Welcome, all you ghouls and goblins and monster-fluid individuals, to a special Halloween edition of Public Domain Theater, your home for the wonderful world of films that have (in the United States, at least) fallen into the public domain, and are free for everyone to see!

Today we have for you a cult classic, the 1959 horror/comedy/beatnixploitation film A Bucket of Blood, directed by master of the cheapie, Roger Corman.

Interestingly, Corman was reluctant to tackle a comedy film, saying that for comedy to work: “You have to be good. We don’t have the time or money to be good.” Despite that sentiment, this flick and future horror/comedy hybrid Little Shop of Horrors have become some of Corman’s most well loved and remembered movies.

So come enjoy this kooky and spooky little tale of beat poets, pretentious artists, reverse Pygmalions, cold-blooded murder, and for one scene, yes, a literal bucket of blood.

Happy Halloween!