We Are Zombies (RKSS, 2023) Review

Find more horror comedy reviews here.

“The magnificent head spinning zombie dude!” The dead are back, rising from the grave; even the living aren't dying any more – but despite expectations, they're not into all that flesh gobbling malarkey … they're just here, getting under everyone's feet, but for how long?...

Click “READ MORE” below to continue the review and see more screenshots…

Double Bill Mini Musings: Undead Nazis and Crime Fighting Geezers...

Dead Snow 2: Red vs Dead:
What's it about?
Picking up exactly where the first movie left off, Martin finds himself suspected of murdering his friends at the same time as having to contend with the General Herzog's growing army of zombie Nazis ... and as if that wasn't enough, now he's got Herzog's arm sewn to his body!
Who would I recognise in it?
Vegar Hoel, Martin Starr, Orjan Gamst, Ingrid Haas.
Great/Good/Alright/Shite?
"The sequel you did Nazi coming" ... if you enjoyed the over-the-top gore antics of Tommy Wirkola's breakout horror comedy you can expect more of the same in this more expansive sequel. It's arguably about five-to-ten minutes too long, but the increased scope adds spectacle. Do you want to see undead Nazis do battle with undead Russians? Look no further. Not only widening its scope in terms of scale, Dead Snow 2 seeks to attract a broader audience by including three American zombie fighters (while maintaining its Norwegian heritage). Packed with plenty of gore-ific gags (think Peter Jackson's Braindead, or Sam Raimi's Evil Dead 2) and a bonkers attitude, Dead Snow 2 gives you everything you enjoyed about the first movie, but successfully builds upon it to serve up a heartier meal. Good.

Click "READ MORE" below for The Sweeney...

Double Bill Mini Musings: Chainsaw Brides and Flesh Addicts...

Rec 3: Genesis:
What's it about?
A beautiful wedding reception is torn to bloody shreds after an infection turns the guests into undead ghouls possessed by fallen angels.
Who would I recognise in it?
Leticia Dolera.
Great/Good/Alright/Shite?
Ditching the found footage format of the first two movies inside twenty minutes, the bulk of the film unfolds in a traditional cinematic style while retaining the 'religious zombies' angle that helped define the franchise. The central characters - Groom Koldo and Bride Clara - bring a 'love conquers all' vibe to the gore-soaked proceedings, with Clara kicking a particularly impressive amount of arse, at one point wielding a chainsaw in her blood spattered wedding dress. Suffice to say, she's a heroine you'll be rooting for from the get-go as she attempts to find her broad sword-wielding husband amidst the carnage. Everyone else is cannon fodder, and the film lacks the nerve-shredding frights and infection paranoia of the first two films - opting for more of a gung-ho action horror vibe - but it's plenty of fun for the duration. Good, albeit on the lower end of the scale.

Click "READ MORE" below for Michael Fassbender rodgering his way through New York...

"The Making of George A. Romero's Day of the Dead" by Lee Karr - book review...

"George A. Romero's name is synonymous with many things, but above all else it is synonymous with "zombies". Building on voodoo legends and the allusions of literary work such as Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, Romero birthed the flesh-eating ghoul – the zombie – which has, particularly in recent years, become a cultural icon. Zombies were once a niche subject matter, appealing only to horror nerds and gore hounds, now it's as if everyone and their grandmother is getting in on the act. However, even with the proliferation of walking (sometimes, curiously, running) corpses, Romero's place in cinematic history – and his importance to the zombie movement – is secured. It is with the help of the fans that milestones in the story of the undead do not end up forgotten and, on the specific subject of Day of the Dead (1985), Romero's third zombie film, it is Lee Karr who has penned what will surely stand as the definitive word..."

You can read the rest of my review by visiting Homepage of the Dead - click HERE to continue.

The Walking Dead Season 5 Comic-Con Trailer Analysis...

Find Walking Dead memes here.

Finally, the season five comic-con trailer for TWD is here and although shorter than previous trailers for previous seasons, there's still a lot of stuff we can learn from it – so let's dig into it!

Some Key Notes:

The quest for Washington – it looks like the rather shady Gareth of Team Terminus will be joining forces with Team Rick to help get Eugene to D.C. so they can save the world … maybe.

So much for that 'Sanctuary For All' crap.

Bob seems to successfully plead for their lives.

Is he really all bad, or does he just put on a mean face?

Are the residents of Terminus cannibals? A lot of indicators point that way (the likes of Rick, Bob, Daryl, and Glenn bound and gagged with their throats over a trough, the train cars full of people etc), but is the blurry sight of a man hacking at a body preparation for dinner or a crude form of surgery? We've not seen them eat any definitive human flesh yet, so who knows, maybe their diet isn't so outré after all?

Hacking away at a leg - fixing an injury, amputating, preparing a cutlet for roasting?

Unfamiliar faces - cannon fodder set to be slaughtered? For food? For intimidation? Both?
Is the guy nearest the camera Sam from episode 4x04 "Indifference"? - credit to Moon Knight for that one.

Daryl and Glenn in a sticky situation ... with amateur butchers?

Click “READ MORE” below to see what else the trailer had in store for us (trailer spoilers ahead)...

"Zhombeez!" (2000)...

I dug this out of my vaults today and uploaded it to YouTube.



Many years ago now - during the summer of 2000 - I made a simple stop-motion experiment with zombies that I crafted out of clay. Inspired by George A. Romero's "Day of the Dead", I also created an army figure styled somewhat after Captain Rhodes and did my own - rather basic (it was my first, and pretty much only, attempt at stop motion animation) - re-enactment of the infamous scene from Romero's landmark horror flick.


Click "READ MORE" below for more information about "Zhombeez!"...

Dead Genesis (Reese Eveneshen, 2011) DVD Review...

Indie filmmaker and zombie fan Reese Eveneshen (Writer/Director/Cinematographer) previously made waves on the low budget indie zombie flick scene with his 2007 remake of Night of the Living Dead, and with the follow-up film – Dead Genesis – Eveneshen seeks to tread familiar ground with a serious approach and bloody-minded ambition.

“It's not a war, it's us kickin' ass!” Beginning on Day 1 of the zombie apocalypse, we are quickly whisked through to Day 231, with the crumbling of society, and a push-back by the living, scanned-over with highlights. Families are literally torn apart (in an eye-widening first five minutes that separates the men from the boys), lawlessness takes over, and the 'War on Dead' begins with local militias becoming heroes of a resurrected New Media Corporation. Stories of hope and survival are transmitted to survivors as mankind sets about taking back what's theirs – but at what cost to their humanity?

Click “READ MORE” below to continue reading, and see more screenshots...

Merle & Michonne's Road Trip: The Walking Dead 3x15 Memes...

Find more Walking Dead memes here.

An absolutely cracker of an episode - Nicotero's strongest in the Director's chair, and another very fine piece of writing from Gimple (the showrunner from next season). A memorable one to say the least ... have 7 new memes to remember it by.

Click to Enlarge: Zombie Kill of the Week?

Click each image for FULL SIZE.

Click "READ MORE" below for Merle's nonchalance, references, rims, and beware EPISODE SPOILERS AHEAD...

Walking Dead gifs...

Rummaging through some files I stumbled upon these couple of animated gifs that I cobbled together a few months ago - I'd never created a gif before and fancied a stab at it, and yet for some reason I forgot about these, so I might as well share them here.

These two are from the The Walking Dead season two finale "Beside the Dying Fire".

The first one was supposed to be used as an avatar for forums and the like, and the second was my very first stab at creating an animated gif image. I was only using a relatively basic gif creator, and I couldn't really figure out how to get the perfect balance between smooth motion, image size, and the actual size of the file itself. Still though - worth sharing - I hope you enjoy them.

Rick the Psycho Dad Edition - The Walking Dead 3x05 memes...

Find more Walking Dead memes here.

Another solid episode - "Say the Word" introduced us to a completely unhinged Rick Grimes, which was the main meme inspiration for this week, with a little help from the theme song to Al Bundy's favourite TV show.

Click "READ MORE" below for more of Rick: Psycho Dad, an awkward trouser malfunction, a dash of Merle, and some security problems (the second image contains spoilers for last week's episode - 3x04 "Killer Within")...

Walking Dead Debrief 3x01 "Seed"...

Each week I'll be doing a run-down of each episode from season 3 - a sort of week-by-week episode-by-episode debrief, if you will - so with the triumphant return of AMC's superb zombie apocalypse drama, onwards to the 3x01 "Seed"...


WARNING: EPISODE 3x01 SPOILERS AHEAD!


WHAT WE LEARNED:
* After months on the road, surviving winter in the process, our merry band of walker bashers have developed into a team with a procedure for clearing a house and searching for survivors. However, while desperate, Rick won't allow them to stoop to eating dog food - a prospect that a much more hardened (and responsible) Carl doesn't take issue with.

* Michonne and Andrea have formed a tight duo (with accompanying chained zombies). This will be an interesting dynamic to follow as the season progresses, particularly when Woodbury is introduced (no doubt in 3x02 or at a push 3x03).

* The gang have developed their own tools - silencers made out of torches (or flashlights to our American friends), locks made out of chains and climbing gear that are ideal for chain link fences, and so on.

Click "READ MORE" below for more info, gore, twists, and cliffhangers...

Hershel vs Puberty, and Maggie Loves Gore - The Walking Dead 3x01 Memes...

Find more Walking Dead memes HERE.

The new season of the superb zombie drama show The Walking Dead is underway - so it's about time we had some brand new memes to go along with it.

First up - Hershel vs. Puberty.

Click "READ MORE" below for Maggie loving some gore...

YouTube Finds: "Blood & Guts with Scott Ian"...

A new show to the Nerdist Channel all about gore and special make-up effects, and the first port of call is of course the legend that is Gregg Nicotero!

In this series premiere episode, join host Scott Ian (Anthrax) as he spends a day with Legendary FX Artist Greg Nicotero in his KNB EFX's studio. See Nicotero's vast prop collection from throughout his career and also experience an awe inspiring bit of Blood and Guts.

 As a big horror fan, and a keen follower of KNB's work, this was a real joy to watch. Just nerding out over the various props and replicas was satisfying enough, but then they 'kill' three zombies to finish the video off, haha!

The Walking Dead Season 3 Comic-Con 2012 Extended Trailer Analysis...

It's that time of year again – the San Diego Comic-Con is once again under way – and for we fans of AMC's hugely successful hit show The Walking Dead (which returns in October), it means time again for another mouth-watering preview trailer. Check it out here, or if you're not American, then check it out here.

Find more Walking Dead memes HERE. 

What's more, these trailers have become synonymous with excellent clip selection and editing – details are kept hidden (their context often tweaked or totally changed), while still giving the fans a big old mouthful to chew on, and the music selection is always pitch-perfect. The trailer for season one featured “The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore” by The Walker Brothers, while season two's drool-inducing teaser brought Wye Oak's wonderful “Civilian” to our attention, and season three is no different in quality – it features “Black” by Kari Kimmel, which perfectly fits the tone of what we got to see. Read on for analysis and screenshots galore!

N.B. Spoilers for season two of The Walking Dead ahead - but not for season three. All comments are based on what you see in the trailer - if you want to remain completely oblivious to all things season three, don't read on ... otherwise, enjoy!

#1: Michonne's an arse kicker:

 

Introduced very briefly in the season two finale, we'll not only finally have a definitive answer as to how to pronounce her name, but we'll get one of the most beloved badasses of the comic on our telly screens. Here (and in a preview clip seen online earlier this week), she clears out a grocery store with her trusty sword in her own inimitable fashion, which includes a double decapitation.

#2: Michonne and Andrea team up:

It was fairly clear it would go this way when we were introduced to Michonne in the season two finale (where she saved an exhausted Andrea), but season three's extended trailer provided confirmation that these two death-dealing femmes will join forces. Michonne's already the ultimate bad ass, but at this stage we're still witnessing the evolution of Andrea. In season two she finally found her groove with firearms (so long old life as a Civil Rights Lawyer), and the season two finale also left her abandoned in the wake of the confusion of the incredible attack on Herschel's farm by a herd of walkers – a real trial by fire. Judging by this trailer, Andrea's up for a bloody good fight too, and this looks like it'll be an intriguing change-up when compared to the comics.

#3: Time in the wilderness:

 

Judging by Carl's shaggy hair, Herschel's beard, and Lori's unmistakable baby bulge, it looks like our band of survivors have been surviving on the road for quite some time. It would appear that the show-makers are seeking to condense time and events a little bit here (the prison storyline was spread out over six volumes of the trade paperbacks), which was further hinted at when we were told that we could be seeing the prison storyline spread across season three and season four.

Click "READ MORE" below for a whole shedload more trailer analysis and screenshots!

The Walking Dead memes - where does Carl go?

Find more Walking Dead memes HERE.

A little pre-emptive fun in the run-up to Season 3 of The Walking Dead. There was much talk (and many memes) made of Carl's whereabouts in the second season, which certainly made me chuckle, and even though I don't watch Star Trek, the little connection made me giggle nonetheless - so I made this:

Where will Carl get to in season three, I wonder? That precocious little scamp.

Click "READ MORE" below for an alternate version of the above meme...

The Walking Dead - more memes/lols...

Find more Walking Dead memes HERE.

A handful more memes/lols for The Walking Dead that I cobbled together a while ago (in this case, for a thread over on Homepage of the Dead), and as I hadn't posted them here yet, I figured it was about time I did as the last batch I posted (from the season two finale) proved quite popular. I'm also thinking of doing some more for the second season as a bit of fun, in advance of new episodes in October.

Click "READ MORE" below to see what else Dr Jenner could have been whispering to Rick...

Giallo, Exploitation, and Various DVD, Blu-Ray, and Movie Reviews...

The most recent reviews are at the top of each section.

Shameless Screen Entertainment DVD Reviews:

Stage Fright (Michele Soavi, 1987)

Formula For A Murder (Alberto de Martino, 1985)

Contraband (Lucio Fulci, 1980)

Four Flies On Grey Velvet (Dario Argento, 1971)

Amsterdamned (Dick Maas, 1988)

The Washing Machine (Ruggero Deodato, 1993)

The Sister of Ursula (Enzo Milioni, 1978)

The Frightened Woman (Piero Schivazappa, 1969)

Baba Yaga (Corrado Farina, 1973)

Venus In Furs (Massimo Dallamano, 1969)

The Beast In Space (Alfonso Brescia, 1980)

Satan's Baby Doll (Mario Bianchi, 1982)

Love Goddess of the Cannibals (Joe D'Amato, 1978)

Watch Me When I Kill (Antonio Bido, 1977)

Oasis of Fear (Umberto Lenzi, 1971)

My Dear Killer (Tonino Valerii, 1972)

Almost Human (Umberto Lenzi, 1974)

The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh (Sergio Martino, 1971)

Who Saw Her Die? (Aldo Lado, 1972)

Phantom of Death (Ruggero Deodato, 1988)

Dellamorte Dellamore (aka The Cemetery Man) (Michele Soavi, 1993)

Night Train Murders (Aldo Lado, 1974)

Torso (Sergio Martino, 1973)

The Killer Nun (Giulio Berruti, 1979)

What Have They Done To Your Daughters? (Massimo Dallamano, 1974)

Strip Nude For Your Killer (Andrea Bianchi, 1975)

Various Giallo Reviews:

Death Smiles On A Murderer (Aristide Massaccesi, 1973)

The Pyjama Girl Case (Flavio Mogherini, 1978)

The Suspicious Death Of A Minor (Sergio Martino, 1975)

Delirium (Lamberto Bava, 1987)

Francesca (Luciano Onetti, 2015)

Cold Blooded Beast (Fernando Di Leo, 1971)

The Night Evelyn Came Out Of The Grave (Emilio P. Miraglia, 1971)

The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (Emilio P. Miraglia, 1972)

The Editor (Astron-6, 2014)

The Bloodstained Butterfly (Duccio Tessari, 1971)

Death Walks At Midnight (Luciano Ercoli, 1972)

Death Walks On High Heels (Luciano Ercoli, 1971)

Five Dolls For An August Moon (Mario Bava, 1970)

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (Mario Bava, 1963)

Blood and Black Lace (Mario Bava, 1964)

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail (Sergio Martino, 1971)

The French Sex Murders (Ferdinando Merighi, 1972)

All The Colours Of The Dark (Sergio Martino, 1972)

Short Night of Glass Dolls (Aldo Lado, 1971)

Yellow (Ryan Haysom, 2012)

What Have You Done To Solange? (Massimo Dallamano, 1972)

The Black Belly of the Tarantula (Paolo Cavara, 1971)

Seven Blood-Stained Orchids (Umberto Lenzi, 1972)

Seven Deaths In The Cat's Eye (Antonio Margheriti, 1973)

The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion (Luciano Ercoli, 1970)

Autopsy (Armando Crispino, 1975)

Your Vice Is A Locked Room And Only I Have The Key (Sergio Martino, 1972)

Eyeball (Umberto Lenzi, 1975)

The Bloodstained Shadow (Antonio Bido, 1978)

The Case of the Bloody Iris (Giuliano Carnimeo, 1971)

  Other Reviews:

Evil Dead Burn (Sébastien Vanicek, 2026) 

Faces of Death (Daniel Goldhaber, 2026) 

Jason Goes To Hell (Adam Marcus, 1993) 

Silent Night Deadly Night (Mike P. Nelson, 2025) 

Space Cop (Jay Bauman & Mike Stoklasa, 2016) 

Deathstalker (Steven Kostanski, 2025) 

V/H/S/Halloween (Various, 2025) 

Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfolds (Fred Olen Ray, 1995) 

8MM (Joel Schumacher, 1999) 

The Bikini Car Wash Company II (Gary Dean Orona, 1993)

We Are Zombies (RKSS, 2023)

The Bikini Car Wash Company (Ed Hansen, 1992)

Frankie Freako (Steven Kostanski, 2024)

V/H/S/Beyond (Various, 2024)

In A Violent Nature (Chris Nash, 2024)

Mosquito (Gary Jones, 1994)

Stone Cold (Craig R. Baxley, 1991)

Destroy All Neighbors (Josh Forbes, 2024)

Vice Academy (Rick Sloane, 1989)

Ski School (Damian Lee, 1990)

V/H/S/85 (Various, 2023)

Murdercise (Angelica De Alba & Paul Ragsdale, 2023)

Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-o-Rama 2 (Brinke Stevens, 2022)

Evil Dead Rise (Lee Cronin, 2023)

Kids vs Aliens (Jason Eisener, 2023)

Scare Package II: Rad Chad's Revenge (Various, 2022)

Witch Academy (Fred Olen Ray, 1991)

Dinosaur Island (Fred Olen Ray & Jim Wynorski, 1994)

Virgin High (Richard Gabai, 1991)

Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go To College (John Carl Buechler, 1990)

Beach Babes From Beyond (David DeCoteau, 1993)

Ghoulies II (Albert Brand, 1987)

Bad Girls From Mars (Fred Olen Ray, 1990)

Ghoulies (Luca Bercovici, 1985)

King Frat (Ken Wiederhorn, 1979)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (David Blue Garcia, 2022)

Free Hand For A Tough Cop (Umberto Lenzi, 1976)

Death Row Diner (B. Dennis Wood, 1988)

Dude Bro Party Massacre III (Tom Jacobsen, Michael Rousselet, Jon Salmon, 2015)

Hell Squad (Kenneth Hartford, 1986)

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich (Sonny Laguna & Tommy Wiklund, 2018)

Willy's Wonderland (Kevin Lewis, 2021)

Hired To Kill (Nico Mastorakis, 1990)

Dial Help (Ruggero Deodato, 1988)

The Zero Boys (Nico Mastorakis, 1986)

Joysticks (Greydon Clark, 1983)

Return to Savage Beach (Andy Sidaris, 1998)

Day of the Warrior (Andy Sidaris, 1996)

Hot Dog ... The Movie! (Peter Markle, 1984)

The Dallas Connection (Christian Drew Sidaris, 1994)

Season of the Witch (George A. Romero, 1972)

Enemy Gold (Christian Drew Sidaris, 1993)

There's Always Vanilla (George A. Romero, 1971)

Fit To Kill (Andy Sidaris, 1993)

Hard Hunted (Andy Sidaris, 1992)

Chopping Mall (Jim Wynorski, 1986)

Do Or Die (Andy Sidaris, 1991)

Guns (Andy Sidaris, 1990)

3 From Hell (Rob Zombie, 2019)

Castle Freak (Stuart Gordon, 1995)

Savage Beach (Andy Sidaris, 1989)

Critters Attack! (Bobby Miller, 2019)

Splatter University (Richard W. Haines, 1984)

Malibu Express (Andy Sidaris, 1985)

Picasso Trigger (Andy Sidaris, 1988)

Hard Ticket To Hawaii (Andy Sidaris, 1987)

Microwave Massacre (Wayne Berwick, 1983)

Evil Toons (Fred Olen Ray, 1992)

Body Melt (Philip Brophy, 1993)

The Best of 80s Scream Queens - Nightmare Sisters, Murder Weapon, Deadly Embrace (David DeCoteau aka 'Ellen Cabot', 1987-1989)

Nail Gun Massacre (Terry Lofton & Bill Leslie, 1985)

The Mutilator - aka - Fall Break (Buddy Cooper, 1984)

Syndicate Sadists (Umberto Lenzi, 1975)

Blastfighter (Lamberto Bava, 1984)

Man From Deep River (Umberto Lenzi, 1972)

Thriller: A Cruel Picture - aka - They Call Her One Eye (Bo A. Vibenius, 1973)

Massacre In Dinosaur Valley (Michele Massimo Tarantini, 1985)

Milano Calibro 9 (Fernando Di Leo, 1972)

Hell Comes To Frogtown (R.J. Kizer & Donald G. Jackson, 1988)

Live Like A Cop, Die Like A Man (Ruggero Deodato, 1976)

Zombie Lake (Jean Rollin, 1981)

Evil Ed (Anders Jacobsson, 1995)

Bride of Re-Animator (Brian Yuzna, 1989)

Dr Alien (David DeCoteau, 1989)

Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals (Joe D'Amato, 1977)

The Bogey Man (Ulli Lommel, 1980)

Creepozoids (David DeCoteau, 1987)

Killer Workout (David A. Prior, 1987)

Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (Fred Olen Ray, 1988)

Don't Answer The Phone! (Robert Hammer, 1980)

Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-o-Rama (David DeCoteau, 1988)

Matinee (Joe Dante, 1993)

Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity (Ken Dixon, 1987)

Pervert! (Jonathan Yudis, 2006)

Rabid Dogs (Mario Bava, 1974)

Chillerama (Green/Lynch/Rifkin/Sullivan, 2011)

The Final Girls (Todd Strauss-Schulson, 2015)

The ABCs of Death 2 (Various, 2015)

SS Experiment Camp (Sergio Garrone, 1976)

Bloodsucking Pharaohs In Pittsburgh (Dean Tschetter, 1991)

Anthropophagous (Joe D'Amato, 1980)

Contamination (Luigi Cozzi, 1980)

Manborg (Steven Kostanski, 2011)

Galaxy of Terror (B.D. Clark, 1981)

Fly Me (Cirio Santiago, 1973)

Barbed Wire Dolls (Jess Franco, 1976)

Hitler's Last Train (Alain Payet, 1977)

Fraulein Kitty (Patrice Rohmm, 1977)

Ilsa: The Wicked Warden (Jess Franco, 1977)

Caged Women (Leandro Lucchetti, 1991)

Super Bitch (Massimo Dallamano, 1973)

99 Women, Women Behind Bars, Bare Behind Bars, Sadomania, and Amazon Jail ("Bad Girls Behind Bars" DVD Collection, Jess Franco and Oswaldo De Oliveira, 1969-1982)

Jungle Warriors (Ernst R. von Theumer, 1984)

Red Heat (Robert Collector, 1985)

Chained Heat (Paul Nicolas, 1983)

Hard To Die: Sorority House Massacre 3 (Jim Wynorski, 1990)

Sorority House Massacre 2 (Jim Wynorski, 1990)

He Knows You're Alone (Armand Mastroianni, 1980)

2019 After the Fall of New York (Sergio Martino, 1983)

Silent Night (Steven C. Miller, 2012)

The Las Vegas Serial Killer (Ray Dennis Steckler, 1987)

The Hollywood Strangler Meets The Skid Row Slasher (Ray Dennis Steckler, 1979)

Evil Dead (Fede Alvarez, 2013)

The ABCs of Death (Various, 2013)

Maniac (Franck Khalfoun, 2013)

The Lords of Salem (Rob Zombie, 2012)

Dead Genesis (Reese Eveneshen, 2011)

More reviews will be added as-and-when.

Sean Connell at the Manhattan Monologue Slam...

Sean Connell - an acting buddy of mine who appeared in Trapped [Part 1, Part 2] (2005), Signing Off (2008), and Skinner (2009) - is currently in New York, and recently he appeared at the Manhattan Monologue Slam. You can view his monologue in the above video, and read about his experience via his blog (also linked to in the links section down there on the right).

You can also check him out in my short film from a while back, Skinner, below.

More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead - The Definitive Return of the Living Dead Documentary (Bill Philputt, 2011)

Dan O'Bannon's 1980s horror comedy The Return of the Living Dead is a hell of a fun ride. So resilient is it, and important to the pop culture of zombies, that the standard go-to rendition of a zombie (e.g. as represented in The Simpson's) is that of lurching, half-rotted, risen-freshly-from-the-grave monsters who scream out for "braaaiiins". Featuring a punk rock soundtrack and a fresh, young cast (adorned in various counter-culture outfits), Return of the Living Dead mixed grisly practical gore effects with sly humour - but, crucially, the jokes never came at the expense of the ensuing chaos.

While the sequels haven't exactly proved to be legendary, the original has really stuck around as a fan favourite. Part 2 over-egged the comedy at the expense of the horror with a weak script (although it did do well in that it brought back Thom Matthews and James Karen, and had some pretty nifty special effects at times). Part 3 - under the direction of splatter-meister Brian Yuzna - re-upped the horror quotient and made for a fun time. Then, unfortunately, came the exceptionally ill-judged fourth and fifth instalments (Necropolis, and Rave To The Grave) ... the less said about those, the better.

 

Now more than a quarter-of-a-century old, the original Return of the Living Dead has warranted a full-on documentary from Michael Perez Entertainment - who have previously presented us with a doc on the A Nightmare On Elm Street series titled Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (although, personally, I'm yet to see that one). Make no mistake, if you're a fan of this movie, then More Brains: A Return to the Living Dead, is an absolute must-own.

Bringing in all the surviving key players from the cast and crew, the doc meticulously pours over every facet of the production from concept to production, and ultimately exhibition. The interviews are frank, honest, and at times hilarious - more of which can be garnered from a series of deleted scenes (one of which is an eyebrow-raising tale of visiting real-life crematoriums), and a credit-roll gag reel - suffice to say, everything you would want to know about the movie is here.

What's more, this is no cheap production, corners haven't been cut or anything rushed. The presentation, from Carl Ramsey's cover art to the interviews themselves (featuring lovely background set design), is done with care and a great deal of attention, making this as equally visually impressive as it is illuminating. However, it's not all talking heads - behind-the-scenes video (captured in the days long before DVD, when such footage was rarely shot or preserved) crops up throughout, as well as hundreds of photographs revealing all from between-takes moments, to concept art, and the development of the special effects.

As if the main documentary, which runs for two whole hours, wasn't enough, we fans are treated to a further two hours of extra features. 50 minutes alone is dedicated to parts two and three, pulling in various members of the cast and crew from the respective productions, before we even get to the rest. Deleted scenes, a location tour, music video, trailers, 'ROTLD in 3 Minutes', and most poignantly of all - an in-depth on-camera interview with Writer/Director Dan O'Bannon, who sadly passed away in 2009.

If you haven't been convinced already then check out the trailer - otherwise, what the hell's wrong with you? If you're into this 80s horror black comedy fan favourite then you'll simply have to buy a copy - without a shadow of a doubt, it's well worth your time and money.

For more information, please visit - www.getmorebrains.com

Deadlands 2: Trapped on Blu-Ray review...

The guys over at High-Def Digest have done a review of Gary Ugarek's indie zombie flick Deadlands 2: Trapped - and in the extra features you'll find a familiar something from DeadShed Productions.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/2684/deadlands2.html

"I Am Zombie Man" Series (HD, 39 min) — Three short films by British filmmaker Nick Thomson of Deadshed Productions. After a brief introduction by the writer/director, viewers can enjoy the goofy faux-documentary about a very lonely zombie. It's all done for a laugh and a good time, with the third movie in the series being probably the best.