Written and Directed by Eric Swelstad
Starring: Nick Baldasare, Linnea Quigley, Dino Tripodis
MPAA Rating: n/a
Runtime: 130 minutes
Available on Blu-ray November 22

by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

It is a great time to be a fan of hard-to-find genre movies. While there are still so many films that need to get a physical release, companies like Severin, Mondo Macabro, Vinegar Syndrome, and Visual Vengeance are out there lovingly restoring genre gems so that collectors get a chance to view movies that would be impossible to find otherwise. Visual Vengeance focuses on “shot on video” low budget films from the 80s-2000s, and their most recent release is 1992’s Heartland of Darkness, featuring B-movie scream queen, Linnea Quigley. This is the first time Heartland of Darkness is available on any format so if you are looking to uncover some early 90s hard-to-find horror, this is a perfect place to start. 

Heartland of Darkness (also known as Blood Church) has the beats of similar low budget horror at the time. It centers around a reporter Paul Henson (Dino Tripodis) who comes to a small town with his daughter after purchasing a newspaper company. As they settle in they quickly begin to notice a rise in unusual deaths amongst the townspeople. It is not long before Paul and his staff notice that the deaths have ties to the local church, and particularly their charismatic leader, Reverend Donovan (Nick Baldasare) and his right hand woman Julia (Linnea Quigley). As they begin to dig further they realize that they may just be in the midst of a satanic cult and there is no telling who they are able to trust. 

If you are a fan of B-movie cheese that offers up blood, boobs, and one liners like “You got lousy taste in paperweights, counselor,” Heartland of Darkness is for you. Fans of Linnea Quigley who love her in Night of the Demons, Return of the Living Dead, and her roles in the films of David DeCoteau will find that she brings the same amount of charm to this performance. When her character Julia is introduced, she quickly gets naked in the middle of a cemetery, so this is very much a typical Quigley performance in the best way. Nick Baldasare gives everything he has to his performance as the evil reverend, so much so that it is surprising how small his filmography is. On top of that, the movie offers a variety of fascinating cult members that have very distinct looks, like a fire-wielding, shirtless, mulleted man. 

Like many movies that share similar DNA, the plot often goes off the rails and is hard to keep up with. There are often disconnected scenes, strange dialogue, and moments of inexplicable actions taken by the lead characters. But as those who are fans of the genre know these are often the things that stand out the most and make the movie all the more campy and enjoyable. And while it can be easy to disconnect from the movie at times, the final act is so unexpected and unhinged that it sucks you right back into this strange movie. This is the perfect late night movie to introduce your friends to and laugh through the insanity. Plus the score is perfectly 90s, with a feel similar to the X-Files theme song, so it truly feels like a perfect low budget nostalgia time capsule. 

And if you want more than just a crazy B-movie, Visual Vengeance has you covered. There are various special features included like a short documentary on the making of the movie, interview with the cast, and old promotional videos. Included with the Blu-Ray are also collectables like a Linnea Quigley poster, a sticker set, and a special “prayer cloth” to go along with the movie. Lovers of the niche, the campy, and physical media connoisseurs will surely want to get their hands on this find.