‘Blood Delirium’ Blu-ray Review

Stars: John Phillip Law, Brigitte Christensen, Gordon Mitchell, Olinka Hardiman | Written and Directed by Sergio Bergonzelli

Sergio Bergonzelli’s Blood Delirium is a pulpy and eccentric exploration of madness, obsession, and gothic horror tropes, blending the grotesque with the surreal in a manner that is uniquely European. Released in 1988, this Italian horror oddity operates at the intersection of exploitation cinema and psychological thriller, offering viewers a bizarre and unsettling experience that defies conventional narrative expectations.

Blood Delirium tells the story of a deranged artist named Saint Simon (played with unnerving intensity by John Philip Law) who, after the death of his wife, spirals into madness. Living in a decaying mansion with a demented servant named Herman (Gordon Mitchell), Saint Simon becomes obsessed with creating “perfect” art through increasingly macabre means. The arrival of a woman who resembles his late wife plunges the characters into a spiral of murder, manipulation, and hallucination.

At its core, Blood Delirium reflects themes of grief, artistic obsession, and moral decay. Bergonzelli crafts an atmosphere dripping with unease, where the boundaries between reality and delusion are deliberately blurred. The film is steeped in gothic aesthetics, with its brooding castle-like setting and the recurrent imagery of death and decay adding to the surreal tone.

John Philip Law delivers a performance that oscillates between menacing and pitiable, capturing the fractured psyche of Saint Simon. While his portrayal borders on melodramatic, it suits the film’s over-the-top style. Gordon Mitchell as Herman is equally unsettling, embodying the archetype of the grotesque sidekick with gusto. The female leads, while often relegated to the roles of victim or muse, bring a sense of vulnerability and tension that amplifies the horror.

The characters are archetypal rather than nuanced, but this lack of depth aligns with the film’s lurid, dreamlike nature. Saint Simon’s descent into madness is exaggerated, but the film’s unapologetically unhinged tone makes such excess feel appropriate.
Visual Style and Direction

Bergonzelli’s direction emphasizes mood over coherence. The film is visually striking, with its garish color palette, shadowy interiors, and nightmarish compositions. The use of dream sequences and disjointed editing creates an almost hallucinatory experience. At times, the cinematography leans heavily into excess, with gratuitous close-ups and bizarre camera angles that enhance the sense of instability.

Special mention must be made of the practical effects and gore, which, while dated by contemporary standards, have a tactile, grimy quality that complements the film’s macabre themes. The aesthetic owes much to the Italian giallo tradition, with its focus on atmosphere, stylized violence, and psychosexual tension.

Sergio Bergonzelli’s Blood Delirium is not a film for everyone, it’s a fever dream of a film, blending gothic horror, surrealism, and exploitation into an unsettling package. While it is far from a polished or universally appealing movie, its unrestrained creativity and commitment to mood make it a compelling watch for fans of cult cinema. Approach it with an open mind—and perhaps a strong stomach—and you may find yourself drawn into its delirious world.

Special Features:

• Commentary track with film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth
• “Gerard’s Delirium” (19 min) – interview with actor Marco Di Stefano
• “Killer’s Muse” (28 min) – interview with actress Brigitte Christensen
• “Once Upon a Time in the Italian Eighties” (29 min) – interview with assistant director Corrado Colombo

*** 3/5

Blood Delirium is out now on Blu-ray from Screenbound Pictures.