In October 2019, the US magazine Little Shoppe of Horrors published a major article on the making of The Blood Beast Terror. Over nearly 30,000 words, author John Hamilton discusses the genesis of the film, the difficulties during production and the impact of post-production interference. As well as an in-depth and exclusive interview with Vernon Sewell, Hamilton includes comments from Tony Tenser, Stanley Long, Howard Lanning and star Glynn Edwards.
Story
In 19th century Britain, a series of grisly murders are taking place in the countryside near London. The victims are good-looking young men, between the ages of twenty and thirty, and all have had their throats torn open and their blood drained. The witness of the latest murder, a coachman named Joe Trigger, is driven insane when he catches a glimpse of the mysterious killer. Investigating the deaths are Detective Inspector Quennell of Scotland Yard and his assistant, Sergeant Allan. Because Joe keeps ranting about a horrible winged creature with huge eyes, Quennell hatches a theory that perhaps a homicidal eagle is on the loose. At the scene of the latest killing, several shiny scales are discovered. The two latest victims were students of the renowned entomology professor Dr. Carl Mallinger, who lives nearby with his beautiful daughter Clare and their scar-faced butler, Granger. When Quennell brings the scales to Mallinger for identification, Mallinger behaves suspiciously and tries to take all of them. Quennell describes his theory about a killer eagle, but Mallinger dismisses it outright. Quennell is unaware that the entomologist has a pet eagle, which is tormented by the sadistic Granger. Explorer and naturalist Frederick Britewell returns from Africa with some mothchrysalids for Dr. Mallinger and the handsome young adventurer soon becomes a victim of Clare, who is the real murderer; Clare is a "were-moth" and transforms at night to drink the blood of young men. Britewell becomes her latest victim after watching her in an amateur horror play performed by some of her father's students, but lives long enough to exclaim, "Death's head!", to Quennell before he dies. Both Mallinger and Clare claim not to have known Britewell when questioned by Quennell. Quennell's superior suggests he takes a holiday and delegate the case to Sgt. Allan, but the Detective Inspector refuses. He reveals his intention to send his daughter Meg to stay with some relatives in Sussex until the investigation is over. As they leave for the railway station, Allan informs Quennell that Dr. Mallinger did in fact know Frederick Britewell, prompting Quennell to perform an immediate search of Mallinger's home. He finds that the scientist and his daughter have left for Upper Higham. He also discovers a cellar filled with human bones and Granger's corpse. Quennell informs his superior he will be taking leave after all: he and Meg go to Upper Highham incognito as a vacationing banker named Thompson and his daughter. There they meet a young bug collector who shows him the proudest exhibit in his collection, a Deathshead moth, and Quennell discovers that Mallinger is also incognito as a "Dr. Miles" staying at a nearby estate. Can he stop Mallinger who is attempting to create a male were-moth to be a mate for his increasingly bloodthirsty daughter?
