filled, this is pretty gruesome stuff in spots which considering that it came from Hammer is not surprising since they made horror films. The presence of Lee as well in a non horror role adds to that aspect only briefly utilized in the film. It's difficult to say who is more villainous, the righteous leaders of the community or the ruthless men of the sea, but that element really isn't made to be important as the pirates take over the island. It's fast moving, and its title really make sense when you discover what certain parts of the island contain.

" The Laws of men are created to guide us, not to establish tyranny "

[thinker1691 · 5/10 · 31 May 2011]

Christopher Lee has dozens of films attributed to him, so much so one is forced to acknowledge his superior talents. Among the many roles are characters who have but one eye. This movie " The Pirates of Blood River " is one in which Lee wears an eye patch. The story was originally written by John Hunter and directed by John Giling. It tells the story of a group of religious pilgrims called Huguenots who establish their community on an island to live in peace. Unfortunately, there is dissension among the followers due to it's unjust judgments, punishments and thereafter when a group of Pirates invade their commune. Kerwin Mathews stars as Jonathon Standing, who's own father is among those who condemned him. Glenn Corbett plays Henry his brother. The heavy is played to the hilt by Christopher Lee who plays Captain LaRoche, a French pirate, a scoundrel from the old school. Oliver Reed and Robert Shaw are among the faces in the movie. The film itself is sorry to say, uneventful despite the bullet flying, sword fighting, hangings and piranha fish attacks. The scenes were so edited, that what was left, proved milk-toast and amateurish, truly not Christopher Lee, caliber. Despite Kerwin Mathews best efforts, this movie remained a half hearted attempt at best. **

Different

[jb007-5 · 9/10 · 24 April 2000]

Different to what you might expect from the Hammer studios. It's better than "The Devil Ship Pirates", anyway. Christopher Lee is, as usual, brilliant as Captain La Roche (yes, I think they made up that name, too), speaking in very convincing French accent. It's fun, good for the family and Hammer fans. Watch out for Kerwin Matthews as the hero (would you believe!)- he's convincing hero.

Unmemorable Hammer Ffun

[Kiso · 3/10 · 16 May 2010]

I saw this film once in 1967. My young friends and I had barely left the movie theatre and we had forgotten the plot of this movie. Apparently we got to see scenes that were cut when released elsewhere so it should have made more sense, but I remember in less than a week we argued over what had happened, and why. Since then we have forgotten almost everything about it, except for two things which we still laugh about today. One; the skeleton rising from the river after its flesh had been stripped from it by piranhas (why would a skeleton rise up? the don't float),and the terrible continuity gaffe of the potted palm tropical forest; one minute the trees were green and lush, in the next scene dry and brown, then back to green again.

But it was a Hammer film, and we loved Hammer films back then. Still do.

Aah nostalgia. But there is a lot to be said for production values and a budget.

The Pirates of DUD River

[tracywinters-44332 · 2/10 · 25 September 2015]

Long adventure film about a bunch of pirates talking their way into the oblivion of boredom.

One of the actors you'll recognize is Glenn Corbett who appeared in 'Shenandoah' as Jimmy Stewart's oldest son, but more notably as a dude named Cochrane in the Star Trek episode 'Metamorphosis'.

I tried to watch this thing until the end, but it was so damned long and boring, I couldn't keep my eyes open. I finally turned off the TV and went to sleep. Then I was unable to remember not only the name of the film, but even what it was about.

A cool title is the only thing the film has going for it. Make a pot of coffee before viewing... you'll need it.

Lackluster Swashbuckler

[TheFearmakers · 4/10 · 11 March 2021]

The twist ending of Hammer's THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER is not only given away in the prologue when town zealot's son Kerwin Matthews loses his married lover...

But in the title itself, making only half sense since these PIRATES, led by Christopher Lee with subordinates Michael Ripper, Peter Arne and Oliver Reed, are hardly ever on a pirate ship, having landed upon an island sanctuary of Huguenot farmers that, as the story commences, is attacked by those land-roaming scoundrels, thinking there's gold nearby...

It's a shame when BLOOD RIVER reaches the point where the Huguenots and Pirates have an overlong Mexican standoff since, earlier on, Matthews -- too old for the role yet still attempting his SINBAD energy -- is sent to prison, then escapes, during which this Hammer adventure is very adventurous and action-packed...

Sadly the villains take over in Christopher Lee's worst role, dressed for a bad Halloween party, added to which Peter Arne basically replaces a far cooler Oliver Reed... Hammer just didn't know their potential...

This misleadingly advertised swashbuckler buckles under the weight of its own unambitious limitations, and with a "younger male hero" in Glenn Corbett afraid to fight, and Marla Landi pretty but weak in the ingenue department, PIRATES is more sunken than treasure.

Very low on the list of Hammer movies I'd recommend watching.

[kensai-5 · 5/10 · 16 January 2021]

A disappointing Hammer film! I believe it may have been hastily written for the sets they had available. The plot is already pretty weak, which isn't necessarily a problem for entertaining story-telling, but almost all other elements are also under-whelming. To my subjective perception, there were only three noteworthy actors, with not one of them providing a memorable performance, due to sub-par writing with exceptionally stupid dialog. Andrew Keir is playing a stubborn village leader, who is seemingly written to grow more unlikable with each minute on screen. Oliver Reed is cast as an insignificant character and Christopher Lee is tasked with the role of an unusually bland pirate captain. He's skillfully leaning into it, but can't save that the character is given unconvincing actions and words.

The protagonist is played by Kerwin Mathews, an actor with good looks and some screen charisma. Sadly, I've never seen him in a leading role where he didn't seem dim-witted after a while of watching, due to exaggerated impulsiveness and righteousness caused by indoctrination rather than insight. At times it feels like he's helplessly stumbling through the movie, pushed around by events, causing trouble by absence of any wisdom, with almost all other actors stealing his show. His co-star, Glenn Corbett, has a lot less screen time, but uses it with far more charisma. Coincidentally (?), he's also given much better lines.

The movie doesn't have the inspiring visual quality of some of the better known Hammer productions and despite some good locations, it never manages to provide believable action. Even a sabre fight with Christopher Lee turns out dull, due to his opponent's lack of matching skill. Only barely worth a watch, for those with enough curiosity.