In the tiny town of Jefferson Valley, New York, several people have gone missing in recent weeks with no clues as to where they are or what happened until one day when one of the missing men stumbles into the local bar and dies. Examination of the body reveals that the man’s body appears to have exploded.
Dr. Roy Anderson (Norman Kelley) is a professor at the local college. His protégé is Don Tucker (Bruce Detrick). Don is unofficially engaged to Dr. Anderson’s daughter, Jenny (Tanna Hunter). Due to the condition of the corpse, Dr. Anderson is given a blood sample from the dead man to analyze. His analysis finds that the man’s blood cells are reproducing at an alarming rate, even when it is extracted. In his research Dr. Anderson discovers that in order to stop the blood from reproducing a solution of iodine and ammonia needs to be mixed with the blood.
Slinking through the woods is a small group of druids who practice an ancient religion. Their leader is a queen named Queen Onhorrid (Cynthia Fleming). The queen is taken care of by several loyal stewards, primarily Creton (Paul Craig Jennings), Egon (Jack Neubeck) and Sontag (Richard Erickson). The druids are part of an ancient sect called Sangroids. Using the enhanced blood of their victims, the Sangroids plan to resurrect their queen.
In the woods, Egon is attacked by Jenny’s dog, Buster. He kills the dog and leaves it hanging for Jenny to find. Don follows the dog’s bloody trail and finds the area where the dog was slaughtered. In the grass, next to a brook, he finds an old key. He shows it to Dr. Anderson. Anderson calls a coworker named Kinski (Richard Erickson) who is supposedly an expert in metals to ask him about it. Kinski is in reality Sontag, and one of the leaders of the druids. Kinski tells Dr. Anderson that the key is actually a cheap fake souvenir and that he just tossed it out. Instead he returned the key to Creton so he can use it in their resurrection ceremony.
The abductions continue until the house where the dead bodies, drained of blood, are eventually found. By now the Sangroids are close to the point where the resurrection can begin. As all hell breaks loose, Jenny is kidnapped so that her blood can be used in the ceremony.
“Invasion of the Blood Farmers” was released in 1972 and was directed by Ed Adlum. It is an American low budget horror movie.
The plot of the film was supposed to be based on aliens from outer space but financial constraints resulted in the plot changing to ancient druids. That way the actors can use their own clothes and an alien wardrobe or make-up wouldn’t be necessary. I read somewhere that it cost about $24,000 to make the film. Most of the “actors” were friends and family of Director Adlum. The movie features lots of canned music and some very bad acting. The best thing about “Invasion of the Blood Farmers” is the title.
The beginning of the film features a narration about the ancient druids by a James Mason sound alike. I don’t know who did the narration, but it’s the second best part of the movie.
Inside and outside shots were done at Director Adlum’s house in Westchester County New York.