Brothers.

The next tape off the pile was Alberto De Martino's 1982 thriller Blood Link. This was a recent acquisition and it was probably my recollection of the coverbox that made me pick it up from the Vinegar Syndrome store. I always thought that was Doug Hutchinson on the cover, but it is in fact Michael Moriarty so big upgrade there for a number of reasons. Anyhoo, let's see what we have got here...

An American doctor named Craig (Moriarty) starts having visions of murders happening in Frankfurt. Realizing he is seeing through the eyes of his twin brother, whom he thought died when he was young, Craig sets out to stop him.

Having previously seen some of De Martino's work, namely the Montreal-set Strange Shadows In An Empty Room, I had good reason to think I would enjoy this one and for the most part I did. Shot mostly in Germany with an Italian crew, there are sections that do - especially the climax at the park - feel very giallo. Apart from that though, it becomes very clear that all involved in this project loved Brian De Palma. I mean, a lot of this movie feels like a gender swapped version of Sisters (right down to the fact Craig & Keith were Siamese twins) though there is a sprinkle of Eyes of Laura Mars in there, too. Blood Link is definitely one of those European knock-offs versions of stuff coming out across the pond at that time.

But that's not to say it is without merit. Moriarty, who would've just been starting his long tenure with Larry Cohen, is very good here. At first I thought he was being unusually reserved as Craig, but then I realized he was saving the crazy shit for the evil twin. I'm no doubt sure that the character's penchant for putting jam in his coffee (!) was Moriarty's idea on the day. You've also got an Ennio Morricone score as well as a welcome guest appearance from Cameron Mitchell.

As the movie goes on though, it starts to wear on you when the awkward and uncomfortable (even more than you'd expect) rape scenes start to mount up. I was quite taken with Craig's girlfriend Julie, played by Penelope Milford, to the point I was increasingly worried for her well being. When she took it upon herself to take down Keith, I was sure she was going to end up like Nancy Allen in Blowout. In retrospect it may have been better if she had because the ending she does get - pushed for by the producers apparently - was far more gross and disheartening.

Blood Link is a more than serviceable thriller with good locales and interesting characters, but its subject matter descends into sleazier territory than one might expect.