Sunday, June 5, 2016

Junesploitation 2016 Day 5: Zombies!

We are going to eat you!

132 comments:

  1. I missed Kung fu! yesterday due to work and exhaustion. NO PROBLEM, CHIEF! I'll just double-up for Zombies! and kill two puppies with one bullet, because #Loopholesploitation! :-O

    Feature #1: KUNG FU ZOMBIE (1981, 78 min.) on Amazon Prime for the first.

    Get to finally use this for the first time this month: DING! DING! DING! DING! WE HAVE A WINNAH! Still high on kung fu flicks and don't want to give that feeling up to move on to zombies? Combine 'em both, and be done in under 80 min. of fat-free lunacy! This flick is like a blender of every happening movie in the late 70's to early 80's, except with medieval Chinese kung fu and terrible English dubbing giving the sped-up fighting scenes a strangely appealing energy. There's "Evil Dead" (if bodies were possessed by vampires instead of demons) "The Exorcist" movies, "Re-Animator" ('no, that body's not fresh enough'), James Bond, etc. Heck, the music is all stolen from other movies and it's missing the one tune that should have been included: The Benny Hill running-around finale theme music, aka Yakety Sax. The copy streaming on Amazon is clearly a VHS rental (optional English subtitles available and recommended), and frankly that only enhances the feel that you're watching a pure die-in-the-wool exploitation genre pic.

    The best part of "Kung Fu Zombie" is that it recognizes that the bad-ass hero, Billy Chong's Pang Fong, is a one-dimensional bore whose only noticeable attributes are (a) he's good at fighting and (b) lives to put down and humiliate the father he can only communicate with in angry shouting matches. So most of the story revolves around Lu Dai (Cheng Ka Ying) and his unwilling "mad scientist" priest, Wu Lung (Chang Tao), trying to both kill Pang and return Lu Dai back to life in someone else's body. Did I mention Pang's father has a weak heart, and that a serial killer (Known Young Moon) that shows up to challenge Pang ends up becoming the desired resting place of a couple of restless spirits? Come for the sped-up kung fu action, stay for the duel to the death with a decapitating flying vampire that can fight with his hands and feet on fire. Thanks, Junesploitation! :-)

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    1. Michael GiammarinoJune 5, 2016 at 9:50 AM

      It would be cool, and rather clever, if you could find a movie every day that encapsulates what the theme was the previous night and what the theme is on the new day.

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    2. Back when I was unemployed and had all the time in the world (i.e. Junesploitation 2015) it would have been cool. Now, with three jobs and fighting sleep fatigue five days a week? Sorry. :'(

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    3. The pacing is so fast that there's a scene (spoilers) wherein one of the villains joins a Buddhist temple, and cooks the temple yard dog because he doesn't want to be a vegetarian, and is subsequently kicked out - a scene which lasts all of 4 seconds, and then the story moves on to the next thing without skipping a beat. Even without the 2x speed action, the whole thing is a frenetic romp.

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  2. Feature #2: MAGGIE (2015, 95 min.) on Amazon Prime for the first.

    'Tonight, on a very special episode of "The Soon-to-Be Walking Dead"...

    The key to finding what little entertainment "Maggie" offers is to view it as another 'movie disease is slowly killing a likable young white person' flick (#TheFaultInOurStarsploitation), only within the context of a zombie outbreak. Forget that Arnold Schwarzenegger stars, his role of concerned father could have been played by any other actor with similar or better/worse results. Heck, Arnold disappears for most of the movie's middle act, which not coincidentally is "Maggie's" strongest portion. It allows the titular character (Abigail Breslin) to be herself for the few days she has before you-know-what happens, and it's the closest the movie comes to engaging us in its own terms and not the genre it's ripping off.

    The world in which "Maggie" unfolds (trying to carry normalcy in a rural setting) doesn't make logistical sense, especially since everybody seems to know the Quarantine centers for the infected are a sham. Worse, the movie is all set-up (the angry deputy just itching to put a bullet in Maggie, Arnie's relationship with his daughter's step-mom, etc.) and no payoff. It's like a toothless "Walking Dead" episode that builds toward a dramatic crescendo, then backs off going there because it'd hurt too much. BULL-to-the-CRAP! Watch Eric England's "Contamination" instead; entirely different disease/set-up, but covers similar emotional territory in a more cinematically coherent universe (sequel excluded) that doesn't pull its punches toward the end like "Maggie" does.

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    1. "CONTRACTED"... Eric England's "Contracted," which is still streaming on Netflix (along with the sequel that's best avoided).

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    2. Michael GiammarinoJune 5, 2016 at 9:51 AM

      If a writer on Walking Dead wrote Maggie it might have been more compelling.

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    3. I loved Maggie. As a lifelong Arnold fan I was thrilled to see him doing something a little different. Your criticisms are totally valid but Arnold made the movie for me.

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    4. Michael GiammarinoJune 5, 2016 at 2:04 PM

      I thought Arnold was better than the movie was.

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    5. I also watched Maggie. It was ok.
      I liked Arnold in a different mode, I also liked Breslin, but the film was agonizingly slow, drained of any color, drab and darkly filmed. Seemed to me like a horror drama in wannabe-Malick-style.

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  3. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

    The granddaddy of the modern zombie movie. Been such a long time since I'd seen the movie, I had very little memory of it.

    A simple, well crafted story with great slow-burning tension, but the whole sci-fi explanation the movie offers is just silly.

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    1. The TV anchor reporting all the news is calm as fuck. He's just like "sorry, what was that, oh the creatures are the dead coming back to life. Okay, listen up everyone..."

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  4. Zombeavers (2014)

    Sometimes you feel like watching a classic horror film ala Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, or Shaun of the Dead and then other times you can't be bothered and need to relax for 77 minutes, that's when you put on Zombeavers.
    This movie is the perfect invite the fellows over crack open a few brews and laugh along with zombeaver movie. What makes this one stand out more then something cheap like Sharknado is the almost exclusive use of practical effects with the zombeavers and the fact that the cast plays the ridiculous premise straight for the most part. Be forewarned if you don't like ridiculous puppetry this movie is not for you (frankly I love it) Its a junk food movie for sure but its my junk food dammit. Also stick around for the after credits, they are pretty damn funny.

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  5. Zombie (1979)

    I had seen the shark v zombie scene and the eyeball scene, but the movie is full of memorable images. So silly in so many places, but at the same time feels like a a fever nightmare.

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    1. The theme song to this movie is one of my favorite horror themes ever.

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  6. Resident Evil

    Granted I was a gamer but I think this movie should be elevated above the VIDEO GAME movie stigma. Amongst its peers it really delivers decent production values and a solid zombie experience. As far as zombie stories narratives go this one delivers beyond the norm of WTF. Milla oh god Milla…I’ll always love you. Laser hallways, dead dobermans, child AI, gun in mouth, and a good old fashion elite team of badasses figuring out whats what. If you’re bored with the classics and haven’t OD’d on TWD this one is a good alternative.

    May your face always be inches away from a drooling zombie.

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    1. OK, you got to me, Mouse. Sold, I'm going... to replay "RE" on my Nintendo 3DXL and/or Saturn, "RE2" on my Nintendo 64, "RE3" and "RE: Code Veronica" on my Dreamcast and "RE4" & "RE: Zero" on my GameCube. There, Dog... happy now!?!?! :-P

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    2. No! RE5 had some great shit...originally on PS3 but wait like 6 months and it and all other RE will be on PS4. Rookie :)

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    3. What do you mean "RE5"? Everyone knows the "RE" series died and went to gaming heaven after Shinji Mikami left Capcom. Poser! :-P

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    4. Well played, well played. Looked outside the box RE 5 was a good play. RE6 I couldn't even get through the 2 second chapter. Maybe RE 5 had Shinji notes to work off of???? RE 5 while different is a great game...upgrade your shotgun. The magnum will also take out the beast that attacks the cargo ship (been awhile but it sounds right). You still got your Dreamcast? I'll kick your ass in Soulcalibur!

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    5. I'll pit my "Soul Calibur 2" Sophitia versus your "SC" Link from GameCube any day, you heathen! :-D

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  7. Maybe this isn’t a question I’m supposed to ask but I'm gonna do it anyways. How come most of the FThisMovies team doesn’t chime in on this great event? Perhaps there is some senior management mandate that followers aren’t privy to but it seems odd your crew isn’t partaking. Where’s J.B., Doug, Adam (GL Adam), Heath, Erika, Jan (anyone else I’ve spaced)? Was great to hear from Mr. Riske, Mike and James (new but awesome). What say you Junesploitation what say you?

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    1. It's called 'having a life,' Mouse. Just because they build the ant farm in which we gather and shoot the breeze at doesn't mean they have to breath and walk among us, mere cinephile ants. Just be grateful they build this great ant farm called 'F This Movie' at all for us to share in the joy of geekdom. :-)

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    2. Happy to be an ant (i have a lot of life to live. this is my retreat). My thought was they have more passion in the house they've built.

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    3. I'll be chiming in more during the month. I was busy seeing Popstar, TMNT 2 and Me Before You this weekend and writing reviews for two of them. I've only seen one exploitation movie thus far (and loved it) called Mystery of Chess Boxing.

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    4. Ouch! That does not sound like a a great movie watching weekend. Maybe your reviews will indicate otherwise. Enjoy Junesploitation you have a solid list! Give me the sneak preview on TMNT yeah or neigh? Hahahaha I'm guessing neigh.

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    5. TMNT2 isn't good, but I had a lot of fun with it. In most ways it's better than the first, and I didn't think Megan Fox was near as bad this time. Better than Xmen Apocalypse for me!

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    6. Isn't that Grindhouse festival still running? I noticed after that started there have been a lot fewer tweets and things from Fthismovie. I struggled a bit today, so doubt I'll tweet & review quite so much now.

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    7. Yeah the Grindhouse fest wraps up today. I did not like Tmnt 2 but it's not the worst thing I've seen this year either.

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  8. Shock Waves (1977)

    A group of shipwrecked people wind up on a tropical island. Peter Cushing is there with a German accent and acting creepy. After everyone meets, then aquatic Nazi zombies begin picking off the cast. Nice to finally see this film.

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  9. Dead Alive or in my neck of the woods BrainDead (1992)

    Of course you house a group of zombies in your mums house, it's the kiwi way! Even with my fear of zombies I am surprised I haven't watched this. During uni I remember constantly watching Bad Taste and Meet the Feebles on VHS. Anyway thank you Travis L for reminding me about this one. It was absouletly perfect for tonight. How can you not love a movie with a ass kicking preist, zombie sex and a zombie baby.

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    1. I'm from the UK, its always been Braindead to me though we also have another Braindead from 1990 will Bill Pulman

      I kick arse for the lord!

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    2. I so admire how that movie keeps topping itself in gore and ridiculousness right until the final seconds. I just watch it with my eyes glued to the screen and a giant smile on my face the entire time. That baby is next level genius. It makes me very happy that Dead Alive is part of your life now as it should be a part of everyones!

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    3. I know right Dennis!
      Like the first Harry Potter book was HP & The Philosophers Stone not the Sorcerers Stone!

      Did someone think Americans wouldn't understand what a "Philosopher" was?

      Doesn't help there are a few Dead Alive movie titles either

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    4. True, and Boogeyman too, Bogeyman in the UK, and Colours.. :)

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    5. I loved how much BrainDead reminded me of a Jim Henson movie, Labyrinth or Black Crystal. Just with all the practical effects and almost this pure imagation. I imagine a baby zombie and here it is. The whole thing was amazing.

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    6. Brain Dead (or Dead Alive to us Yanks) is just an amazing piece of work. This is a man who had something to prove with this picture, and did so. Repeatedly.

      It's just so great.

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  10. Night of the Creeps (1986)

    Tom Adkins battling brain slugs from outer space that turn people into zombies. What's not to love here? This was a real treat, and another film I've been meaning to see for ages.

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    1. "I got good news and bad news girls. The good news is your dates are here."

      "What's the bad news?"

      "They're dead."

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  11. Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972) (first time viewing)

    A girl ends up at an abandoned church that the superstitious locals stay away from. The undead awaken and bad stuff happens. This was a slow movie, but I still kind of dug it. The zombies were blind Templars who used to be devil worshipers. They were slow zombies, but hopped on horses to chase people. The undead looked cool and I liked the lore. Was fairly short too, so maybe worth a look.

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  12. Dead Heat (1988)

    Oh just your typical buddy cop movie. One is the wisecracking horny one and the other one is the no non sense zombie one, you know that same old story. This movie is insane! I'm just happy that this even exists. Gotta give props to Treat Williams for committing to the bit and Joe Piscopo... well he's there too. The plot is non sensical so i wont try to describe it, but it involves Vincent Price and the dad from Christmas Story so there ya go. There's a scene in a Chinese food shop where dead chickens and ducks come back to life and attack the heroes which is worth your time alone. Fun movie just don't pay attention to the plot or your brain will start to shut down.

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    1. Also, Roger Mortis is the greatest character name in the history of movies. Suck it, Charles Foster Kane.

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  13. Go back to where you came from and hurry, leave this place!

    The Beyond

    Beautiful version on a pre Bluray Ultrabit re-mastered Dvd, what I like about Fulci is he doesn't go for humour, I like myself a good Horror comedy or Dark comedy like we all do but I like a dark horror that is nothing else, one that does not feel the need to give you a chuckle to break the tension, I like tension, leave it alone, keep building, Italian horror seems to have a tone and a sense of dread that is unforgiving, a lot of Zombie movies are Zombie comedies which is Fine, or even Rom,Zom,Coms, still fine, but there is never a shot at real horror there, maybe just moments, The Beyond with its flaws is a shot at real Horror, and real Horror does not rely on Gore, that's another thing all together,
    I always dreamed we got the sequel. Beyond the Beyond, but I can dream can't I?

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    1. Dennis, you mention real horror.. The vision of Hell at the end of that movie is one of the most truly horrifying things I have seen in a movie. It will stick with me forever.

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    2. I'm glad you feel the same, this makes me happy, the journey they take to the final scene and the way it unfolds could not of been done any better at the time, and with that score and the colour palate and then the final shot, it builds to a truly memorable moment,
      Elric Kane would probably call it Pure Cinema

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    3. Something about the tarantula scene blows my mind. It's so bizaare and horrifying. Who else would have thought to include that scene? Fulci is one of a kind.

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    4. I always wondered why the hell they walked into Hell at the end. Couldn't they have just been like "hell no, we aren't going in there!" I love The Beyond - it's such a beautiful Horror film to look at.

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    5. Spiders make me creep so that scene works on me

      Interesting that you call it Hell, I never thought of it as Hell, I just thought of it as The Beyond, is The Beyond Hell?

      Spoilers ahead!
      Did they walk into Hell? I felt like they were running and accidentally ended up there stuck, they ended under the house directly from the morgue, and then in all directions were stuck

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    6. I feel like I read it as Hell. Or whatever the Beyond is.

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    7. Michael GiammarinoJune 5, 2016 at 1:55 PM

      It always seemed to me they slipped into Hell without noticing it until it was too late. Like it had swallowed them up.

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    8. My take on it is that they purposefully went in there because don't they take eachothers hand and kind of brace themselves before they walk in? Maybe they didn't know it was hell but that always confused me too, like how is hell better than facing the zombies? Lol gotta love Fulci logic.

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    9. It's part of the "gates of hell" trilogy, so I've always thought it was hell.

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    10. Very interesting points by everyone, if there are already Zombies on the earth then maybe Hell is already on the earth and The Beyond is somewhere else? Somewhere Beyond... Fulci Logic

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  14. Curse of the Blue Lights (1988) Dir. John Henry Johnson

    Pretty impressive practical effects/make-up and set design. A group of teens get involved with some ghouls who are trying to raise the dead and this guy! I had a lot of fun watching this although it's pretty dull. The atmosphere is light and one of the ghouls reminded me of Dan Aykroyd in Nothing But Trouble.

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    1. Btw, if I never see another Zombie film I won't lose any sleep. I have straight up exhausted this genre.

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  15. Zoombies (2015)

    Not the worst b-straight to streaming/TV ever, but not particularly interesting. If you feel you're missing zombie giraffes, koalas, and various other wildlife in your film life I suppose you couldn't do much better (or worse?).

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    1. I tried to watch this but couldn't do it. It's honestly not bad, but I couldn't handle the effects. I'm all about bad practical effects, but I can't do bad cgi.

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    2. I award you the prize for 87.5% accuracy between film title and today's theme! So close!

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    3. Yeah, it's not an easy sit by any means! One you slog through a couple SyFy originals, you can make it through just about anything.

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  16. Survival of the Dead (2009)

    Oh how the mighty have fallen! No scares, terrible CGI; has more in common with a Scary Movie sequel than Night or Dawn. Awful. Roll on Scream Queens.

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  17. ZOMBIES ON BROADWAY (1945)
    Two goofballs sell some mafia types on a new Broadway show, promising a real zombie on stage. Only they don’t actually have a zombie, and now have to find one. It’s a 1940s comedy, so the jokes are stale and there’s uncomfortable racism, but fortunately Bela Lugosi makes an appearance to provide some genre bona fides.

    ZOMBIE WOMEN OF SATAN (2009)
    Ultra low-budget trash, although with a title like that I don’t know what else I expected. The movie has that “goth burlesque carnival” style, so that’s something. Maybe not enough to hang a whole feature on, but at least it’s something.

    DRIVE-IN HORRORSHOW (2009)
    Anthology horror film with a wraparound about a bunch of zombies running a drive-in movie theater. The wraparound is delightfully goofy and campy, but the five short stories are ugly, mean-spirited, and predictable. What a waste.

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  18. I did not sign up for this Shit! We were better off on our own..

    Survival of the Dead

    I was gonna watch Land of the Dead for President Dennis hopper "Nosepicker" but I thought someone's gotta watch this one, it might as well be me, not as bad as I remembered, a few decent-ish deaths and a zombie on horseback, it's not Romero'a finest, but with two squabbling Irish families and George being a man to use subtext in his films for what is going on in the world, it did make me think about the troubles in Ireland and the battles between the Catholics and the Protestants, where in the film both parties are very stubborn and both wont back down, just like in Ireland
    I could be wrong?

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    1. The more I think about it the clearer it is, especially the speech about this is Muldoons land and has been for years and the other side of the bridge is the other families, and two Irish actors both willing to die, this film is about the Irish Protestants and Catholics I'm sure of it

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  19. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

    One of the best remakes, and it still has some nagging flaws. My wife had never seen it and I wanted her to see Phil from Modern Family as an asshole. I don't love this movie, but I like it enough that I break it out every couple years for a revisit. The opening 10 minutes is the best part of the whole movie. It's really incredible.

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  20. Weekend at Bernie's II (1993)

    Confession: I love the original Weekend at Bernie's. Yes, it's dopey, but Jonathan Silverman & Andrew McCarthy have reasonably good chemistry, Terry Kiser is legit great, and the whole thing has an infectious comic energy that wins me over. That being said, it's hardly a movie that needed a sequel, much less a sequel that came around 4 years too late and amplifies the broadness of the original without retaining the charm.

    Here, our hapless duo bring Bernie's corpse to the Virgin Islands (because reasons) in search of his stolen money, where he's resurrected by a voodoo priestess who's also after the loot. The resurrection is botched, so all Bernie can do is dance whenever music is playing, which somehow still leads everyone to the money. There are a few scattered laughs along the way and Kiser is still terrific, but this is a case where less definitely would have been more.

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  21. Cockneys vs Zombies (2012) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1362058/

    A couple of dodgy “geezers” have to rescue their Grandfather from his retirement home as Zombies invade London.

    Clearly this was a title concept film but unlike Snakes on a Plane or Cowboys v Aliens it’s fun. A lot of FUN!

    Honor Blackman & Alan Ford make dam fine kick-ass octogenarians and one can’t help but smile seeing the likes of Richard Briers, Tony Selby, Dudley Sutton, and Georgina Hale handling machine guns and battling with the plague of undead.

    Apparently it’s impossible to write a review about this film without mentioning Shaun Of the Dead, see? I just have, although I wish I hadn’t....

    Personal rating 3/5

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  22. The Evil Dead (1981)
    I'm not a huge fan of zombie movies, and I'm not sure that this really is a straight zombie movie, but I find myself revisiting this movie a lot. Something about it is just rewatchable to me. I love the low budget elements, but I also think that the direction of this mood top notch. This movie really knows what it is and what it wants to do, and it's still scary after many viewings.

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  23. Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014, dir. Kiah Roache-Turner) - first viewing

    Not much of a zombie movie fan myself, but I can't deny that this flick has plenty of energy and a ton of ideas: some crazy good, others just plain crazy. It didn't completely win me over but I'm glad I gave it a watch.

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    1. Always enjoy it when a movie has one thing, like zombies, and then they're like... but what if there was ALSO telepathy. Why is it always telepathy actually? I just watched Dredd, does the same thing.

      Also, is Bianca Bradley not suuuuuper awesome in that movie?? :)

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    2. Looper is the same with telepathy. haha

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    3. I was trying to think of some more. Minority Report, Total Recall, they both sort of do it too ahaha

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  24. Night of the Living Dead (1968, dir. George A Romero) - First watch

    Trying to figure out what to watch yesterday, realised Night of the Living Dead is in the public domain, and my decision was made. I thought that it was great, especially once all the characters were interacting in the house. The zombie effects are great, I think my favourite gore effect was the zombie with the collapsed head at the start, that one really hit me. The whole final attack was brutal and totally unrelenting. Was really interesting to watch sort of the origin of the modern zombie movie, and it's such a great, small, contained movie too. And now I can watch that Dawn of the Dead blu I've been sitting on because goddamit I have to watch these unrelated zombie movies in order.

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  25. Dance of the Dead (2008)
    Haven't pulled this one off the shelf in a while. Perfect for today.

    A fun indie zombie-comedy. Its prom night and the dead are rising. It's up to the slackers, the sci fi club, the deadbeat rock band, and those without dates, to band together to save what's left of the town.
    This movie is a good time. Small budget but filmed quite well with good performances from the young cast.
    Bonus points for the effect of zombies literally bursting from their graves.

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  26. Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)

    Plan 9? Ah yes, plan 9 deals with the resurrection of the dead. Long distance electrodes shot into the pineal and pituitary gland of the recently dead.

    A wonderfully bad movie with laughable narration, bad actors delivering clunky lines, cardboard sets and a nonsensical plot (largely written around the few scenes Ed Wood shot with Bela Lugosi before his death). Endlessly entertaining.

    I couldn't stop laughing at a high-ranking military officer explaining that and alien transmission cuts out because atmospheric conditions in outer space often interfere with transmitting.

    Fun fact: The character of Liutenant Harper can often be seen stupidly pointing his loaded gun at things and people, including himself. The actor was purposely testing if Wood would notice and reshoot. Wood either didn't notice or didn't care.

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  27. 28 Days Later (2003)

    I'll be honest, I really don't like zombie movies. I tried to watch Zombeavers, but only because I love Bill Burr. After his part was finished about 3 minutes in, so was I. After a couple more start-and-goes on Netflix, I just decided to go with one that I DO like.

    So, here we are. In case you haven't heard, this Movie is awesome. Danny Boyle rules. The soundtrack rules. The cast rules. 28 Days Later rules.

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    1. I didn't know Bill Burr is in that. I'll have to watch at least the first 3 minutes. haha

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    2. The first scene is Bill and John Mayer wearing a silly moustache. It's silly.

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  28. I Walked With A Zombie (1943)

    I shouldn't have watched this after BrainDead. Usually this is the type of movie I would love, its atomospheric, its got this Jane Eyre, Wide Saragasso Sea thing going on. I have always liked
    Jacques Tourneur. But it just wasn't what I was in the mood for.

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  29. 28 Weeks Later

    I watched 28 Days Later a few months ago so it was only right to watch the sequel on zombie day. I enjoyed it, started off very strong, got a bit boring in the middle and then a pretty good ending, so i enjoyed overall. Helicopter cutting zombies heads off is the best :D

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    1. I really liked the 1st half of this movie, but in the 2nd half, the way main zombie kept magically finding the protagonists really bugged me. After his character was such an ass wipe in Trainspotting, I was glad to see him get killed! All in all, one of the better zombie movies, however, I preferred 28 Days Later.

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    2. Yeah it was very strange how Carlyle could just follow the main characters!

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  30. King of the Zombies (1941)

    Silly but fun B movie with great comic relief provided by Mantan Moreland. If you can get passed the dated characterizations you might find this a fun change of pace from the usual brain eating zombie flicks. No classic but an OK time killler.

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  31. ZOMBIE (1979)

    My first time seeing this and also my first Fulci movie. Italian horror is a blank spot in my viewing history, mainly because I've been a little overwhelmed as to where to start. Suggestions welcome.

    With that said, I really like this one. The zombie imagery paired with the score makes for some truly creepy scenes. And I loved some of the more shlockey over the top gore (I'm looking at you shark fight scene and eyeball scene!). Also, why wouldn't you scuba dive nude?

    4 out of 5 Wormy Skulls.

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    1. You started off perfectly, Jeff. Suggestions? Bava (Mario and Lamberto), Fulci and Argento. Start with them as they are the masters. Watch Demons from Lamberto Bava, It's a blast and a great way to start.

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    2. Nice! Thanks for the recommendations!

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  32. Kung Fu Zombie (1981) - I'm not a huge zombie movie fan, and thought I'd double up on genres since I missed yesterday, so this was perfect. And crazy weird. It had me with the zombie puppets, but then it goes and throws ghosts and sort of vampires into things, all while still being a straight-up kung fu movie. I'm not going to say it's a classic, but it kept me entertained for an hour and twenty minutes.

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  33. ZOMBIE (1979)

    My first time seeing this and also my first Fulci movie. Italian horror is a blank spot in my viewing history, mainly because I've been a little overwhelmed as to where to start. Suggestions welcome.

    With that said, I really like this one. The zombie imagery paired with the score makes for some truly creepy scenes. And I loved some of the more shlockey over the top gore (I'm looking at you shark fight scene and eyeball scene!). Also, why wouldn't you scuba dive nude?

    4 out of 5 Wormy Skulls.

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    1. If you like classic horror like Hammer, I'd check out Mario Bava's stuff like Black Sunday. If you're into more shocking stuff, Suspiria might be for you. That film is unbelievably beautiful in its look and music and very brutal.

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    2. Tenebre is really good too (with John Saxon, no less!) Patrick wrote a really nice review for it.
      Torso is a personal favorite.
      The New York Ripper was the first one I ever watched, and realized, hey, this is good stuff.
      Suspiria is very very good, and Argento's next movie Inferno is just as good.
      I'm sure on Italian Horror day, you'll get a ton of good recommendations.

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  34. RE-ANIMATOR (1985):

    Not much to say about this one that hasn't already been said. This was my first full viewing, and I was really impressed with the production value, casting, and Stuart Gordon's mastery of the ridiculous tone.

    On another note, I didn't even know there were sequels until I started researching the film. Has anyone seen them?

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    1. I recently saw Bride of Reanimator. It's very clearly of a much lower production value and really lacks Gordon's genius. Still, it's wacky and fun and Jeffery Combs is the bomb.

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    2. Michael GiammarinoJune 5, 2016 at 10:21 PM

      Bride of Reanimator has its charms. It's best to stay away from Beyond Reanimator.

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  35. Kung Fu Zombie (Yi-Jung Hua) 1981

    You: Is catching up on yesterday's Kung Fu action while simultaneously watching a sweet zombie movie fun?
    Me: Yes

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  36. Night of the Comet (1984)

    I wasn't able to participate in FTMF so this was my first viewing. This film accurately concludes that the least interesting thing about a zombie apocalypse situation is zombies. Because of this there are very few zombies in this movie, so it's mostly just people living in this world.

    I just found one of my new favorite movies. The film is magnificent in just about every way. The use of music is spectacular and gives it such a wonderful 1980's atmosphere. The characters are so loveable, and I absolutely love the ending. If it wasn't for a "dream within a dream" sequence I wasn't crazy about, I'd think the darn thing is perfect.

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    1. I am going to watch this for apocolypse day - I am looking forward to it

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  37. Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014)

    A zombie movie made in this decade surprised me and kept surprising me. Can't ask for much more than that.

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  38. Curse of the Cannibal Confederates (1982)

    You want low budget? I'll give you some fuckin' low budget.

    I wasn't sure but I think this movie was made for $4.75. It was boring for about an hour and then for about 10 minutes, had some funny parts(unintentionally). It's hard to criticize something that was made for nothing. The gore wasn't terrible either. That's all I got.

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  39. Diary of the Dead (2007)

    "They used to be...us against us. Now, it's us against them..He was right, us against them. Except they are us."

    That's some poignant social commentary right there. There are a couple of interesting ideas in this movie. Yup.
    I've seen Night, Dawn, Day, and Land, and no one had reviewed this, so I figured I'd take one for the team. For that, I give myself 5 Stars!

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  40. Day of the Dead (1985)

    Like this a lot more now than the first time I saw it - some great effects in there and overall just a solid zombie movie - that scream where the pitch changes as the vocal cords are stretched really is something.

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  41. The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

    I was going to watch something new to me tonight, but I missed my sister and RotLD reminds me of her. This was my introduction to zombies when I was a kid, and it remains one of my favorite zombie flicks.

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    1. This movie is oddly comforting to me. Definitely one of the best zombie movies. I really like the second one, too.

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  42. The Living Dead Girl (1982)

    That's the thing about these zombie movies. I get older, they are still boring.

    Some guys go into a tomb to steal things. A girl wakes up and kills them all. The 1st kill is pretty vicious. The rest of the movie trudges along and there are deaths here and there. Raw Force is next and I have high hopes for it.

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  43. WYRMWOOD: ROAD OF THE DEAD (2014)

    So this was as much fun as I'd heard. The energy of it & the clear desire to entertain the viewer above anything else, is evident. The best new experience I've had this Junesploitation.

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    1. I watched this last October and really enjoyed it. I've heard that there's a follow-up in the works, too.

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  44. Dead Snow (2009)

    Ugh... I really did not like this movie. It wasn't funny, none of the characters were memorable, I just did not care. It's just a completely empty uninteresting movie.

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    1. ..so almost a "cold and bleak" experience?

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    2. I have a similar reaction to this movie. I found the sequel to be a huge improvement, so consider giving it a chance at some point. It's fun and crazy instead of dumb and ugly.

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    3. The sequel is immensely better. Super gory and super hilarious.

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    4. The sequel is immensely better. Super gory and super hilarious.

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    5. I hope so. I'll definitely watch it for Nazi day and report back.

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    6. I hope so. I'll definitely watch it for Nazi day and report back.

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  45. Night of the Living Dead (1990, Dir. Tom Savini)

    Necessary remake? Nope, but very few if any ever are. I guess that if anyone was entitled to try their hand at recreating the film that started the genre and helped define his career it's Tom Savini. - Surprisingly muted in terms of the gore factor but still enjoyable and an interesting take on the original ending. Not a candle on the original, but still enjoyable.

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  46. City of the Living Dead (1980, dir. Lucio Fulci)
    This is the Fulci movie I've seen the most times, but it was great to see it on 35mm in a crowded theater (of people laughing ironically, because some people are bastard people). It continues to play like a nightmare from which Fulci will not let us awake. I think I still prefer The Beyond, but this is a close second.

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    2. I was at the same screening, and this is my favorite Fulci film. The thing about Fulci, for me, is you get sucked into it. It's hard to even write about because it's a feeling the film provokes more than anything else. The zombies in this movie appear and disappear. The town is called Dunwich, even though it's Lovecraftian only in the sense that something cosmic is at work here. A girl's eyes bleed right before she pukes her guts out--literally. It's so good.

      As for the laugh riots, I don't get it. Some of the dialogue is not great, sure, but a lot of the laughs came from Fulci showing people's faces, and they were not funny moments. I think the laughs are forced, because I've noticed, over many screenings of horror movies at this particular theater, that they always die down as the film continues. Making yourself laugh is not easy, so fatigue sets in right around the thirty minute mark. That's my latest theory anyway. I still enjoyed myself immensely.

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  47. I can see you struggling to not get annoyed at these ironic idiotic imbeciles, ;)

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    1. I've learned to tune them out at the repertory screenings I attend. As a diehard "MST3K" fan I can understand and even appreciate that a movie can entertain someone in an entirely different way than the movie intended. Heck, one day I can laugh and be amused by Fulci cheese and another be wowed by his craftsmanship... win-win by me, get to enjoy the same flick either way. :-)

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  48. Nightmare City aka City of the Walking Dead (1980, dir. Umberto Lenzi)

    If Zombi was the Italian take on Romero's Dead movies, this one must be their version of The Crazies. Lots of the victims in this one had it coming, though... some negligent motherfuckers. Trailer.

    Zeder aka Revenge of the Dead (1983, dir. Pupi Avati)

    Unique in that it takes the structure of an Argento giallo (novelist and his skeptical girlfriend are drawn dangerously close to a series of mysterious murders,) and melds it with the plot of a Fulci zombie picture (a specific geographical location which acts as a portal to the world of the dead.) Slow, but worth a look if you're interested in everything this genre has to offer. Trailer.

    Zombi Holocaust aka Dr. Butcher, M.D. (1980, dir. "Frank Martin")

    Another anomaly in the Italian zombie pantheon, this one takes two-thirds of its runtime to introduce any zombies; the majority of it is actually a jungle cannibal movie! When the zombies do show up, they're stooges for a mad scientist, meaning you get three exploitation genres mashed into one (and of course, the whole affair begins in New York City, a requirement for all Italian Cannibal or Zombie pictures.) Co-stars Princess Belle Starr from Escape from Galaxy 3. Trailer.

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  49. Contracted:
    First time viewing, I really enjoyed it. The lesbian gf's tattoos and piercings along with snooty British accent kills me. The last few seconds of the film made me giddy with delight.

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  50. Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated (2009, dir. Mike Schneider, on DVD) - First Time Viewing: Shot for shot remake of NOTLD created with dozens of different animation styles all mixed together. While some of this was extremely crudely done (and some quite beautiful), it is a fun experiment and recommended for fans of my favorite horror movie of all time (3 out of 5 Griers).

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  51. Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974)

    A little late with this one but I was busy most of the weekend. Thought this was a very solid movie though, Spanish and Italian made, filmed in Italy, and taking place in England with the dead being revived due to a machine that's meant to kill off insects. The pacing and build-up were good, starting off slowly with one zombie and then increasing the threat later. The make-up and effects for the most part are fairly good also.

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  52. Return of the Living Dead (1985)

    Nothing but net. This movie makes me happy, and the soundtrack makes me dance. I started watching a British miniseries called "Dead Set" ('09) on Sunday but a couple episodes in put on this old classic instead. ("Dead Set" was actually not bad / pretty original -- playing on characters that are in a Big Brother reality show situation.)

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