6.23.2021

Bad Movie Night Presents: Blind Date (1984)

Another Hidden Gem From Nico Mastorakis

by robotGEEK

Not to be confused with the 1987 Bruce Willis comedy of the same name, Blind Date is legendary cult filmmaker, and Bad Movie Night darling, Nico Mastorakis' take on the Italian Giallo genre. A sort of Fulci/Argento "light" if you will. Going in, we knew nothing about it, other than knowing it came from Mastorakis, who's films we have grown to love more and more these past few years, after discovering the insanely badass and Bad Movie Night classic Hired to Kill. And let me tell you, it was everything we'd hoped it would be, and more.

When a sudden freak accident leaves a man blind, a doctor and scientist gives him an experimental device that allows him to see electronic images in a sort of 8-bit way, allowing him to be able to move around without being completely blind. Meanwhile, a serial killer is targeting beautiful women around the city. 

What a wonderful gem of a film. I don't even know where to begin. While that little synopsis sounds absolutely ridiculous, believe me when I say that's nothing compared to the reality of it all. I just can't say too much more without giving away some of the plot points that come into play later, potentially ruining it for you. Let me just say that if you give it a chance, you will be handsomely rewarded with a charmingly absurd film that teeters on a sexy erotic/thriller and an Italian Giallo. Gorgeous women, random nudity, amazing 80's aesthetic, video games (???), retro technology, and an insane storyline that baffles the mind, but delivers endless laughs and plentiful audible "WTF?'s". It's a blast. 

Blind Date is so bizarre in so many different ways, but let's talk a little about some of the things that make up the film. It's a Greek production, shot in Greece, but the leads are all American actors, starting with Joseph Bottoms (The Black Hole) as the blind man, an insanely hot and young Kirstie Alley the same year she appeared in Michael Chrichton's excellent techno/thriller Runaway (1984), and 2 years after her appearance as Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Then you've got 2001: A Space Odyssey's Kier Dullea, James Daughton (Animal House) and the gorgeous Lana Clarkson (Barbarian Queen, Deathstalker). Hell, there's even a small little bit part by Marina Sirtis (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gargoyles) as a hooker with no speaking lines. Quite a cast for sure, and it all just adds to the film's richly eccentric vibe. I'm telling you, this film is so much fun. 

Up until this point I'd only seen about 3 films by Nico Mastorakis - Hired to Kill, The Zero Boys and Nightmare at Noon, all wonderful little gems in my opinion. So after this unintentionally hilarious experience, we looked up more of his filmography, and were so excited to learn that there seems to be plenty more from his insane 80's output to dig into, with a lot of them having been given the special treatment by Arrow Video. Mastorakis has quickly become one of our favorite cult film directors and we can't wait to dig into his other films soon. 

We have been deep-diving into "So Bad, It's Good" films for so many years, that finding hidden little gems like this is refreshing, because so often we feel that we've seen them all by now, or at least the good ones, and there's nothing left to discover in this niche little genre. Blind Date is an excellent reminder that there are plenty left to be discovered.

How to Watch it:

Blind Date was released on a Special Edition Blu Ray via Scorpion Releasing in 2019, which you can pick up for cheap on Amazon HERE, and it's currently streaming for FREE on Amazon Prime with a subscription.

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robotGEEK out...

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