Hey there, horror fans! Welcome to another edition of Underrated Horror Movie of the Month. For all of the newbies, here is a quick explanation. Twice each month, on the second and fourth Fridays, I come here to talk about horror films that I feel are underrated and underloved. The chosen media comes from any subgenre, worldwide, and in any decade. In this edition, I bring you Chastity Bites from 2013. Stick around to find out why I think this movie is underrated.
About Chastity Bites
This story is based on Elizabeth Bathory or The Blood Countess. Born in 1560, Countess Bathory was a Hungarian Noblewoman who allegedly tortured and murdered more than 600 young women. Legend states that Bathory used the girls’ blood to maintain her youthful appearance. The film is in the present day, 2013. In this universe, the Countess uses the blood of virgins to preserve her looks and immortality. To help her with this endeavor, she purports to be an abstinence-only educator. She infiltrates high schools and initiates clubs for young women who want to remain “pure.”
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In Chastity Bites, Bathory takes on the persona of Liz Batho (Louise Griffiths). She has set her sights on the high school’s female students, but there is one thing she did not plan for, Leah (Allison Scagliotti). Leah is a stout feminist and an ambitious journalist. Can she stop Bathory in time?
This film stars Louise Griffiths, Allison Scagliotti, Francia Raisa, Eddy Rioseco, Sarah Stouffer, Amy Okuda, Lindsey Morgan and Chloë Crampton. John V. Knowles directed the film, and Lotti Pharriss Knowles wrote the story.
Chastity Bites has a 100 percent Tomatometer Score but only a 50 percent Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also has a 4.6/10 on IMDb.
My Thoughts
When I came across this movie, I anticipated a super cheesy experience. It is listed as a horror comedy, and the name alone screams cheese. However, it is a decent horror film with some scares, some blood and a substantial plot.
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As usual, I scrolled through online reviews to see viewers’ main complaints with Chastity Bites. There were a few general dislikes, the common “it’s boring,” but the primary thing that kept creeping up was the claim it was too political. I have two responses to this. First, many horror movies contain an underlying message, often political. Second, this particular film touts itself as a horror comedy. Because of this, it does not take itself too seriously. Everything is exaggerated and over-emphasized. Therefore, the alleged politicization is intended to be overbearing.
The thing with horror comedies is that there is a fine line between too funny and too earnest. In my opinion, this film walks the line quite well. Some moments strive to be horrifying, and others are so wild it is amusing.
As to the acting, Allison Scagliotti does a brilliant job as Leah. While I am not a huge fan of Francia Raisa, she does well with her part. Although, her character is incredibly annoying. The rest of the cast leans more toward the cheesy side of things. A few moments were a bit too ridiculous, but it quickly pulled things back on track. Overall, the cast did a splendid job straddling that line between comedy and horror, which I imagine is no easy task.
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Since the film is about the Blood Countess, there are some bloody moments. However, it is not a gore fest, and the scenes are tactful and intentional. Think more Scream and less Saw. In terms of effects, they were well done. Far superior to, say, The Blair Witch Project, where the blood looked like a mixture of mustard and ketchup.
Final Thoughts
If you have not seen Chastity Bites, I highly recommend giving it a try. It may not be an elevated horror or an art-house horror, but it is a fun, entertaining watch I thoroughly enjoyed. If you like kinda campy, slasher-style films, this one should be on your digital or physical shelf.
This film is available to stream for free on Tubi. You can also buy or rent it from VUDU, Prime Video or Apple TV. Have you seen Chastity Bites? If so, do you like it? Let us know in the comments! Also, be sure to let me know which movie you think I should feature next. Until next time, enjoy the trailer below. Stay spooky, and above all, watch more horror movies.
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/every-scream-movie-ranked/
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