The Deepest Cuts is a weekly invitation into some of the sleaziest, goriest, most under-explored corners of horror and cult film online. Every title will be streamable and totally NSFW. Whether it’s a 1960s grindhouse masterpiece, something schlocky from the 90s, or hardcore horror from around the world, these films are guaranteed to shock, disturb, tickle, or generally blow your mind.

The slasher film has a number of purported origins; the most common choices tend to be either Psycho (1960), the urtext for the modern horror film in general, or Halloween (1978), one of the most successful independent releases ever and the inaugural film of the so-called “golden age” of the slasher. More discerning viewers might suggest Black Christmas, an influential and especially watchable film that preceded Halloween by four years. But earlier than that, released in 1972, is Italian director Mario Bava’s proto-slasher masterpiece, most commonly known as A Bay of Blood or Twitch of the Death Nerve (though it has been released under, at the very least, six other titles).

The simplest summary of A Bay of Blood’s gleefully convoluted plot might read: following the purported (though we know otherwise) suicide Countess Federica, the owner of beautiful bayside property, relatives (however distant or legitimate) and neighbors vie for ownership, with bloody results. Characters are introduced and dispatched handily, whether they be the horny American boys and their European dates; sexy Frank Ventura and his “secretary,” with plans to build a modern resort; the emotionally unbalanced entomologist and his Tarot-reading, murder-prophesying wife who live next door; the Countess’ estranged daughter and her husband, who leave their children at a nearby RV camp, but make sure to bring along a healthy amount of bloodlust; and the Countess’ secret son, Simon, living in a shed near her palatial home. The first murder occurs in the opening minutes of the film, and the deaths (13 in total) stack up and continue through to the last scene.

As is true of many under-watched horror classics, A Bay of Blood turns its low budget and other production challenges into visual and stylistic treats for the 21st century viewer. The majority of the film was made in a single, barely-tree-ed backyard, which forces the camera to stay closely zoomed or in constant movement (usually creepily approaching unsuspecting characters) to camouflage the use of fake foliage. The make-up effects are incredible and while not always serving realism, they contribute a level of gore that offended contemporary reviewers, as well as a number of truly memorable images of corpses that elevate the film beyond its fiscal constraints. In one especially effective sequence, one of the American loverboys opens the front door of the house he and his friends have broken into only to immediately have a machete-like hook thrown into his shocked face; the camera watches as he sinks to the floor and zooms in as the killer yanks out the weapon, leaving a deep and blood-filled crevice extending from the victim’s eye to his chin.

In true giallo fashion, the film is visually stunning, from the chiaroscuro shadow-play in all the dimly-lit, mod-furnished homes, to a saturated palette that looks nearly technicolor – a rare accomplishment for a film that takes place mostly outdoors, out of season, and after dark. Framing highlights the beautiful contrasts in lighting and sinister, creeping appearance of most of the characters. The overall effect is of a foreboding dream – but not quite a nightmare: A Bay of Blood is as darkly humorous as it is violent and suspenseful.

Its foundational importance for the slasher subgenre is obvious in terms of the high body count, the focus on creative, detailed murder sequences, and the use of multiple macguffins, but more unexpectedly it provides a masterful example of a microcosm organized by murky morality. Violence is dealt both in retribution and in greed, and is the source for ironic humor as much as for terror. Without spoiling it, the ending is shocking and hilarious, solidifying the film’s overall affect. While it may not be Bava’s best film, it is perhaps his most influential, and is absolutely a must-see.

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You can find Bay of Blood streaming free on Netflix.

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