Blood Feast (1963) - full transcript

And now,
some tragic local news.

We have a report of another murder tonight.

A young girl has been found dead
in Rogers Park.

The body was badly mutilated.

Because of these murders,

police request that all women stay inside
their homes after dark.

If you must go out,
please have someone accompany you.

Keep your door locked. We'll repeat that.

Police request that all women stay inside
their homes after dark,

if you must go out...

Pete, this is the worst yet.



I don't know what to make of it.

Seven killings in two weeks. Young girls.

And each killing more
brutal than the other.

This lab report doesn't mean anything.

We went over that last girl's apartment
with a fine-toothed comb.

The body looked like Jack the Ripper
had got to her.

There should have been clues
all over the place...

And we couldn't come up with one.

Yeah, and the DA's office
is getting hot too, Chief.

Well, we're just working
with a homicidal maniac, that's all.

But there's more to
this than just a maniac...

There is a pattern.

Now, all these bodies
have been badly mutilated,

certain limbs and organs have been removed.



This, er, Pat Tracy
that we found yesterday,

the lab says her heart was cut out.

Gives me the chills just to think of it.

Yeah, the newspapers are really playing
this one up, too.

Well, Frank, this
looks like one of those long, hard ones.

I know what you mean. Oh, Pete...

Call the radio and television stations.

Have them repeat
those emergency broadcasts every half hour.

I wanna make sure every woman in this town
hears those broadcasts.

Well, you better get going.
I've got some reports to go over.

Okay, Chief.

Good day! Are you Mr. Ramses?
I'm Dorothy Fremont.

Er, well...

I heard about you from a friend of mine,
Annette Dupree.

I'm giving a dinner party in two weeks
for my daughter

and Mrs. Dupree said that you cater
to just the type of thing I'm looking for.

I want, er, something unusual,
something totally different.

Yes, Mrs. Fremont,

I do cater to unusual affairs.

What do you consider to be unusual?

Oh, I don't know.
What do you recommend?

Have you ever had an Egyptian feast?

Why, that would be fine!
That would be perfect!

My daughter Suzette is a student
of Egyptian culture.

Mr. Ramses, she'd just love it!

An Egyptian feast!

Yes, an authentic dinner,

such as one might have attended
in Ancient Egypt.

The actual feast of an ancient pharaoh.

It has not been served

for 5,000 years.

Yes.

Yes.

We must do it.

Mrs. Fremont...

I am honored that you are requesting
my services.

You see, this type of affair
is my specialty.

So, you see, I shall cook
your daughter's dinner for you.

Oh, that will be wonderful!
Now, I'm depending on you.

I want Suzette to have a party
that will be the talk of the town.

Every dish must be authentic.

It's a surprise for Suzette and
I do want it to be successful.

Your dinner will indeed
be a success, Mrs. Fremont.

I promise you.

Things will be arranged
just as the feast of the goddess

was given 5,000 years ago.

Erm, "goddess", Mr. Ramses?
I don't think I understand.

I only meant that I will arrange things
to suit your taste, Mrs. Fremont.

Oh, well, that's fine,
then I can leave everything in your hands.

Now, this is my card.
The name and address are right there.

I'm mailing out invitations
for two weeks from Saturday night.

You can have things ready by then?

Things have been ready
for a long time, Mrs. Fremont.

A long time.

- Er, I beg your pardon?
- Er...

Er, oh, well, then. Good day, Mr. Ramses.

Two weeks from Saturday night.
Er, 6:30 sharp.

Oh, my Ishtar.

My goddess.

At last, you have signalled me to begin.

Oh, divine and wondrous
one of the veiled light.

At last, Shamash shall visit you
in the feast of your love.

Oh, my goddess,

I am your slave, my lady of the dark moon.

A pathological killer on the loose
and we can't find one clue!

This man's uncanny,
not one fingerprint, nothing!

Did you check
with the girl's neighbors, Pete?

Yeah, Chief, but they heard nothing.

Seems she was a hostess at a restaurant.
Got home every night about 12 o'clock.

Neighbors say she's a quiet girl,
never has any friends over.

Then I went down there
and I spoke to her boss.

She said, er, she has no boyfriend at all
but all the people seem to like her.

And the only thing she seemed
to have an active part in

was a book club she belonged to.

Well, stay on it, Pete.

Look, we have the police for 200 miles
around on this.

Every street is patrolled.

We sure should get
him if he tries it again.

Look, I got to go over to the morgue.
You get to work.

Tony!

It's getting late.
Shouldn't we be getting back?

- Mum will worry about me when it gets dark.
- Relax, hun.

Just a while longer.

Your folks know you're in good hands.

Besides...

This is when it...

- Just starts getting nice.
- I know Tony, but...

Well, I feel... I feel...

Funny.

All those murders and everything
around here?

Hey, baby, I'm here.

I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you.

You're my girl, aren't you?

Besides...

It's still early.

Look, we'll go when it gets dark.

I promise.

Now, prove you love me.

Tony!

She wanted to leave!

She was scared!

It's all my fault!

I... I made her stay!

- It's... It's all my fault!
- Take it easy, Tony.

Try to tell us who did it. You must try.

- Try to tell us, Tony.
- No! No, sir!

I can't remember!

Everything happened so fast!

And then I got her...

I can't remember! I can't remember!

Take it easy, son.

Sergeant, take this boy to the hospital.

We will want to talk to you later, Tony,
when you've calmed down.

Say, what do you make
of these murders, Frank?

He always kills the same way.

He just takes one part of the body.

This time, he took the brains.

Now, what kind of a creature would do that?

Pathological killer.

Sick, sick mind.

Well, we've gotta notify the parents.
I don't look forward to that.

You check on the boy,
find out anything he can remember.

All right, let's get this poor
girl's body down to the morgue.

Officer, go get a
stretcher, will you, please?

Mrs. Franklin...

Have you any idea who could've done this?

She was so young! So very young.

Oh, Arthur, why would anyone do this
to our daughter?

Try to control yourself, Molly.

Marcy was a good girl.

She'd want us to help the police.

We've got to do whatever we can,
so that no innocent girls are murdered.

Would you like a glass
of water, Mrs. Franklin?

Yes...

Mr. Franklin, tell me about your daughter.

Who were her friends?

Did she ever date anyone besides Tony?

Marcy wasn't much of a gadabout.

She went steady with Tony...

For over a year.

She had lots of friends,
everyone liked her.

No one would do this to my Marcy!

No one who knew her!

Did you daughter belong to any
organizations, clubs, anything like that?

No, she had lots of friends.

She didn't belong to
any one particular group.

She did have her name on a book club list.

Book club list? When?
What do you mean, "book club list"?

She was going to graduate from high school
this June.

I made her a dress, a white dress.

And now she'll never wear it,
she'll never wear it!

Please, Molly, please!

I've give you a list of her friends' names.

We'll do anything. Anything
at all to help you find this killer.

Easy, Molly, take it easy.

Oh, it's nearly ready.

Nearly ready.

The ancient formula
needed for your rebirth.

Now, we shall have the flavor.

The special flavor...

Seasoned just right for you,
oh, mother of the veiled darkness.

No! No! No!

No...

Oh, Suzette dear!

Well, things are finally underway
for your party.

The caterer has a marvelous idea,
I can hardly wait. Aren't you excited?

Yes, Mother! Of course I am!

Only, I was reading about all those murders

and it sort of takes all the joy
out of everything.

It's all so strange.

I mean, the police not finding any clues
or anything.

It's terrible!

I just shudder when I think
about that butcher...

That maniac, butchering all those girls.

I wish they could find out who did it
and put him where he belongs.

I won't feel safe until they do.

Oh, it is horrible, but,
Suzette don't be silly.

I'm sure the police
will find him real soon.

Anyway, the dinner party Saturday will take
our minds off all this horrible killing.

Suzette, it will be a wonderful surprise!

I'm sure it will be, Mother,
and I can hardly wait!

Well, I better get going.

Tonight is the weekly lecture
on ancient history.

We're learning about cults
of the Egyptian gods.

Did you say Egyptian gods?

- Well, that's a coincidence.
- What kind of a coincidence, Mother?

Oh, well, there's that nicest
little man, he... Oh, well...

Call me when you're ready to come home.

I don't want you out on the streets at night.
Not with all this terrible killing going on.

Yes, I will, Mother. Bye, see you later.

Hello? Helen? Dorothy Fremont.

You are coming to Suzette's party?
Oh, wonderful!

I have a fantastic treat planned.

Oh, well, I found a perfectly delightful
caterer who has a marvelous idea.

Who? His name is Fuad Ramses.

Ramses I
and Ramses II were pharaohs.

It was Ramses ll

whose soldiers were drowned in the Red Sea
while chasing Moses and the Israelites.

Now, our mutual interest
in the cults of Ancient Egypt,

takes us tonight to the cult of Ishtar,

a goddess who was worshipped
by the early Egyptian and Assyrian peoples

more than 5,000 years ago.

The worship of Ishtar

or the 'mother of the veiled darkness'
as she was sometimes called,

was one of the most bloodthirsty religions
ever known.

Though she was worshipped as the goddess
of love and beauty

such as Venus or Aphrodite
of the Greek and Roman civilizations,

hers was an evil love
that thrived on violence.

And the festival of Ishtar was celebrated
at the beginning of spring

when life again was given to the land
from the swollen body of the Nile River.

The temple of Ishtar stood high on a hill
overlooking the city of Antioch.

The goddess was served by 20 beautiful,
young virgin girls.

Shamash was Ishtar?s high priest and lover.

He was worshipped as a lesser god,
by the men of the city.

On the eve of the feast of Ishtar,

the people of the city crowded
around the temple.

Here, for six wild days and nights,

the young priestesses would mingle
with the men of the city

and lust would reign over the land.

On the seventh day, the crowd would gather
at the temple for the great feast,

a blood feast that would give the goddess
to the people.

The young priestesses would be slaughtered
on the great altar.

Their blood would be caught in silver bowls
as it ran from their bodies.

Then certain organs and limbs
would be removed,

and prepared as dishes to serve the people.

As the last morsel
of this horrible feast was eaten,

the high priestess would show herself
rising from the tomb.

A living incarnation of Ishtar.

Ishtar arisen in flesh and blood,

and become part of the people.

This custom of the blood feast existed
for more than 400 years

and was finally abolished by Amenhotep ll,
of the 15th dynasty.

It is said that even today,

there are still followers
of this gruesome goddess.

However, it has never been proven.

And this concludes my lecture
on Ancient Egyptian cult.

I hope to see you all again here next week.

Thank you, sir.

- Thank you. I'm very glad you enjoyed.
- Oh, I certainly did.

- We like you very much.
- Thank you, sir.

Thank you. Appreciate it.

Thank you.

- Goodbye.
- Thank you, sir.

Oh, how could a race of people
actually follow such a vile cult?

Well, the ancients
had many strange cults, honey.

You know, an idea based on blood lust,

well, that could spread quickly
in a civilization founded on superstition.

Yes, I can see what you mean.
But to actually eat human flesh...

Pete, how could they?

Oh, come on, honey, let's talk
about something more pleasant.

Like, for example, you and me?

You're coming to my party Saturday night,
aren't you?

I'm counting on your being my date.

I wouldn't miss it.

Say, I understand, your mother went all out
on this one, even for her.

But I will try and make it
if I'm not tied up on a case.

You know,
with all these grisly murders going on,

I'm on 24-hour call.

Pete, what do you make
of all these murders?

Isn't there any clue at all?

No, not so far.

You know we have every man on the force
working double duty?

But nothing's broken so far.

Although, young... Young Tony Parker?

The boy who was with the girl killed
on the beach.

Now, he did give us one clue.

He said that though everything
happened so quickly,

he got a glimpse of gray hair
and strange glowing eyes.

And it seems to be an older man
that we're looking for.

I kinda got one clue on my own, it's, er...

I can't seem to make it fit, though.
It's about a book...

But I can't...
I can't make out the significance of it.

I feel safer with you working on it, Pete.

And now I'd better call Mother
for a ride home.

- She gets frantic when I'm out late at night.
- Say, how about me giving you a lift?

You know the mad killer wouldn't bother you
being with a policeman.

- And, don't worry, it's not a police car.
- I'm not hinting, that would be great.

- Just let me call Mother first.
- Okay.

Let's stop for a minute
honey, huh?

I... I don't know. Do you think it's safe?

You know on second thought

you might be safer with the killer
than you are with me?

Pete! Don't make a joke of it.
You know I'm not afraid of you.

And it is such a lovely night.

- Why not? But just for a little while.
- Okay.

You know...

This is the first pleasant evening
I've had since that first murder.

I'm just gonna sit back, relax.

Say...

Do you know now that I've got you all
to myself all alone,

I don't know what to do with you,
but I got an idea or two.

Easy, Mr. Officer.

You're supposed to keep law and order,
not break it.

Even though you are pretty nice.

You know something,
you're pretty nice yourself.

Say, Suzette, er...

Well, ever since we started
these Egyptian culture classes,

well, I've wanted to say something to you.

You have, Pete? What is it?

Well...

I don't know. I guess I'm a better
policeman than I am a public speaker.

Then don't speak, Pete.

We interrupt this program
to bring you a news bulletin.

Another victim of the recent wave
of brutal attacks

has been found near-death.

Police say the victim is a young girl, about
23. Identity has not yet been established.

The girl's condition
is described as critical.

I better get going, honey,
they might need me down at the station.

Oh, Pete!

Well that's it. The whole story.

Found this girl on a deserted street
on the outskirts of town.

She was just about gone
but we did get her to a hospital.

The whole side of her face was hacked away.

Pete, if she can identify her attacker,

this just might be the break
we've been waiting for.

Well, then let's get over there, pronto.

Thank you, nurse, that will be all.
Doctor, we've done all we can.

Thank you.

You... Can only stay a few minutes,
there's isn't much time.

Doctor, is there any chance at all?

Not a chance.

This is one of the most brutal cases
I've ever seen.

Her face was hacked away, clear to
the bone, her eyes were gouged out.

She's lost a great deal of blood
and she's in severe shock.

- It's a terrible thing. Such a young girl, too.
- Has anyone notified her folks?

So far, we don't know who she is.

There was no identification on her
when the police brought her in.

Your missing person counter is checking.

I'll let you know when we get a report.

Can we talk to her?

You can try,
but please make it short.

Miss? Can you hear me, miss?

Can you hear me? We're police officers.

We need your help.

Yes...

I can hear you.

What's your name?

Janet

Janet... Blake.

Who did this to you, Janet?
What did the person look like?

Wild eyes!

He had...

wild eyes!

I was walking...

He came from...

behind a bush.

Horrible old man!

He said it was for

"Itar."

"Itar."

Doctor!

I'm afraid it's all over.

She never had a chance, poor kid.

An old man with wild eyes.

Well, at least it's something.

What do you make of it, Pete?

What do you think she meant by "Itar"?

I don't know.

Could be somebody's name.

Strange, though...

It almost sounds familiar.

Well, the killer must've thought she
was dead. It's a miracle she wasn't.

Well, she is now.

Yeah.

Well, okay, let's go make a report,

and every man over 40
with any kind of a record

gets picked up for questioning.
We might come up with something.

I pray to God we do.

I would like to speak
to Miss Trudy Sanders, please.

Oh, I see. Er, this is quite urgent.

Er, could you tell me
where she could be reached?

Oh, the Fremont residence.
Er, yes, I have the number.

Yes, thank you very much.

Oh, Ishtar,

mother of the black sun.

Tomorrow, you shall have life.

For I, Ramses...

shall give you life.

Only one more thing do I need

and the formula will be complete.

Gee, I sure am excited
about the party tomorrow night.

I wonder what Mother has planned.

I don't know, but your mum certainly asked
that this year's party be a real treat.

I can hardly wait for this party to start.
Sounds like a real blast.

It's getting late, I better leave.

I wanna finish shopping
before it gets too dark.

It gives me the shivers when I think
of that killer loose somewhere.

I'm gonna get dressed.

Gee, Suzette, do you what type
of party your mother has planned?

Well, I'm not sure but
I think I have an idea.

I'm not supposed to know anything about it.

I think it's gonna be an Egyptian feast.

- Egyptian feast?
- Yes!?

Well, you know, Mum knows how interested
I've been in Egyptian culture

and how I've been going
to lectures every week.

Doesn't that sound exciting?

That's right. Trudy Sanders.
She's been missing since last night.

Now look, I want an all-city alarm,

and I want to know
the moment you hear anything.

- I can only hope it's not the killer.
- Yeah.

You know Trudy is a good friend
of Suzette Fremont's.

She said she left her house
about 7:30 last night.

- And she never got home, did she?
- Yes, it looks bad,

but we're doing everything
we can to find her.

Look, I'm going down and checking
on the suspects

that the boys brought in this morning.

- Keep me posted, Pete.
- Will do.

Hello, I'd like to speak
to Suzette, please.

Sure.

Hello, Suzette, Pete Thornton.

Yeah, I know, that's why I called.

You know we've been so busy around here

that I completely forgot
about the dinner party.

You know I'll have to be late, honey,
if you don't mind.

Yeah.

No, honey, I'm sorry we haven't
had any word on Trudy as yet.

Yeah, I know you are, but... Well...
Try and enjoy yourself anyway.

Say, just what was the big surprise?

Hey, that sounds great.
Real Egyptian-style stuff, huh?

Who? Fuad Ramses?

No, never heard of him.

Oh, just like Dr. Flanders' speech, huh?

Ishtar?

Well, I hope it isn't exactly
like Flanders described it.

But it does sound like fun and I'll get
there as soon as I can, honey, okay?

Goodbye, then.

Ishtar.

And now, now for the flavors.

The flavor of blood of a young goddess.

Give blood...

to give life to Ishtar.

No!

Stop your screaming!
Stop your screaming, Trudy!

Give yourself up to the goddess!

Give yourself up!

Give yourself up to the goddess!
Give yourself up.

Ishtar...

Itar?

Ishtar. Itar...

Dr. Flanders, this is
Pete Thornton, homicide.

Yes, sir, er, I have a few questions
I'd like you to help me with, sir.

Now you gave a talk last week

on the blood feast of Ishtar,
the Egyptian goddess?

Yes, sir, the festival.

Well, could you tell me
a little bit more about it?

Er, yes, Dr. Flanders,
you've been very helpful, thank you.

And I have just one more question, sir.

Have you ever heard of a man
called Fuad Ramses?

He runs a catering service.

Oh.

Ancient Weird Religious Rites, huh?

Yeah...

We found a copy of that at the...

No, never mind, sir.
Thank you, Doctor, thank you very much.

Yeah, Lieutenant Thornton.
Listen, alert all cars,

send them to the vicinity of 45th and
Lincoln, place called Ramses' Catering.

And listen, get Mason over here fast.
I think we got our killer.

- What is it, Pete?
- Listen, Frank, I got a hunch

and if it proves right, I hope you've
got a strong stomach. Come on.

Come on, Frank, maybe in the back.

What in the name of all that's holy
is that?

That's Ishtar, Frank,
the goddess of love.

Find the light, Frank.

If I'm not mistaken, Frank,
that's Trudy Sanders.

Frank...

If I'm right, these are the leftovers

from the preparation
for the feast of Ishtar.

That's a blood feast.

They take all their young girls...

- And they cook 'em to satisfy their gods.
- Oh, no...

Holy smoke, Frank!
We gotta get over to the Fremont house!

They're having a dinner party tonight,
and Fuad Ramses is the caterer.

Fuad Ramses? Well, let's get going.

Roberts, Nicholson,
Harris, get on that phone,

call the Fremonts. For Pete's
sake, tell them not to eat anything.

Oh, and try not to make Ramses
suspicious until we get there.

Operator?

Good evening.

Come on, Nancy,
Mr. Ramses is about to serve.

It's my boyfriend calling long-distance.
I had him, now we're out off.

I have to wait.

Oh, here's our Mr. Ramses now.

Oh, Mrs. Fremont, a joyous occasion.

And now, I must alert your guests.

The feast of Ishtar is about to begin.

But...

To make the feast more authentic,

I must ask the co-operation

of the young lady in whose honor
the feast is given.

- Who me?
- How exciting!

Yes, Mrs. Fremont, it is exciting.

And now, if the young lady will

accompany me into the kitchen

we will prepare the feast. If you please?

- Oh, I'll bet there never was a party like this.
- Ah, but there was, Mrs. Fremont...

5,000 years ago.

Ooh, 5,000 years ago!

Bill!

Bill? Bill? Are you there?

Where is all the food?

Er, it's in the garage, my dear.

You see, it would be a desecration

to bring it into the house
before you bless it.

Come.

And now, my dear,

I would like you be kind
to the whim of an old man.

As you can see, my dear,
I am an old man.

And I shall never again
have a chance to

offer a feast to Ishtar.

You see, in the ancient days,

it required a young maiden like yourself

to be offered to bless the feast.

How do I do that?

Well, it is necessary, my dear, to, uh...

To lie outstretched on an altar.

Uh, I have prepared this table.
This table will do.

Allow me to help you, and then you...
you lie back

with your head here.

And now, my dear,
you must raise your arms

to the heavens

and you say, "Oh, Ishtar.

"Take me unto yourself."

And your eyes must be tightly closed.

Is that all?

Yes, my dear, that is all.

And you will make
the heart of an old man glad.

Like this?

This is fun.

Dr. Flanders said something in his lecture.

Hey! You wouldn't sacrifice me
on this altar, would you?

Of course not, my dear,
of course not.

Lie down.

And now, my dear,
you must repeat the sacred words.

Oh, I've forgotten them.

I will repeat them for you.

First you must close your eyes.

Then you say,

"Oh, Ishtar,

"take me unto yourself."

And your...

Eyes must be tightly closed.

Oh, my Ishtar...

This is silly.

Oh, my dear. Please, do not
break the heart of an old man.

Your guests are waiting.

Oh, I... I'm sorry. I'll do it.

Oh, my Ishtar...

Your eyes must be tightly closed,

so that the image of Ishtar is before you.

Oh, my Ishtar,

take me unto yourself.

Now, oh, Ishtar,

the feast has begun.

Oh, Mr. Ramses,
I must say the guests are getting...

Suzette? Suzette! Suzette!
Mrs. Fremont! Are you okay, honey?

Oh, come here. Come here.

Oh, Petey.

If it... If it weren't
for Mother coming in...

What's this all... What's this all about?

Ramses is the killer
we've been looking for.

Mrs. Fremont, I'm afraid this
feast is evidence of murder.

Oh, dear.

The guests will have to eat hamburgers
for dinner tonight.

Did your
men catch him as he ran out?

No, but we will.

We have to.

Suzette, look honey.

I'm afraid I got some
very bad news for you.

Now, listen.

We found Trudy.

And I'm afraid she was
another victim of Ramses.

Oh, Pete!

Oh, how horrible!

Oh, I pray that they catch him
before it's too late.

Oh, poor Trudy!

Oh, poor Trudy!

Try and get some rest. Huh?

Lay down and get some rest, honey,
and then when I get back

we'll have other things to talk
about, okay, honey?

Okay, Pete, let's go get him!

Please, hon.

Frank, stop the truck!

Stop!

Hey, what's happened?
You guys run into trouble?

What happened?

You don't know it, buddy,

but you just did this town
the biggest service it's ever had.

Sergeant, notify headquarters
that the killer

is no more.

He died a fitting death,

like the garbage he was.

Pete, how in the world
did you figure this out anyway?

Well, Frank,

I kept remembering the name 'ltar'.

You know the name that girl gave us
before she died?

Well, Suzette Fremont told me
that her mother

had planned a real Egyptian feast
as a surprise for her.

And you know what a bug
I am on Egyptian culture.

Dr. Flanders gave a talk

on the ancient Egyptian goddess
Ishtar last week.

The names 'ltar' and 'Ishtar'
were so similar that I got a hunch.

And then Suzette told me that a Fuad Ramses

was catering the affair.

So I called Dr. Flanders

and asked him more
about the blood festival of Ishtar.

He said he knew of Fuad Ramses
who had

written a book called the
Ancient Weird Religious Rites.

And then I remembered,

the book we found next to the body
of the girl who was killed in the bathtub,

it's the same book.

Obviously this man kept a list
of the people who wrote for this book.

So, Frank?

Who knows if the spell
of this monstrous goddess

has possessed anyone else?

Lust, murder,

food for an ancient goddess
who received life

through the perverted
death of others.

Let's go home, Frank.