Bloodsucking Pharaohs in Pittsburgh (1991)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Pittsburgh cops Joe Blocker (Joe Sharkey) and Sweeney Birdwell (Jake Dengel) are in charge of finding a serial killer who is carving up prostitutes with a variety of gardening tools. It all seems so familiar for Blocker as the case echoes an Egyptian killer he almost nabbed in Las Vegas. He sends for his old Vegas partner, but gets his daughter Deedee (Susann Fletcher) instead. Why? Because it seems her dad is mysteriously missing. Another in the line of BLOOD FEAST wannabes (alongside the likes of BLOOD DINER), BPIP is something I didn't like when I first saw it on video back in 1991. So, naturally, I must revisit it 20+ years later to confirm, yup, it still sucks. The filmmakers openly compare this horror-comedy to AIRPLANE, but I'd think you'd have to include some jokes to do that. It certainly tries to be funny, but fails miserably. Example of humor: Blocker slipping on a severed ear while chasing a suspect. The recurring joke is Blocker gets ill any time he sees blood and people always say "I hear he has a sexual problem" when he is mentioned. Haha? The highlight for me was Birdwell's wife taking anti-smoking sessions, one of which ends with her being blasted by a water hose by some guys in gorilla costumes. It is a shame it didn't come together better because the production looks really nice with some great photography. Tom Savini did the gory FX, most of which ended up on the cutting room floor for the Paramount VHS release. The Lucky 13 special edition features the cut stuff in a deleted scenes supplement and it is pretty good work from the man.

A masterpiece from the opening scene; this film is both a hilarious parody of "buddy cop" films (LETHAL WEAPON, 48 HOURS, BAD BOYS, etc.) and a superior precursor of the present lame & un-funny comedy-horror films of the SCARY MOVIE ilk.Beverly Penberthy steals the film as Sweeney the cop's wife, Erma Birdwell. Erma, despite her aerobic fitness, is a cigarette smoker who worries that her husband is no longer attracted to her. Attempts to stop smoking haven't worked. Her travails finally lead to an appearance by an avatar of the Egyptian God of the Dead. "The f--k it isn't, I know Anubis when I see It!"Also wonderful is MISTER ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD veteran Don Brockett as the raving homicidal Police Chief. And Veronica Hart, as Grace, continues to be one of the few "actresses" from porn films who can actually do a passable job acting.

Strange movie, part slasher, part parody, part detective story. The idea of mad killer murdering people and keeping bloody souvenirs in order to satisfy bloodlust of ancient Egyptian god is somewhat reminiscent of H.G.Lewis' Blood Feast (of course, Fuad Ramses didn't use power tools). The director borrowed a few ideas from various horror movies and tried to create crazy combination of black humor and thrills, but it is obvious that he wasn't too familiar with the genre. Mr. Tschetter mentions The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or films by H.G.Lewis as the main inspirations for Picking Up The Pieces in the commentary track of Bloodsucking Pharaohs DVD. He also talks about being shocked when he first watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and when he found out that such movies as Herschell's gore epics really existed. Picking Up The Pieces is a horror comedy as directed by an artist usually involved in producing Shakespearian theater plays.It is professionally shot and occasionally amusing but most jokes don't work. Blocker and Birdwell- two cops with lots of personal problems trying to catch insane murderer, are quite interesting duo- Blocker throwing up each time he glimpses blood and Birdwell provoking his buddy by mentioning Blocker's embarrassing sexual problem. Some parts of the movie are played out completely serious, other parts that could be taken from Naked Gun or Airplane!, for example the flashback scene explaining Blocker's trauma from the past, don't seem to fit in the film. The violence is quite tame,but the DVD is surprisingly cut by MPAA although killings consist of shots of murderer manipulating with power saw (or some other tool) and shots of splashing blood. Tom Savini provided one rubber corpse with the top of the cranium sawed off and one neat melting scene. During the final showdown between cops and the killer even good old chainsaw makes an appearance. Unfortunately, nobody is hacked to pieces.

Do you like B movies? REALLY like B movies? This is the one for you! If you prefer to watch REAL FILMS, don't bother. I doubt the Academy ever watched this one, and they certainly wouldn't be nominating it for any awards.A twisted comedy/thriller (listed as horror, but thriller seems more appropriate), this flick -- I dare not call it a FILM -- was refreshing, like a spring rain. Think Naked Gun on a low, LOW budget. Serial killer, brutal murders of prostitutes (with the most enticing weapon selections), a cop who vomits at the sight of blood, AND a porn star (Jane Hamilton as dull-witted roller-skating waitress Grace) . . .There's no point in discussing cinematography; I'm guessing film-school camera work and editing. Better than Blair Witch, not as good as Suspiria. Acting is mediocre, but at a level appropriate to the genre.Keep your eyes open for occasional sight gags, and your ears open for the one-liners. Corny sometimes, but again, appropriate to the genre. A few good laughs, some pretty good gore (much more convincing blood than Argento uses), and a fun plot twist.If I've learned one thing from this movie, it is: If you are a prostitute, and your trick brings a generator, run. Fast.