Family filmmaking duo Domonic Paris and his son, Damien Paris, co-write and co-direct Dead Bloom. The body horror tale follows a cursed property where something toxic has been planted, forgotten, and left to fester until it starts feeding on anyone unlucky enough to call the place home. Years ago, two men were sent by their employer, Tomsanco, to bury all traces of a chemical compound called XT-1 on a remote patch of land. One of them is told to tie up loose ends, shoot the other, and bury him with the compound. The plan backfires when the dead man comes back to life, alive, confused, and almost human.
Years later, Jacob and his wife, Odetta, move into the farm by the burial site with their daughters, Claudine (Christina Farrington) and Anna (Justyce Farrington). Unfortunately, the land is barren except for a strange fruit growing from the ground. When Jacob eats the fruit, he becomes more energized and stronger. He gives Odetta the fruit, and the same thing happens. Soon, they are chomping down on the fruit and undergoing physical changes. The changes are horrific, and soon their family experiences a grotesque undead transformation.
Move decades to the present day. Matt (Danny Fehsenfeld), his seven-month pregnant wife, Jules (Lilith Mesidor), and their young adult daughter, Betsy (Shea Vaughan-Gabor), move into the cabin as a sort of professional sabbatical for Matt. Jules sees the farm’s potential and wonders if it might be a good place to raise their unborn child. While surveying the farm, Matt discovers the forbidden bush and eats one of the fruits. He gets Jules to try one, too. As before, Matt feels more energized and stronger. Matt’s discovery catches the attention of the farm’s groundskeeper. The peace is broken when Matt’s estranged sister, Cassie (Sadie Katz), arrives with her media-savvy, thrill-seeking teenage son, Ryder (Caleb White). After a tense conversation with his cousin, Betsy, Ryder discovers a hidden stash of tainted fruit with a little alcohol. After he takes a large dose of the fruit, Ryder undergoes a rapid transformation and sets his sights on Betsy for payback
“…a cursed property where something toxic has been planted, forgotten, and left to fester until it starts feeding on anyone unlucky enough to call the place home.”
Dead Bloom is the story of families finding themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. For Domonic Paris, this film was a chance to co-write and direct with his oldest son, and bring their twisted family sensibilities to a twisted family horror. They describe the film as an eco-horror that exploits the corporate practice of hazardous waste dumping in hidden locations without regard for how the waste would affect local families.
Most horrors I see focus either on story or gore; this is about the gore. Here, the contaminated fruit slowly kills the body, while keeping its victims’ minds alive and demented—a unique zombie take. Though fully alive, the body loses its ability to hold itself together, and soon the skin, organs, and unmentionables fall off with very little effort. We’re talking bloody, grotesque body horror. Did I mention that Jules is pregnant? Yeah, let your mind run away with that one. Yes, the film is a low-budget B-horror, but damn, even still, this is ultra messy. No body part goes un-yanked in this literal bloodbath.
Dead Bloom itself is light on character arcs, and its environmental message serves as a jumping-off point. In the end, bad things happen to bad people. Bad things happen to good people, and let’s just say that the effects of this fruit over the years haven’t gone unnoticed by the locals. We’re here for the mere shock-and-awe of a body horror massacre. That should be reason enough to check out this indie gem.
For more information, visit the Dead Bloom official website.
"…the film is a low-budget B-horror, but damn, even still, this is ultra messy."
